From: Jon Freer (jon-freer_at_excite.com)
Date: 2005-02-02 12:07:41
Jon Freer’s Reviews 1st February 2005.
Singles:
Jukka Eskola – Buttercup / 1974 (Ricky Tick)
Dalindèo – Poseidon / Soilifer-Lento (Ricky Tick)
Rick Ranking – Can’t Trick I (Banana Klan)
Little Barrie – Free Salute (Genuine)
12e Round – A Fool Like Me (Gaz De Mal)
Metrosoul – Club Delicious EP (Auris Recordings)
Marcus Füreder – Music I Believe In EP (Temp-Records)
Pepita Project – What Day Do We Have Tonight? (Pep Sounds)
Thanks to Nik Weston, Laura O, Will at Inhouse Press, Fernando at Ride and Jonny at Deep House Mafia for these…
Jukka Eskola – Buttercup / 1974 (Ricky Tick)
Cat No: RT 005. Release Date: 7th March 2005.
Trumpeter Jukka Eskola steps out from behind the Five Corners shadow in order to release his debut two tracker on Ricky Tick. “Buttercup” is a dainty little flowery number, with a softly spoken sax, cute keys and quick running percussion. “1974” goes back in time to find deep in thought keys linking up with cheerful brass over breezy percussion.
Dalindèo – Poseidon / Soilifer-Lento (Ricky Tick)
Cat No: RT 004. Available Now.
The pentagonal five-piece take a break from releasing on this delightfully named Finnish imprint in order to let a few other choice musicians display their modern jazz credentials. “Poseidon” sees dancing brass fit nicely over a winding guitar and tip-toeing flute. “Solifer-Lento” is another guitar-angled production, where an exposed double bass and brave faced brass provide extra colour.
Rick Ranking – Can’t Trick I (Banana Klan)
Promo.
Roots Manuva kicks off his Banana Klan imprint with an ace reggae-hop outing from Rick Ranking. The bass on “Can’t Trick I” fills you with a carefree warmth, whilst the melancholia filled keys and Latino guitar musings make you think. “Two Pieces” begs for peace, as a falling bass and honest keys plead. There are fine vocal-less versions of the aforementioned cuts, but the real instrumental gem is ‘Flootamental’, with its ragged beats and an intoxicating flute.
Little Barrie – Free Salute (Genuine)
Cat No: GEN 032. Available Now.
Little Barrie are helping to tear down the un-necessary boundaries that sometimes lie between soul steeped b-boys and indie kids. This may worry those for whom music is an accessory to their lifestyle, but those of us who put the music before anything else should welcome it. “Free Salute” stands to attention courtesy of drums with a big presence, an authority stamping rhythm section and bluesy touched bass. “Buy My Style” requests, with some funk-infected guitars, asking vocals and tight drum work. The ‘Stones Throw Instrumental’ sees loveable guitar work sit by tapping percussion.
12e Round – A Fool Like Me (Gaz De Mal)
Cat No: GDA12R3. Available Now.
Hip Hop styling meet jazz and soul musing on this excellent soul hop release from the French Gaz De Mal stable. “A Fool Like Me” asks for support, backed by polite hopped percussion, parading keys and a dribbling sax. “Walk Tall” crawls along, courtesy of some intense brass hits, a patchwork of interlocking vocal moments and stepped on strings. “In The Air” reaches higher, with the help of separate key components, waiting strings and scratches that mould the sound into shape.
Metrosoul – Club Delicious EP (Auris Recordings)
Cat No: AUR006-6. Promo.
Metrosoul ain’t a single artist but a large collective of musically minded people. “At The Club” is a broken-tech club banger, with a surprisingly powerful bass, synths that feel their way forward and plain vox. “Delicious” takes committed percussion, ever so sweet synths and transporting chords to produce a yummy number. “Iries & Delav” is a slightly darker cut, with nervous keys, a darkly minded bass and clattered percussion.
Marcus Füreder – Music I Believe In EP (Temp-Records)
Cat No: TEMP-5EP-6. Promo.
The music of Marcus Füreder may be familiar to you through the choice broken jazz outings he made under the Parov Stelar pseudonym. “Ash” is pretty forgettable 80s stealing cut, with a strutting bass, ear wrinkling FX and thinking synths. “Music I Believe In” in original format is an emotionless teched number, but when remixed by Aka Tell becomes a Herbert styled constipated vocalised cut, complete with a nasty edged bass and lost synths. “Premantura” is a well thought out techy hitter, with heavy footed beats and synths that have seen the light.
Pepita Project – What Day Do We Have Tonight? (Pep Sounds)
Available Now.
On occasions you could accuse the Pepita Project of making tracks that sound a little under-produced, but sometimes ‘the less’ turns out to be more. “Make Up” is a good starter, where pleasant keys and shuffly kit percussion rule. The title track grooves away convincingly, courtesy of a guitar-based funker of a bassline, electric guitar dances and key fuzz. “Traffic” pits robotic percussion against floaty synths, whilst “Sunny Lady” is an opulent key led souler.
Jon Freer(jon.freer_at_wrongsteps.com)
*Website: www.mosoul.co.uk.
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Publications include -
Keep On Magazine
Blues & Soul Magazine
XLR8R Magazine
City Life Magazine
Inner Loop Magazine
littleplanet.net
pitchadjust.com
beyondjazz.net
deephousenetwork.com
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