In The Pocket

26 April 2011

George FM Playlist Tuesday 26th April "Free Range with 90"

Review: Electric Empire 'Electric Empire'

ELECTRIC EMPIRE
Electric Empire
[Electric Empire Music]

The very best soul music straddles a fine line between being genuinely heartfelt and becoming overly saccharine. Bridging that gap successfully - which few acts manage - creates a special kind of spark which ignites particular emotions among both men and women; one of the best reasons good soul music remains so relevant in these days of meat-dresses, Witch House and "social" networking. Melbourne three-piece Electric Empire bridges that gap with aplomb on their self-titled, self-released debut album. Guitarist Dennis Dowlut, drummer Jason Heerah and keys player Aaron Mendoza are undoubtedly influenced by the organic sound and crafted song writing of the '70s as this slick, professional, but warm and understated trio at times recall Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield and Donny Hathaway. However, their rootsy, soulful, considered pop music also sounds fresh and compelling. Rich with melodies and laden with their gorgeous vocal harmonies, this is a special debut album.

4 stars from 5

24 April 2011

George FM Playlist "Extended Easter Sunday Special All Seven Inch Vinyl Extravaganza" Sunday 24th April "In The Pocket with 90"

22 April 2011

Review: Mark de Clive-Lowe 'Leaving This Planet' EP

MARK DE CLIVE-LOWE
Leaving This Planet EP
[Mashibeats]

To these ears Mark de Clive-Lowe is one of our more successful musical exports. Sure, he's not Neil Finn and he can't pull punters to shows like the Exponents might, but he remains fiercely innovative and incredibly highly regarded amongst musicians and music lovers globally. From having worked with the West London broken beat alumni to key underground soul scenes in the US, MdCL has an address book to die for and chops for days. Those skills are present on Leaving This Planet, a diverse and exciting self-released five-track EP which precedes his forthcoming Renegades album. Featuring appearances from Bembe Segue, Sharlene Hector, Tawiah, Dego and more, the flawlessly produced EP (with covers of songs by Gene Harris and Charles Earland) moves from soulful afro-dancefloor bounce (Dreams) to otherworldly twisted bruk (Eight), with a little house v downtempo (What It Is) thrown in to keep y'all guessing. Album please!

4 stars from 5

19 April 2011

Review: Scratch 22 'Distance From View'

SCRATCH 22
Distance From View
[Round Trip Mars]

Considered, cinematic, cerebral and gently psychedelic. These are words which accurately describe Distance From View, the debut album from Auckland DJ and producer Scratch 22. We all knew the kid had skills (turntablist, radio host, remixer, support DJ to the stars), but this is an incredibly confident and assured debut - just like the man himself. Distance From View recalls Ennio Morricone and David Axelrod mixed with Clutchy Hopkins, Kid Loco or later RJD2 instrumentals, and while some ideas remain underdeveloped, it's refreshing to hear a young producer letting songs breathe. Standouts are Window Rattle, a soundtrack for a spaghetti western car chase (if that were even possible), the loose-limbed, vaguely Hendrix sounding Medicine Man Revisited, and Walking For Faces with its fat-laced, slow-burning funk. Guests include Mara TK (Electric Wire Hustle) and Jeremy Toy (She's So Rad, Opensouls), but without a doubt the star of this show is Scratch 22. Very impressive.

4 stars from 5

* Props to Pete McLennan at dubdotdash for the Scratch 22 aka Rodi Kirk interview, which I've linked to above and just back there where the text went a different colour...

