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The Weekly Froth! - 20160318

  • 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: ‘Closing Shot’ by Lindstrom

You know that 8 1/2 minutes of Lindstrom is going to give you plenty of hypnotic dance rhythms to get up (and get down) to. Here, too, the main drumbeat is established right there and then, but those synths at the minute mark, that’s what the good stuff is made of. Also, additional percussion elements, just to make sure the body can join the mind in rapturous euphoria. Which, incidentally, seems to be what Lindstrom is going for, with the feel good sounds all out there. At the two minute mark he gets a bass sound in to help the percussion elements, and the main synth of before is traded in for something lighter and a tad more in the background. But if you could barely recall, well, it’s all coming back to you around the three minute mark. Not the exact same loop, but definitely something in the same realm in the sense it is a (combination of) lighter synth sound(s) eliciting the same feel as before, culminating in the moment at the four minute mark where the coronation takes place. So much to love here, not only in the stretches, but also in the moments, like those sounds that occasionally pop up from the 5:10 mark on, loveliness right there. Lindstrom already had nothing to prove, but if he did, then he just proved the man still has got plenty of game. And euphoric dancing ensues.

 

‘Action’ by Cassius feat. Cat Power & Mike D

How about some of that hipperdy-hop to get this started, though it is primarily the catchy percussion and the slapping bass that has this one moving. In the mean time it is Cat Power singing and Mike D talking, giving this one enough vocal prowess to hold their own against the rhythm part. Especially that, though, does nasty business here, giving you all you can handle with quick firing spurts looping around the place. At times, like just before the three minute mark, they throw the kitchen sink at ya with some horns, but after that it dives right back into the rhythm again. The track fades out because there’s also a nine minute version, which (I do hope) doesn’t get the same ending. But even if it  does, the nine minute version might just be something to look out for, because four minutes of this isn’t quite enough I’d say.

 

‘Filmed Message’ by Peza

Apparently, Peza had some stuff lying around that he decided to finish, resulting in this ominous synth vibed electro track with rap on top of it, singing that it is like a jungle sometimes, makes me wonder, how I keep from going under (Grandmaster Flash y’all). Add to that the Numan synths from his ‘Films’, and you’ve got this combo from Peza, to which he adds some percussion and rhythm to make sure this one keeps flowing forward. He knows how to let both sides come to the fore here, with both Grandmaster Flash’s lyrics being clear and audible, and in the mean time there are stretches where Numan’s synths come beaming through. And even in the vocal bits the feel is still very much present. Just before the four minute mark he throws some Upside down, boy you’re turning me in there, this while pumping up the synth action. After that he returns to Grandmaster Flash doing his thing again, though he keeps all of it all coming from all sides. Lovely, crazy mash-up where the fun isn’t forgotten.

 

‘Laid Back Love’ by Mike Woods

This one really starts at the twenty second mark, where the bass and drums come in. He strips the bass sound for a moment, just to let it come back in about half a minute later for the dancefloor to get funky to. After that, though, he does the same thing for a prolonged period of time, moving some synths in. At 2:20 the catchy really gets going, with some familiar sounds but the rhythm in place as well. At the three minute mark, BAM, the vocals, some Human League action telling you to just resign yourself to what you’re going through. And as they are loving our Love action, we get the familiar synths on a bed of bass, with the vocals definitely dominating the second part of this edit by Mike Woods. I remember seeing The Human League live a few years back, well fun, and this edit makes sure that you get the build-up to a good chunk of that ol’ faithful right there.

 

‘Touch’ by Shura (Four Tet remix)

Four Tet combines a droning sound with some light piano work to start this one out with, working well with that contrast there. After that he gets breezy with the fast-paced bass and the light percussion works he adds to counterbalance that. Then he enters the vocals, soft spoken but quick in delivery (sped up I reckon). She does have a lovely voice, and in this remix, too, it adds to the smoothness of the sounds Four Tet delivers here. At 2:30, how about taking it down to mainly piano and vocals, adding the bass a bit later to allow some people to get moving again. After that he moves to a double layered vocal construction, which actually works pretty well, and he always keeps balancing the lighter sound elements with the rhythm section. The pace is pretty quick, but funnily enough it is such a smooth and easy listen that kind of belies that. A well done remix of this ace Shura single.

 

‘Build Me A Bridge’ by Rayko

How about that nice little bass to get funky to? Add a drumbeat in there and some lighter sounds to balance it out, and you’ve got this nifty start in which the bass gets more prominent as the first minute moves on. After the minute mark two distinct sounds come in that give me flashbacks to Eighties pop perhaps even more so than those funky times the bass kind of alludes to. They sure add to the festive mood. After the two minute mark all these elements get turned down for a moment with Rayko going for some piano and vocal action, though he makes sure not to forget about what makes this track nice for the disco dancefloor. I love the bombast with which the backing vocals come in at about the 3:20 mark, that gives it some nice momentum building towards the return of those sounds that were introduced after a minute in. Still, it’s the bass that gives this track its backbone, its core, and he returns to that after the middle saw some boom with the vocals. The singular female voice does reappear though, wondering if You remember, remember at all (if he doesn’t he isn’t worth it honey!). I just love Rayko, he’s so good for just that disco dancefloor vibe with the love lost in here as well, putting out another lovely edit to dance to.

