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The Weekly Froth - 20160708

  • Published in Columns

 

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week: ‘Augustine’ by Blood Orange

Blood Orange is back, and we can rejoice. I’ve become a convert ever since seeing him doing an amazing live show at Primavera Sound a while back, and can’t wait to repeat a visit whenever he’s gonna be close by. This track starts slow and like a ballad, but then the quick turn around, the beat and bass combo providing the funk, which then gets the extra flavour from his guitarmanship. Then, after about 1 1/2 minute, the piano and the vocals coming in, first doing the talking, and then, when the chorus comes in, showing off the pretty, higher pitched vocals. Almost choir like here, interspersed with deeper talking. At one point we just get some (ace) vocals, and then the drumpad charges back in to provide us with some rhythm. A real ace track, can’t wait to listen to the entire album.

‘Life is Good’ by Get Down Edits

Get Down Edits start of with the disco sounds, but soon the heavy bass comes in to make it work and to get the whole thing really going on. Then the piano comes in, the little riff, bringing you way back down into that New York scene right there. The heavy bass keeps it modern though, even when the vocals come in for the first time, first doing a Hmmm-hmmm-hm to get acquainted, though slowly but surely they really start coming in with the help of some male vocals there in the background. They make sure you understand that, you know, it’s a Good life, and that Love is shining. And even moreso when you get the jiggy on with this one (As she is doing what you want her to do). At about the four minute mark they dial it down, giving the vocals all the time and all the space to get you on board, and I love that they first bring in the percussion on top of the deeper vocals singing Good life, then the piano, all before they really bring it all back in again. Some tuneage for the dancefloor, bringing the diva vocals, the disco sounds, but also deep bass sound to make sure no one has to miss a beat.

 

‘Oh Honey’ by Delegation (Poolside edit)

This one starts slow and sultry, bringing the warm tones first. Then, just before the minute mark, the slow bass comes in as the synthesizer and horns give you the exotic, really getting that cocktail and Poolside (…) vibe going. Then, the vocals, singing that They know where to go, as she is their Inspiration. It’s got those amazing, old school soul group vocals, those four boys doing that one mic thing. In the mean time the bass keeps the slow-to-mid paced rhythm burning, with the higher key sides giving the holiday vibes. Then, the solo male vocals, making it work for a minute, before bringing it back down with the bass and the group coming in, doing their Ooooooohhhh, honey to great effect. It is a lovely slow burner, ideal for some beach side consumption I reckon.

 

‘Flee’ by Crayon feat. Ann Shirley

You get the irregular beat going, doing that R&B thing over the Ann Shirley vocals, which coincidentally are also doing that R&B thing. So that vibe is set from the get go, for getting up close and dirty around midnight. I love her voice, singing You’re so cold when we are apart, giving it a fitting turn for this kind of track. In the mean time Crayon knows when to dial it down and dial it up, putting in a nice deeper bass sound as well to contrast the harsher ones. It is a nice, three minute piece where Crayon rightfully called in the Ann Shirley help, giving it that little something something that is a good fit for the track.

 

‘Way Back Home’ by Kraak & Smaak feat. Ivar (Tiger & Woods remix)

I love the percussion that comes in at about the ten minute mark, giving it this nice vibe as it contrasts with the more mechanical sounds in the back. Then, more rhythm sounds come in, with at the minute mark the bass barging forward full throttle when it enters the scene. They build it up nicely, always seeming to add one more thing to keep that forward momentum going as they loop the mainstay for a while (like Tiger & Woods always do so masterfully). At the two minute mark the track opens up a bit when the piano sounds come in, taking it away from the more club heavy feel of the rest of the instruments, and the lads make sure that this sound, too, gets some of the rhythm right. At the three minute mark, for the first time, the vocals, nice and soulful, singing that he hopes You understand. And those vocals won’t let up from that point on, even if it sometimes slides back a bit in favor of some of the other instruments. It’s got a real festive tone this one, a track I see doing well in festival sets because it mixes the more club elements with some of the more open, poppy sounds without replacing the former.

 

‘Satin Kimono’ by The Beat Broker

The Beat Broker gets a nice, funky loop going, also courtesy of that guitar sound, adding some disco sounds and the soul vocals even before the clock strikes a minute. In the mean time, in the background, the rhythm keeps rolling on, with some of those drums, a slow bass sound, all culminating in a good canvas for the vocals and that guitar to keep running on. At the two minute mark he dials it down a bit in the loop, letting the vocals do some of the work, but soon the bass comes back in to make sure the rhythm and the funk don’t get completely lost. Against the canvas The Beat Broker starts working some more sounds now, making sure to add some variety as, as far as looping goes, you do have some of that necessary repetition going on, obviously. Next to these new touches, the ongoing vocals (that aren’t repeated in that same vein) make sure you’re never going to find a dull moment. At the 4:20 mark some of that funky business in the solo instrument right there, perhaps providing a perfect summation of what this track is all about.

 

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The Weekly Froth!