17 April 2011

George FM Playlist Sunday 17th April "In The Pocket with 90"

Greg Perry | Come Fly With Me
Lenny Kravitz | Heaven Help
Rayko | Into My World
Grandmaster Flash | The Message (Roots Manuva remix)
The Black Seeds | Rotten Apples (Lowman's Block Rockin' Bass remix)
The Black Seeds | Make A Move (Downtown Brown remix feat. Mighty Asterix & MC Switch)
Oneself | Unfamiliar Places
Lewis McCallum | Fly Or Die
Natural Self | Feet Keep Moving
*The Humble Souls | Beads, Things & Flowers
*Don Wilkinson | Dem Tambourines
*The Har-You Percussion Group | Feed You Good
Al Kent | Loving Living Feeling
Eva Gina | Gappy Daze
Ed Wizard & Double Dee | Bumper Funk
*Marvin Gaye | Got To Gie It Up (Roy Davis Jnr remix)
*Ron Hall & The Muthafunkaz with Mark Evans | The Way You Love Me (Dim's T.S.O.P. remix)
Don Ray | Got To Have Loving
*Satoshi Tomiie with Arnold Jarvis | And I Loved You (The Classic Club mix)
10CC | I'm Not In Love

Selections marked with an * courtesy of Jay "Fat Albert" Jeffrey.

A big shout to my fellow guardian of the good groove, Mr Jay Jeffrey, for swinging by the studio this afternoon & laying down a handful of tasty tunes for our listening pleasure. Much appreciated, fella.

Review: Treefight For Sunlight 'Self-Titled'

Treefight For Sunlight
Treefight For Sunlight
[Bella Union]

Every once in a while a debut album arrives so fully-formed it knocks you off your feet. Treefight For Sunlight is one of those rare creatures. Released on Bella Union, the self-titled debut from the Danish four-piece (plus songwriting and performing producer Aske Zidore) is something special for fans of indie pop. Epic in scale yet instimate in scope, deliciously ambitious yet supremely focused, the album generates feelings of optimism and euphoria yet retains a depth and layering which thorougly maintains interest. This is the '60s West Coast pop of The Beach Boys and The Turtles caramelised with the propulsive rhythms and muscular orchestration of Arcade Fire and Vampire Weekend. Or perhaps Brian Wilson refereeing a wrestling match between MGMT and Empire Of The Sun. Either way, there are very few low moments amongst this harmony-drenched sunshine pop which showcases exellent songwriting and melodic eloquence from start to finish.

4 stars from 5

Review reprinted courtesy of Waikato Times

14 April 2011

Review: State Of Mind 'Nil By Ear'

STATE OF MIND
Nil By Ear
[SOM Music]

State Of Mind's third album kicks off with the massively epic track Vega, featuring P.Digsss, and which could've been lifted from Shapeshifter's last studio album. Thankfully it's the only track which apes NZ's most famous drum and bass outfit. The remainder of Nil By Ear sees Patrick Hawkins and Stu Maxwell delving deeper into their dark, intense, bass-heavy sound while crafting an outstanding album listening experience. Some of the songwriting is a little patchy in places, but does that really matter when dance floor stompers and wee-hour wonders abound? Nil By Ear is an incredibly well produced album, ambitious without straying too far from their roots. Highlights include vocal turns from Sacha Vee (drum and bossa?) and Thomas Oliver; but I can't go past Downward Spiral, which sounds like Burial and D-Bridge bashing the bejeezus out of an old space invaders machine with a blowtorch and a baseball bat.

3 stars from 5

Reprinted courtesy of the Waikato Times

11 April 2011

George FM Playlist Sunday 10 April "In The Pocket with 90"

Review: DUFFSTEP Getting To Sirius

DUFFSTEP
Getting To Sirius
[Join The Dots]

When is dubstep not dubstep? When it's cleverly crafted, lushly layered and dripping with humour, pathos and sexuality. Young UK producer Duffstep aka Jeremy Duffy’s debut artist album Getting To Sirius, follows a slew of re-edits as Duff Disco, including rampant European dancefloor fillers from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Mark Morrison, Steve Miller and others. Getting To Sirius is creating quiet undercurrents worldwide and helping to redefine open-ended bass music in 2011, taking it beyond testosterone-fuelled aggressive posturing. Sure there are elements of dubstep present on the album, but in reality they’re daubs of slow, squelchy beats with a little wobble. To these ears this lush, considered downtempo music sounds more like Love Unlimited Orchestra getting into bed with Kruder & Dorfmeister, or the Cinematic Orchestra. It’s all very low-slung and sexy, with slow tempos and a hazy atmosphere throughout only serving to heighten the inherent sensuality here. A treat.