 

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The Weekly Froth! - 20160226

  • 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:‘Work It Alright’ by Pontchartrain

On the ever classy Whiskey Disco label we get Pontchartrain doing a bit of their magic, first slowly setting the mood, but then surely adding more rhythm in with some extra percussion. Just before the minute mark the bass walks in, becoming ever more prominent along with the aforementioned instrument group. And they’re working together when the third main component comes in, the vocals, male, deep, and soul. And they’re singing that they "love you baby" (you go gurrrl), after which the song gets down to it with that sexy bass groove. At the 3:30 mark they dial down on the rhythm a bit, leaving the bass in there, but adding a bit of a guitar riff, giving you a bit of those extras, after which they slowly work back by adding some percussion again. And by re-entering those vocals, singing You better watch, watch where you go, as the guitar starts ripping it up, giving you that blues right there. After that, the bass and drums come in again, giving you that main groove for another go around. Just a killer of a track by a label whose vinyl I happily play to get into that dancing mood.

 

‘Love Apparel’ by Lorenzo Dada (Axel Boman remix)

This one starts with a bit of rhythm and a bit of glitch, soon coming up first with some work on the keys, and then, to contrast, the steady beat. Around the minute mark you also get some of the vocals in, super calm. Then a little bass sound, not for the rhythm, but for the vibe, a deep sound contrasting the keys. And so you have some higher pitched, more frantic elements, mixed with the bass, beat, and vocals, giving you that steady, calm, know-where-the-beat-is feel. At about 2:45 the latter group gets dialled down for a moment, with first the vocals returning in their moodiness. Then, the beat again, giving you the deep house feel of Axel Boman, with smatterings of light via the keys. One of those steady house cuts where the interplay between some of the contrasts give you the hypnotic as well as the touch you need to make it work.

 

‘WCWLT’ by Timmy Thomas (FLUSH edit)

FLUSH is another alias for Aeroplane, and for this one he gets the percussion going before diving into the original sounds of ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’, giving it a dancefloor tom-tom feel to give this ol’ disco classic just a little bit of a different twang. At 1:40, the bass after the familiar transition, and then the vocals, pleading to know, boy, Why can’t we live together (Tell me why, tell me why, tell me why). By this time the percussion is still there, but is now part of the bigger rhythm part, with some of the old classic sounds bringing you the vibes of yore for the nostalgia bit. The synth line you can hear around the 3:10 mark, that is a nice touch that gives it a bit of that sense of pace, and when the instrumental solo starts FLUSH makes sure to also get the bass back in for all you dancers to hold on to. So plenty of percussion and bass for rhythm, a bit of that dancefloor feel, and naturally plenty of room for the Timmy Thomas bits. Just another nice edit for this classic disco cut.

 

‘Nobody Else’ by Jarreau Vandal feat. Brasstracks & Niya Wells (Pat Lok remix)

How about some of that drug hazed night vibe at the start, doing the slow burn. That slow burn quickly gets contrasted by those fast talking vocals, at one point singing, nay, imploring you Give me your love. Then, just before the minute mark, the synth and the beat for riff and rhythm, giving backbone to the pop feel that the combination with the singing brings out. At 1:50, the major slow-mo, bringing it all the way down before working it back up first, and then bringing in that beat and synth again second. And all that keeps working as she sings that she wants you to know that you’re the only one she’s dreaming of. There are some nifty transitions here, going from very nu-electronical to old school sounds, like some jazzy vibes, or the piano at the very end. Lots going on in this nice Pat Lok remix.

 

 ‘I’ve Got To Dance’ by The Destinations (Debonair Rework)

Debonair starts no punches pulled, going club with The Destinations, a '70s disco group. The beat here, though, hits hard over the cymbal action, only later putting the disco and funk feel in. Slowly but surely elements of that time come back, culminating to its peak at about the 1:30 mark, by which time it’s full throttle. At 1:50 that is combined with the pace and, a few seconds later, the vocals, telling us to “dance” and doing so numerous times. Debonair makes sure to keep up the pace, so people who are willing should have no trouble. Around the 2:50 mark we get another change-up in which the tempo surely doesn’t drop, really working that thing right there. Before 4:40 they remove the beat for a minute, but they come back with some of that bass to keep it all afloat. Up-tempo dancing, with enough disco infused sounds to bring us back to our disco destinations (…).

 

 ‘Crazy’ by Seal (Rayko Crazy Rework)

Rayko takes on the main hit of Australia’s The Voice judge Seal, going with the riff predominantly, and then the bass for a bit of that rhythm. After the 1:10 mark we get atmospheric synths and extra percussion, and the next change-up sees the entrance of the vocals. First the verse, and obviously working towards the well-known chorus. Leading up to that, Rayko strips the rhythm sounds first to have the focus on the vocals as Seal sings that We’re never going to survive, unless we get a little crazy. And then, not the pounce, but a bassy synth sound, followed and helped out by a bit of a beat. He rides that one for a short while, before returning to the more subdued dancing nature of earlier. To bring the edit to an end he goes to the soulful vocals again, letting them fade out to signal the finish. Rayko has a nice little slow tempo song going on here, just doing that edit thing he does so well.

 

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