BACKINI – RE:CREATION (LUMENESSENCE)
February 13th, 2006 by rui
It’s almost three years now since Backini’s debut album, ‘Threads’, and tracks like ‘Dreamer’ and ‘Company B-Boy’ have managed to stay favourites with a fair few DJs around these parts over that time.
The emergence of Mylo in the last couple of years has shown the commercial potential of this kind of beats/infectious melodies/knowing humour crossover, and the follow-up from Backini (aka Brighton-based producer Rob Quickenden) pushes back the boundaries of bedroom studio sampling with more than a nod towards the funkier sound of fellow south-coasters Quantic, Flevans and Bonobo.
Mr Q clearly has talent to burn, and alongside the trademark wit and sharpness this new album sees him showing an increasing (and welcome) willingness to remove the tongue from the cheek and apply it firmly to the groove.
Apart from the untypical rock epic drum sounds on ‘Little Big Horn’ (more Bon Jovi anyone?), it’s the usual mix of funk, hip-hop and electro rhythms, sprinkled throughout with some beautifully judged touches of guitar, synths and sax – and is that a real cor anglais carrying one of the tunes on the movie-theme inspired ‘Deus ex Machina’?
There’s a move towards more fleshed out song structures than on ‘Threads’, particularly on ‘The City’, featuring a great vocal performance from Broadway Project’s Richard Palmer and ‘Wake Up’ which comes across like a dreamlike collaboration between Lamb, DJ Shadow and the Fatback Band.
Cheeky as ever in the sampling department, there’s a particularly good laugh out loud TV moment on ‘Boathouse’- I won’t spoil it for those of you who may rush out and buy the album on the strength of this review – and the BBC’s shipping forecast makes an appearance in the album closer ‘Rockall Bailey’.
The storming ‘Radio’ (apparently due out as a single soon) blends an excellent piss-take of ego-driven gangsta nonsense with echoes of Californian AOR via Helen Reddy’s ‘Angie Baby’. And best of all there’s the hilarious and poppy-as-hell ‘Victoria Falls’ which tells the sad story of the digitised lady with a crush – ‘You can keep dancing and walking, ‘cos I am in love with Stephen Hawking…I shouldn’t say this, I don’t kiss and tell but we had a threesome with speak and spell…’.
Live dates with the full Backini ‘big band’ are promised soon and should be well worth checking out. In the meantime, ‘Re-creation’ comes highly recommended; and I’m already looking forward to album number three, even if we do have to wait till 2009.
The Only M