4 stars from 5

07 April 2011

REVIEW: Bibio 'Mind Bokeh'

BIBIO
Mind Bokeh
[Warp]

Bokeh is a photographic term referring to the blurring of an image. It's an apt title for an album which is an aural representation of a "mind blur" and quite capable of creating exactly that in the listener. UK producer Bibio aka Stephen Wilkinson began bleeping loudly on folks' radars with his Ambivalence Avenue album (2009), which saw his tape-distressed British folk and ambient blends develop into a wierdly bent style of densely layered pop music. Mind Bokeh sees him step further into that realm - ten of these twelve tracks feature Wilkinson's breathy vocals - and the sense of adventure is exhilirating and contagious. With swilring atmospherics, lush layering of organic/electronic instrumentation and subtle, intimate, coolly intriguing vocals, Bibio manages to sound like J Dilla and Toro Y Moi jamming with Vampire Weekend and Jose Gonzalez - at 5am in the morning, smothered in treacle, that is. A challenging, highly rewarding listen.

4 stars from 5

05 April 2011

Review: Derrick Carter + David Rodigan Fabric Mix CDs

DERRICK CARTER
Fabric.56
[Fabric]

DAVID RODIGAN
Fabriclive.54
[Fabric]

A good DJ mix is like making love. I don't mean fucking, I mean actually making love, properly, taking your time, with someone you care for deeply. There are peaks and troughs, there are highs and lows, there is giving and there is most certainly taking - it should be a fluid situation which ebbs and flows as the situation develops. Legendary Chicago DJ Derrick Carter is famed for his ability to lay down erotically charged funk-infused house music ideal for getting juiced up to, but, sadly, his Fabric.56 mix is devoid of emotion, personality and sensuality, instead relying on hard, jacking beats and the usual cliches of house music - big vocals, piano hooks and simple loops - to keep asses shaking. Sure, we all enjoy a rampant quickie now and then, but be aware: there is no making love going on here. If you like it hard, heavy and repetitive, bend over, baby.

In stark contrast is the startlingly relevant and exciting mix courtesy of UK reggae's most infamous hypeman, David Rodigan. Unlike Carter, Rodigan's focus is on keeping the listener's interest by ensuring the tunes are fresh and the selection tight throughout - so much so that he barely bothers with mixing, instead concerning himself with quality, placement and avoiding any obvious choices. This is no bad thing at all, as many a DJ has fallen into the trap of relying on showcasing their turntablist skills rather than playing good music (see review above). Fabriclive.54 features an impressive an informed blend of the new and the classic old school, with a clutch of rare tracks and unheard dubplates from Rodigan's travels in Jamaica across the decades and a lifetime of digesting reggae, dub and dancehall music. This is a properly crafted mix and a crucial selection which comes very highly recommended.

Derrick Carter 1 & 1/2 stars from 5
David Rodigan 4 stars from 5

04 April 2011

George FM Playlist Sunday 3rd April "In The Pocket with 90"

29 March 2011

Review: Tiki 'In The World Of Light' + Shapeshifter 'System Remix'

TIKI

In The World Of Light

[TikiDub]

SHAPESHIFTER

System Remix

[TrueTone]

"There ain't no party / Like a NZ party / In the summer time" sings Tiki Taane over Summer Time, opening track of his #1 debut, second solo album, In The World Of Light. I reckon Tiki's one of the cleverest people in the NZ music business. He's fully aware of how marketable he is to, on the face of it, two hugely differing camps: those who lap up the pop-reggae of Always On My Mind and those who prefer the bass-heavy swagger of Soundtrack To Forever. Thing is, (aside from the astoundingly monstrous Tangaroa, easily the highlight of his solo debut Past, Present, Future) whichever way you want to slice it, Tiki's music is designed to please as many people as possible as often as possible - often all in one place at once. It's a pursuit he seems to take very seriously indeed. Having said that, this is a very big, very likeable album, with notable guest spots from Moana and The Tribe, Crushington and Hollie Smith retracing her Celtic roots atop heavy metal guitar courtesy Tiki's Dad, Uekaha Taane.

