Already the last week of this month synonymous with the arrival of Autumn, but first and foremost with the release of our 33 RPM column dedicated to the LP format with a selection of some of the best albums around. A selection which has been nearly made impossible – apart from our Album Of The Month, courtesy of Masters At Work with their aptly named Kings Of House mix on BBE as reviewed by bouncefm.com ‘s head Muema - due to the weak amount of material worth to mention which we’ve been sent during those last weeks. This being another blattant illustration of the current hesitations of a more than ever fragilized scene in an obvious search of a new shuffle. In other words, I guess we can say how there’s a crucial need of (true) references as brilliantly demonstrated in the past by Romanthony to whom we pay a tribute. Or by Crusaders member Wilton Felder, author of our Vintage 12’’ Of The Week with the exquisite 25 years old ‘Inherit The Wind’ featuring Bobby Womack on vocals. As for our brand new issue, it sees the return of our ol’ In Da Mix column with a drop of house, garage & other illicit grooves.
HOUSE, GARAGE & OTHER ILLICIT GROOVES
Long time no written this column indeed and the reason is quite simple. Me not heard a single newie during the last 4 months apart from 1 or 2 exceptions and you know what ? This has been my very first break of the likes since the publication of my very first reviews in the French press some 15 years ago ! Not that I’ve simply ended up being tired of financing on my own a big part of the material I’ve been reviewing on this column, but mostly coz’ I felt like many thangz were soundalike or the result of too many reproductions, when not too mainstream. Is this also due to the fact that I’ve been overexposed to 70’s/80’s soul/funk & disco gems during those last week ? I dunno, although the comparison tends to be hard. I guess that I’ve become far more demanding as far as originality, lyrics and quality of the arrangements are concerned. In other words, as far as MUSIC is concerned, as opposed to all those cut’n’paste tracks around made by people the way they would drop a phone text!!!
No need to say how sort of anxious I was at the perspective of relaunching this column. I mean I’d been sent tons of crap over the last weeks the way i twas regarding the albums and was even wondering how I would fill up this column. The best way to reintroduce myself to the current vibes was no doubt visiting my ol’friend Betino who now has his website (betinos.com) fully operational ; I mean allowing you to buy vinyls online and I gotta say that I had a listen to a wide selection of goodies, from the latest Alice Russell’s album which has just been released on Tru Thoughts but also Kinny & Horne’s issued a bit earlier on the same label to the 1971 Stylistics eponym album featuring the long version of ‘People Make The World Go Round’, some hip hop beats, but also a bit of nu groove bits and bops as to be found on HVW8 presents Music Is My Art comp recently released on Ubiquity. Not to mention some circumstancial housey grooves.
First props going to Quentin Harris & Tyrone Francis’s label Space Kat for the regular quality of their releases with that something of genuine adding much to it as shown by Quentin Harris’s own ‘Got To Love’ featuring vocalist Cordell McClary, should it be the original package as the unreleased mixes, for the soulful cognocenti. Other people who’ve managed to drop regular pieces of good music are Steal Vybe and their latest ‘Reach’ 12’’ makes no exception (on their own label), for those to whom sensuality means something. Halo seem to be going from a step to another, release after release, as brilliantly show on their ‘This Love’ 12’’ featuring the Side Street Players and Maya (City Deep), for those loving fat basslines. Those of you in search of abstract and weird vibes should get their ears on Kumi’s 12’’ who I believe to be a Japanese act on Word And Sound, and more particularly his brilliant & glossy ‘Moon Light/Live Mix’ built over liquid key parts and Afro influenced patterns, looking like half way between Carl Craig and Mancunian jazzheadz RSL who’ve just released their debut album (more info soon).
Needs for more elaborated music have never been so obvious, having the younger generations searching for more under the influence of all those C’n’P thangz mentioned earlier on. Big Ups to Spinna for the sampler of his forthcoming Life:Styles comp awaited on Harmless, featuring works from one time Temptations lead vocalist Eddie Kendricks, Monika Linges and Feel. Can’t wait for the full package, bro ! Right at the opposite of Jonnie Polyester & K-Boy’s newie, who after makin’ money on Thelma Houston’s ’I’m Here Again’, has reserved a similar treatment to Double Exposure’s classic ‘Ten Percent’ on Black Booty Records. No need to specify that this is exactly what we hate from those wannabe people !!!
Nuff said for this time. More to come very soon with my deepest thanks to bouncefm.com‘s Muema for his kind contribution while reviewing our Album Of The Month.
Peace y’all, MFSB
IN DA MIX TENNERZ
QUENTIN HARRIS presents CORDELL McCLARY Got To Love + Unreleased Mixes (Space Kat)
STEAL VYBE Reach (Steal Vybe)
THE TRAMMPS Soul Bones (Atco)
BLAZE featuring ULTRA NATE Wonderful Place (suSU)
KUMI Moon Light/Live Mix (WAS)
MOTHER’S FINEST Dis Go Dis Way (Epic)
BAH SAMBA featuring ISABEL FRUCTUOSO Calma (BKO Productions)
HALO & THE SIDE STREET PLAYERS featuring MAYA This Love (City Deep)
RSL Magic Of Spain (Players)
V/A Life:Styles Sampler (Harmless)