Some Words and Sounds

Title: Le Freaky Fry
Artist: Le K
Label: Floppy Funk
Cat Number: Floppy 15
Genre: Jack is Back

A: Johnny Rotten Disco Balls
B1: Jack Transmission
B2: Give Me A K

Floppy Funk are one of a number of label, Highgrade and Morris Audio in its various offshoots also spring to mind, that are preserving the funk of Chicagos particular brand of jacking funk. I don't keep up with his playlists these days, but this is so up Derrick Carter's street, and Mark Farina's, that they must be down with it. 'Jack Transmission' has the kind of pitch changes that can brighten up any dancefloor and takes 'Johnny Rottrn Disco Balls' a little further. 'Give Me a K', in name at least, is probably single-handedly responsible for the large-scale disappearance of this type of house music from many dancefloors over the last four or five years. A good EP, hardly innovative, but keeping this particular strand of house alive and providing a shot in the arm for many a flat set.



Title; Meiba EP
Artist: So Inagawa
Label: Minimood
Cat Number: Minimood002
Genre: House

A: Sekito (Seiul's Gyoza Addict remix)
B1: Sekito
B2: Usui

The Meiba EP is a ride through a desolate landscape populated by disembodied voices and flanged spurts of sound that come together to induce a funky but simultaneously unsettling effect. Seiul's 'Gyoza Addict remix' is ok, but long, and needs more action in it. 'Sekito' in its original form is more intersting, faster-paced and has some nice liquid vocal snippets that help the track come alive. 'Usui' isn't as funky as 'Sekito' but does share some of the characteristics of Seuil's remix.

Title: Moin Moin Basis
Artist: Freedarich & Stiggsen
Label: Freizetglauben Berlin
Cat Number: FGZ017
Genre: Bass-Heavy Moodiness

A: Moin Moin Basis
B: Maja

Classy, well-produced release from Freedarich & Stiggsen, with 'Moin Moin Basis' taking the honours as an understated stomper that is versatile enough to be played at almost any point in a set. 'Maja' slows things down and is more subtle, it also has a guarded spoken-word that travels down a spiral staircase of melody into the abyss. Both tracks have just enough sophistication to be influential in the right environment.

Title: Demons EP
Artist: Luke Solomon
Label: Crosstown Rebels
Cat Number:
Genre: Mid -Paced Italo-Inflected Meanderings

A1: Demons (Brennan Green remix)
A2: Demons
B1: Return to Darkly
B2: The evil is an Englishman

Now this I like. Luke Solomon shows his versatility here with three cuts classically-influenced electronic disco. Brennan Green's 'Demons' remix is the type of music you'd expect to hear at a fairground, albeit one totally funked-up and proficient in psychedelic voyages. I prefer the tougher original version though. It's much more gutsy and has some nice, kitsch background vocals. 'Return to Darkly' follows the same path as the previous tracks, but adds a sinister acid synth line that squiggles and squirts nicely more or less along the whole length of the track. Oh, and there's also a nice reference to 'Close Encounters . . .' as well. 'The Devil is an Englishman' has a Brett Johnsonesque jaunt about it, indeed, it doesn't sound too dissimilar to his "World of Nonsense mix" of 'I'm Satisfied'. Whimsical and lively, with some off-kilter samples thrown in for good measure, it rounds off a quality package quite nicely.

I remember listening to Radio Nova when I was living in Paris and Luke as being interviewed by Ivan Smagghe the night after he played The Queen on The Champs-Elyssees (which was very good btw) and he wa speaking about wanting to make "slower" house music. Could this be what he meant?



Westworld (Medieval Funk mix)

Westworld (Termination mix)

-Chiapet (Yoshi Toshi)

Supplementing the immortal 'Tick Tock' from the first batch of downoads on the blog, 'Westworld' is an altogether more restrained affair that relies more on John Ciafone's Basic-Channelesque groove than its predecessor. The 'Medieval Funk Mix' is my personal preference, but they both do damage.

The Spy-chiatrist - Foremost Poets (Soundmen on Wax)

Johnny Dangerous on more sterling spoken-word form. This is an imagined couch classic between a psychiatrist and his patient. Disco licks mean that this one comes straight from the disturbed section of the dancefloor. A slept-on classic.

I'm Satisfied (Brett's World of Nonsense mix) - Scopper and Bubba (Classic)

Brett Johnson at the height of his powers on great remix form for Classic. Typical BJ elements are all present, a grinding electroey groove complete with distorted sinister/silly vocals. I'll post Chris Nazuka's 'Experience' as soon as I lay my hands on it.



Celestial Highways - M5 (Metroplex)

Gerald Mitchell on lush techno form for Juan Atkins' Metroplex. Nothing particularly special about this one except that i presses al the correct Detroit buttons. More Gerald Mitchell to come in furture installments. 'Soulsaver' remains his finest hour though.