Zero.dB – Bongos, Beats and Basslines
October 12th, 2006 by rui
When I was given a copy of this album, I really didn’t know what to expect from it. I wasn’t very familiar with Zero dB’s work, so this record came as a proper surprise to me.
It took me only a couple of proper listens to get the feeling that this album is indeed special. Shockingly good, guys.
It never fails to push a rather unique sound, which might well be full of bleeps, bass lines and other odd effects, but it works perfectly as a whole. Brilliant production, which blends the finest electronica, with all sorts of musical influences. When I say all sorts of influences, I mean jazz, tribal sound, latin, grime, breaks and I could continue the list but it certainly wouldn’t give you the right picture.
“A Pompa Girou” is an insane brazillian afrobeat fusion driven by a frantic blend of fat bass line, echoes and electronic oddities that makes you want to dance in your lounge. It certainly did that to me.
“Bongos, Beats & Basslines” is like a rhythmic train that rumbles incessantly in the land of proto-jazz; don’t be fooled though, it is far from boring and abstract. It is a groovy electro house monster that will hypnotise you before finishing you off.
If you were thinking to have a rest here comes “Conga Madness” and as you might have already guessed by the self explanatory title, you can forget it. Describing this track is simply impossible. I will try nonetheless: think of funk, mashed up with some jazz, rinsed with electro bass lines and tribal congas.
Got the idea? No? I thought so.
By now, you are not only tired from crazy dancing, but also extremely confused about to expect next.
Electro hip hop might wake you up. “Know What I’m Sayin’?” is what comes next and it could well be mistaken for a Roots Manuva track. The flow and the lyrics have got a familiar old school taste twisted by a nice electro groove. “te quiero” is another surprise that restores the faith in dance music. This is a spaced out samba that builds up with another contagious rhythm afrobeat style. It might well contain a hint of a broken beats element too, so be warned.
However, if you really want to lay back with a drink in your hand, “Anything is Possible” will do the job nicely. A jazzy hip hop track that soothes your nerves after another of those days at work. The vocalist is a very talented new Orleans artist, Voice, whose mellow and sexy lyrics flow perfectly.
“On the One & Three” and “Sunshine Lazy” are there to remind you that you can groove to jazz if it is combined with some solid musical taste and brave ideas.
The latter does what it says on the tin, mellow and sophisticated R&B (who would have thought, eh?) with a bouncy bass line that slowly takes you back to planet Earth.
The rest is there for you to listen to.
I am going to play it again, if you don’t mind.
Andrea
‘Bongos, Beats and Basslines’ by zero dB is out now on Ninja Tune.
