I did a brief record shop yesterday with another flying visit to Rough Trade this afternoon. Here, in two categories, are the results:
What I did buy: Blaze - Natural Blaze LP - Lifeline The album from which the excellent "Elevations" single was taken, "Natural Blaze" seems to be a vehicle for the vocalist Jon Toney, and is a superb double pack confirming Blaze's status as true dons of the NY soulful garage sound. The sort of music that David Mancuso's sound system was designed to play. A lot of it is very familiar: "Elevations" is surely just based on "The World Is The Ghetto", and there's another one that's a version of their "Directions" track for Spiritual Life. Blaze almost single handedly keep me interested in the kind of music being made for Body & Soul etc. for the simple reason that they blatantly have a lot of soul. Strand - Message 1 Frictional is, alongside Sound Signature, one of the only labels I'll buy on sight just now, and this release keeps the standard flying. Deep, soulful, and above all, original without sounding like a wide ass student. There might be a pressing fault - there's some serious noise at the end of the second side of my copy. In any case, if this was on Planet E a lot more would be said about it, which is a shame. Natural Electronics - Assimilated 2nd of two stunning releases on Frictional. Shakir has a knack of producing really experimental stuff yet it always sounds extremely honest, even when it isn't particularly dance floor friendly. I thought his remix of Inner City was a bit below par, but this is true to previous form. Shake really deserves a bit more recognition, now - he's been at it for years and, on evidence like this, he could rival the likes of Carl Craig for reputation. Moodymann - NMY Wagon I'm waiting for a vague feeling that KDJ is beginning to tire for me, but it never materialises. Deep, soulful, funny and with a kick drum that overpowers the USG remix of Urban Soul's "My Urban Soul" - which is a shame, because last night's mix tape was going really well 'til then. Infesticons - Gun Hill Road LP Mike Ladd's production sounds really thin on some of this, and all in all it's a hit and miss album. Might be a grower, but not my preferred candidate for the "experimental hip hop album" thread. Certainly has it's moments, though, particularly Rob Smith's "Chase Theme". The Saul Williams track is a let down, the P-Funk type of concept is too obvious and half assed and, as said, the Liquid Liquid styled production sounds, at times, extremely insipid. I bought it on sight, stupidly. Inner City vs E Dancer - Good Love I picked this up from work, as I suspected I'd love it. I wish I could, but I don't. Shake's mix is OK, but I was expecting a lot more. As for the other mixes, the main mix on its own (I forget which one's which remix) is the better, but the fusion of old school Inner City with new school E Dancer doesn't quite pull off what is, in essence, a superb idea. I'm undecided whether to return it to get the vouchers back, or file it away as part of an ongoing tribute to flawed visions. What I didn't buy: Latest Charles Webster - Peacefrog Top notch remixes of the old Love From San Francisco "Want Me Like Water" track. I should have bought this instead of that Infesticons LP, fer sure. Remixes of the above remixes - Peacefrog Less essential than the original remixes (excuse the oxymoron), especially as it's only 4 mixes spread over a doublepack and I'm a tight Scot. Herbert mix sounds good, though, so I'll keep an eye out for it coming in to work. The others are less impressive, though the Abacus one's alright - even if his old, talking female voice trick is a bit predictable. Ian Pooley on Transmat Bizarrely impressive, for a man who's released some real cack of late (with exceptions). Again, I'll try to pick it up at work. If I didn't buy that damned Infesticons LP I'd have got this and the original remixes above. Saul Williams LP Excrutiatingly bad at points. Damn impressive at others (particularly the opener). Bad outweighed good, though. Carl Hancock Rux - Lamentations Nobody has it. Though absolutely every shop said they were ordering in thousands of copies. By the time I get paid again it'll have sold out, no doubt. Jonny.