System Remix follows Shapeshifter's massive fifth studio album System Is A Vampire and is another example of crowd-pleasing bass-focussed music, but unfortunately the bulk of these remixes seem to be working to a thoroughly predictable and ultimately kinda dull template. There are undoubtedly highlights: Pacific Heights' gorgeous rework of The Touch; a reverent re-rub of Twin Galaxies by The Upbeats; and two stonkers from State Of Mind, with their reworks of Dutchies, and Electric Dream - easily the highlight of this collection, despite the original being taken from the Soulstice album. This collection is clearly intended for fanatical fans of Shapeshifter, but for me is a bit of a let down and really only serves to illustrate how much better the group's original versions are.

TIKI 3/5

SHAPESHIFTER 2/5

Check out the review of State Of Mind's album Nil By Ear here...

28 March 2011

George FM Playlist Sunday 27th March "In The Pocket with 90"

23 March 2011

WOMAD 2011 Festival, New Plymouth

WOMAD 2011 NZ Festival
New Plymouth, 18-20 March 2011

A first time vist to WOMAD is kind of like seeing the Pyramids of Giza or Michelangelo's statue of David for the first time: while you know exactly what to expect, it still has the capacity to surprise and amaze. Yes, I admit this was the very first WOMAD I'd attended - and I'd go again in a heartbeat. I absolutely, thoroughly loved it. The music, the people, the weather, the vibe, the food, the arts, the flags, the attitudes, the ease with which we moved about - it all added up to a wonderful experience. Musical highlights included Sudanese group Rango; Chinese-Mongolians Hanggai; the raw, ribald Calypso Rose; the high-energy Colombians Sidestepper; British DJ legend Don Letts; the incredible Horace Andy... well, I could go on for quite some time, to be honest. In a nutshell, this would have to be the best music festival I've ever attended, hands down. Go.

This is Calypso Rose. Do yourself a favour and find a live performance of hers on the interwebs. She's brilliant. And rude as hell!

15 March 2011

Review: WOMAD 2011 CD Sampler

Various Artists
WOMAD 2011 CD SAMPLER
[Cartell Music]

Famed world music festival WOMAD was first held in the UK in 1982 with audiences entertained by co-founder Peter Gabriel, Don Cherry, Drummers Of Burundi and others. There have been over 160 events in 21 countries since, with New Plymouth hosting the event annually since 2005. The first NZ WOMAD was in Auckland in 1997, and featured Afro Celt Sound System - who, having disbanded and re-united since, perform again in 2011. They are one of many highlights from this excellent sampler, alongside legendary Jamaican singer Horace Andy's wavering yet silky, sensuous voice; the passionate, engaging Creole Choir Of Cuba, sounding like Graceland on steroids; American Bob Brozman's delicious guitar wizardry; Chinese group Hanggai, who blend Beirut and The Pogues; the lilting ska of Trinidad and Tobago's Calypso Rose; and a lip-smackingly good version of The Dream by Trinity Roots. I couldn't recommend this music more. Buy any/all of the above.

5 stars from 5

14 March 2011

George FM Playlist Sunday 13th March "In The Pocket with 90"

09 March 2011

REVIEW: Chico Mann 'Analog Drift'

CHICO MANN
'Analog Drift'
[Wax Poetics]

Once in a while an album drops which surprises you, takes you to unexpected places. Analog Drift, the second solo release from jersey City-based Chico Mann, is one of those rare gems. The multi-instrumentalist, born Marcos Garcia, melds 1970s Afrobeat, soul and funk with 1980s breakbeat and electro to create a hybrid he describes as "Afro-Freestyle and Electro-Afrobeat". Stuttering handclaps, plucked guitars and vintage synths up the charm factor, but not nearly as much as Mann's simple call-and-response vocals: half choruses are effortlessly offered up in both English and Spanish, seemingly unpolished, yet entirely memorable. Mann's "dayjob" is playing guitar in New York allstar Afro outfit Antibalas and his musical family included a Father who owned a Latin record label, so it's not surprise those elements have informed the music. Throw in a little Herbie Hancock, Egyptian Lover and Quantic, and this compelling melting pot of sound takes hugely enjoyable shape.

