Autumn Musical Gems
by Jon Freer
I start my R4NT review contributions with a selection of wonderful albums and compilations, which should help us through the cool autumn days. Stereotyp's "Keepin' Me" is a really individual effort, which mixes soulful vibes with tough electronic sounds to excellent effect. As expected, Mr. Scruff's Big Chill compilation features some amazing horizontal tunes, whilst "The Big Chill 2006" brings the Folk and Soul vibes to the table. London's Defected Records bring us "Deep, Down and Discofied", which features the original Disco versions of many tracks that have been sampled by House producers in recent years. Lastly, we have Kraak & Smaak's "Boogie Angst", an explosive breaksy effort from the Amsterdam based threesome. All these longplayers are highly recommended and should be available in your local record store or favourite online music vending outlet shortly.
Stereotyp – Keepin' Me
Genre: Soul/Broken Beat/Dancehall
Label: G-Stone
Release Date: 25th September 2006
Cat No: GSCD028.
Web: http://www.myspace.com/stefanmoerth
Stereotyp's new LP is a moody collection of digisoul tunes, which range from bruk dancehall hitters to wary post-house thumpers and soul-kissed burners. Vienna based Stefan 'Stereotyp' Moerth has done an outstanding job, so even the pockets of wobbly songwriting from guest vocalists add character to the album. The title track lays thankful vocals over finger clicks and a breath like bassline. Melancholic keys cover vocals weakened by desire on "Fool For You". Unsettling yet compelling listening material, this is one of 2006's finest artist albums.
V/A – Mr. Scruff's Big Chill Classics
Genre: Downtempo/Soul/Folk
Label: Big Chill Recordings
Release Date: September 2006
V/A – The Big Chill 2006
Genre: Downtempo/Soul/Folk
Label: Resist Music
Release Date: Available Now
Cat No: RESISTCD78.
A regular chiller over the past decade, Senor Scruff has compiled a deeply personal set of organic, outdoor tunes. As expected, the bearded one has dug deep into his cavernous collection, unearthing a wealth of obscure yet nourishing treats. The Ousmane Kouyate Band's "N'Nafanta" is an impassioned Afro offering, with shining keys and pulsating guitars. D'Angelo's off-key falsetto does the business on his cover of "Everybody Loves The Sunshine". Inevitably, nowhere near as all encompassing as a six-hour club session from Scruff, this mellow collection makes for excellent home listening and is a good companion for the kindhearted doodler's Sold Steel mix CD series. The tea drinker's selection is unmoved by whimsical music trends and features everything from gorgeous Reggae to heartwarming Jazz and the deepest Soul grooves. A little different in scope, 'The Big Chill 2006' is a polite appraisal of horizontal material, which features many better known offerings and in-vogue tunes. The first disc features mostly courteous songs, such as Vashti Bunyan's charming "Diamond Day" and the Acoustic Edit of A Man Called Adam's wistful "Barefoot In The Head". Disc 2 is a little more rousing, and stars tracks such as the QSO's storming version of "Get A Move On" and 4 Hero's classic retouch of Nu Yorican Soul's "I Am The Black Gold Of The Sun". These two Big Chill CD sets are excellent relaxation aids and complement each other nicely.
V/A – Deep Down & Discofied
Genre: Disco
Label: Defected/ITH
Release Date: Available Now
Cat No: DDD01.
Defected have made a name for themselves by releasing house records that borrow heavily from the disco tunes of their musical forefathers, so it comes as no surprise that they've decide to start a funkedup-discoey-souly focused compilation series. To his credit, label boss Simon Dunmore has picked out tunes that have aged rather well, and has resisted the urge to put more than a couple of 'modern disco' tracks on DD&D. CD1 highlights include The Salsoul Orchestra's appealing "Take Some Time Out For Love" and Linda Clifford's fed up "Runaway Love". CD2 features gems such as The Dell's studious "It's All About The Papers" and Chaka Khan's glorious "Fate". Ever the astute A&R man, Simon Dunmore has chosen the perfect time to launch his disco crusade, which should get even more House fans looking into the past.
Kraak & Smaak – Boogie Angst
Genre: Breakbeat
Label: Jalapeno Records
Release Date: September 25th, 2006
Cat No: JAL44.
Dutch funked up breakers K&S show their musical stripes on "Boogie Angst", which is the trio's debut LP. K&S aren't an innovative act by any stretch of the imagination, but they do marry Breaks, hop and cinematic ideas in an appealing manner. A glorious brass'n'keys set-up, free percussion and leisurely vocals make "Danse Macabre" the standout track on the album. "Mambo Solitario" lets emotional brass take centre stage, as polite clip clop percussion dictates the pace. Shameless party music!
