Sade is the relunctant queen of the bootleg remix. There are so many
different white label remix bootlegs of her songs, and in many different
styles of music (techno ones have even been floating about). Blame this on
the fact that the production on her records opts to keep the rhythm section
low in the mix and the vocals high, making it easy for the remixer to layer
other elements on top (i.e. beats) without needing the master tapes or
accapella vocal. Good luck on finding some of the older bootleg remixes,
though there are the inevitable bootlegs of the bootlegs. There is even a
new Sade remix bootleg coming into my shop next week. I have no idea what
it is, just that it's some Sade remixes. Of course that means it'll
probably sell out immediately.
Tek 9 = Mark and Dego from 4 Hero, the undisputed kings of the breakbeat
revolution. They're the ones who showed Goldie how to do it (and
co-produced much of his album) and their Reinforced label has been putting
out top notch breakbeat and jungle records for many years now. Tek 9 is the
'slower' project, though it still retains many of the elements of drum n
bass (check the cut up drums in "Old Times, New Time" for example). Also,
King Britt and Digable Planets guest on the Tek 9 album... the cut with the
Digable(s) rapping is pretty fine, nice use of a pager noise.
Actually, rethinking, I believe Tek 9 is just Dego, no Mark. Be sure to
check out the Jacob's Optical Stairway album (another side project) for a
jazzy excursion into drum n bass (and this project is indeed Mark and
Dego). It's mighty fine.
Props to the Better Daze album on Ubiquity... I wasn't into the previous EP
too much, but this album is pretty good. It is called "One Street Over" and
is a great genre hopping experience deeply rooted in jazz. Nice indeed.
The new Alex Reece + Pim single (a debut for Mr. Reece's Al's Records, an
Island offshoot) is a beautiful wonder. One side is called "It's a Nu Era"
or something like that and it's a marvelous dancable breakbeat manuever...
however the rolling bassline is pure jazz-funk. You gotta check this out.
And, yes, its a real song for those of you who don't think those exist in
the drum n bass world.
A remix of a remix? I'm a bit tickled today because I got a house twelve
inch on SSR/Crammed that has Glen Underground mixes of 'Mess of Afros',
which is my remix of my '141 Revenge Street'. Anyway, I can't lay much
claim to this as Mr. Underground maybe used half a drum loop from my
original (I mean my remix), but I still absolutely recommend this. Glen
Underground has made a supremely jazzy/funky/discoey house number that
rocks like you wouldn't believe. The U-Star (Idjit Boys) remix of Pimp
Daddy Nash's "Our Man In Stockholm" on the flip retains more of the
original, and is a likewise excellent, though different house reworking.
Though still jazzy, this one's a bit spacey and psychedelic. Nice one.
Back I go to work... see ya'll + PEACE
Michael Donaldson
Q-BURNS ABSTRACT MESSAGE