Various Artists – Shapes Yellow (Tru Thoughts/Zebra Traffic)
November 18th, 2004 by duck
A joint effort from sister labels Tru Thoughts and Zebra Traffic, ‘Shapes Yellow’ is further proof, as if it were needed, of the Brighton label’s faultless A&R. None of the tracks on the compilation have ever appeared on CD before, and six of the them are totally new releases.
Much of Tru Thoughts contribution is made up of remixes of tracks by Quantic, the Quantic Soul Orchestra and Alice Russell, although we also get new tracks from Flevans, Jumbonics and Diesler. Diesler’s remix of TM Juke’s ‘Playground Games’ with Alice Russell on vocals is the standout here, recasting the track as a laidback Bossa Nova, although TM Juke’s complete reworking of the QSO’s ‘Walking Through Tomorrow’ is almost its equal – and is so radical, it’s more of a cover version than a remix per se.
From Zebra Traffic we get ‘For The Haters’ by Dirty Diggers, a name that’s new to me, but their thundering drums and dreamy production gets extra points for the lyric ‘juiced up in Leeds/Passed out in Hyde Park’ because it’s always lovely to hear records shout places you know and love. If there’s a duff track here, it’s Mr Thing’s reggae tinged remix of Life’s ‘Rock It Right’. The production’s fine, I’ve just never really been a big fan of Life’s flow, and there’s nothing here to change my mind.
Welsh boys The Headcase Ladz on the other hand won me over instantly, with a kooky-yet-funky beat, some prehistoric scratching reminiscent of Schoolly D, and a tale of a trip to Blackpool told via lyrics that are in Goldie Looking Chain territory except, if anything, funnier. I too now “Want a Pie and Stick O’Rock”.
Digitek on the other hand are nowhere near the old school – as ‘Just Check It’ comes on like the south coast New Flesh, asking “Is it dance music, or UK Hip hop? Don’t matter, just check it”. The vocals aren’t quite in the New Flesh league, but the production is spot on – this would certainly not seem out of place on Big Dada.
Rounded off with the Gotan Project sound-alike of ‘Tanto Faz’ by Maga Bo (in it’s Quantic remix guise), ‘Shapes Yellow’ is an excellent demonstration of quite how much wonderful music Tru Thoughts has on offer.
Duck
[i]‘Shapes Yellow’ is out now on Tru Thoughts[/b]