  • Published in Columns

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the week:  ‘Baby Let Me Kiss You’ by Get Down Edits

How about a nice little slow burner, eh? Some nice synth and kick action to get this one started, adding a nice, lazy bass sound in there after about 50 seconds as the synth picks it up a little bit. Later on you get all those lovely rhythm & blues horns in there as well, with the vocals of Fern Kinney coming in after about the two minute mark, singing Let me do it to ya, let me kiss ya baby (oh, behave!). In the mean time this track just keeps on rolling on, slightly upping the pace at about 2:50. 3:10 sees the introduction of the backing vocals, adding yet another layer to this one (which has been build-up instrument for instrument, addition for addition). At about the four minute mark you get those synths in again, which just add this little bit of a different sound to the rest, to counterbalance the more downtempo feel all the other things exhume. I just love this slow burning disco sound, with a bit of cheekiness added with the vocals for some dancefloor flirting and fun. And it keeps rolling on for about eight minutes, which is all kinds of fine by me.

 

‘Nasty’ by Bill & Ted

Jacques Renault teamed up with Slow Hands to create a funky little number, which is pieced together quite nicely. I just love the female vocal lines doing the daya-du-da over that little guitar riff they came up with. In the mean time a female voice is saying that she cannot keep control, after which this one slides into a nice little instrumental bit at about 2:10, which then sees the female vocals coming out from behind to get a bit more front and center. Then, a short moment where they dial it down, after which they come back with the female vocals again, asking if Tonight, are you gonna come with me. Cue, some moaning over the funky base that they have been riding all throughout this song, with the guitar leading the pack and the bass providing the groove. Add some horns in around the five minute mark as the vocals go real old school before the boys get that bass back and working for some of that funky-dancefloor-lovin’. Admittedly, the fakir sounds around the six minute point seem a bit random, but then they slide it back into what can best be described as the chorus part with the female vocals asking if you think she’s a nasty girl, as they pick up the pace slightly. It’s a lovely, nine minute affair with some of that cheeky funk and groove. Not too fast-paced, but ideal for some dancing and having fun, with smiles all around.

 

‘Let It Carry You’ by Jose Gonzalez (Dino Soccio remix)

This one starts out with this summery, laidback atmosphere. It’s got a nice, slow build-up with a little bass, some handclap-like sounds, some additional percussion thrown in there; and it isn’t until after about a minute that a beat comes in. But, a rather soft, understated beat, one you could dance to, but preferably at a pool party with a cocktail in your hands. Then the vocals come in, aided by a bit of acoustic guitar, and still that little bass to keep things grooving a bit. The vocals, too, pretty laidback. There’s just no immediacy to this track, just this groovy little pace that soundtracks your day in the Bahamas. Even so much so that the vocals at one point sing that There is nothing wrong. Even the build-up and subsequent pay-off is not for big club cheers instigated by massive drops, but it keeps it all tremendously mellow. The choice of instrumentation underlines the feel for this one, so if you just want to be chilling out a bit after a day of clubbing, this one might just do the trick for you.

 

‘Call It Love (If You Want To)’ by George FitzGerald feat. Lawrence Hart

This start takes you to the heart of Asia (before they get the beat in that is, assuming that this does not constitute as a typically Japanese kick or whatever), with then Lawrence Hart coming in, singing in his deep, reverbed aided voice, that If you want to call it love, you call it love. Which no one has ever said just before sliding on the ring and dropping down on one knee. At 1:45 the track really gets firing on all cylinders, as the vocals are there combined with not just the thuddy beat, but also with the layers of synth that kind of soften that sound. At about 2:15 there’s a break, after which George FitzGerald comes back with some superb piano, putting that one right front of center. Then the Asian sounds are flown in again (see what I did there?), and then the vocals come back with the beat to get this one to its end with a bit of pace to it. His album is currently streaming at different places, so if this takes your fancy, do give that one a spin.

 

‘Ghost’ by Lane 8 feat. Patrick Baker

I like the combination of the percussion, the melancholic vocals, and the sad piano to get this one started. After that you get the drums in to also give it a bit of a dancey vibe, though the synths keep this in the dancing-the-blues-away kind of realm. He breaks the drum & synth up for a minute, going back to the piano and the vocals combo, singing that Nothing works quite like it is supposed to. After that he slides the drums back in, giving everyone an opportunity to shuffle their feet again, with the ending really finding him in synth-pop realm despite the tone of the vocals and the narrative that goes with it (“Everything just looks so see-through”, which I’m sure is more awesome in puberty than when hitting adulthood). Lane 8 is gearing up to release his new album called Rise, this one being the lead-off single for that.

 

‘Who Shot Ya?’ by Kon

So probably you have, at one point or another, heard either Bob Marley’s or Eric Clapton’s version of ‘I Shot The Sheriff’ (but hey, at least I didn’t shoot the deputy!). Kon takes on a different version though, using Nile Rodgers' guitar and a more contemporary take on the tune (my brain is not functioning because of a cold, but it somehow reminds me of that N.A.S.A. one of not too pre-historic nature). Now, that version was already a bit more funky and catchy, but leave it to Kon to amplify that by a bunch, making it a nice dancefloor track with a little beat, but also the horns, the vocals, and thus a smithering of guitar as well. Just giving it that dash of funk that will help people shaking their hips a little. Love the bass and how that comes in after the “chorus” at about 2:15, gives it a nice kick, and that guitar just gives it that nice bit of edge that I like. As said, Kon knows how to create something and give it a bit of that funk or disco flavour, so anything by this guy and you know you have something extra to throw in your set and get people doing what they do when in the discotheque. And even the dad-rock enthusiasts among your friends can sing along with this one, claiming both bad-ass shooting skills and a merciful nature.

 

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