Four and a half stars from five

06 March 2011

George FM Playlist Sunday 6th March "In The Pocket with 90"

01 March 2011

Review: Gilles Peterson Presents Worldwide

Various Artists
GILLES PETERSON Presents WORLDWIDE
"A Celebration Of His Syndicated Radio Show"
[BBE]

Remember the old days of making mix-tapes for your friends? Painstakingly selecting songs around a theme, which meant something to you and/or the recipient of the tape, or were simply plain awesome? Consider the new Worldwide compilation selected by DJ, label owner, renowned record collector and globally famous taste-maker Gilles Peterson as one of those treasured mix-tapes. Assembled from tracks Gilles has championed through his famed BBC Radio One show and his annual Worldwide Awards, this two disc set hits all the marks, with tracks from a roll call of famous names: Erykah Badu, Q-Tip, Jill Scott, Dwele, Little Dragon, Sa-Ra, Outlines, Theo Parrish, Benga and Spacek nestle up against epic songs from the past few years, like RSL's Wesley Music, M.I.A.'s Galang, Cinematic Orchestra's All Things To All Men, Gotan Project's Triptico and Recloose's absolutely massive Dust. As Gilles himself may've intoned as a young lad: "Ooh la la!"

4/5 stars

George FM Playlist Tues. 1st March "Free Range with 90"

So I woke up this morning, gaping & stretching, to a text message from Tom at George FM: "Are you able to cover Soane's show this morning please? The coffee is on me...".

Sure, I said, why not?

Daft Punk | Something About Us
Kanye West | Diamonds (J-Todd's "Gimme The Ice" remix)
Syrup | Connection
Grand Pianoramax with Spleen & Celena Glenn | The Hook (DJ Spinna Vocal mix)
Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX | Ur Soul & Mine
Chico Mann | Anima
Icasoul with Capitol A | Givin' It Up
Rasmus Faber with Melo | Get Over Here
Outlines | Just A Lil' Lovin'
Orgone | It's Time Tonight
Don Freeman | Fracture In My Soul (Las Gammas mix)
Sam Irl with Anya | African Dance
Krystal Klear | Tried For Your Love (Hudson Mohawke remix)
Quantic | Mishaps Happening (Flux Pavilion remix)
Crazy P | Love On The Line
Los Charly's Orchestra | Dana's Dream
Afrodisiac Sound System | Italo Nitro

28 February 2011

George FM Playlist Monday 28th Feb. 2011 "Groovadelica with 90"

I once more had the great pleasure of stepping into the shoes of Jason Eli, covering for his Groovadelica show on George FM on Monday morning. I do believe he was nursing his birthday wounds from a big weekend...

Tony Allen | Kilode (Waajeed dub)
Krystal Klear | Tried For Your Love
Disco Tom | Goldie's Boogie
The Streets | Those That Don't Know
Charles Earland | Comin' To You Live (edit)
Manujothi | Shake Your Body
Herbie Hancock | Stars In Your Eyes
Cole Medina | I Got My Mind Made Up (Cole's rework)
Killer Funk Disco Allstars | Look! A Van Gogh! (Good Groovin' edit)
The Dells | No Way Back (Theo Parrish edit)
Ron Basejam | Is The Word
Henry Greenwood | The Rhythm
The Blackbyrds | Rock Creek Park
Bobby C Sound TV | Boom For Rent
Common | I Am Soul (Todd Terje edit)
King Onkyo | Boogie Gonna Get Ya (Discodub)
Local Legend | Back Fo' Mo'
L.T.D. | Love To The World (DJ Day remix)
Los Charly's Orchestra | Rio Chico's Sunset
Spectral Display | It Takes A Muscle

Review: Gil Scott-Heron & Jamie XX 'We're New Here'

GIL SCOTT-HERON & JAMIE XX
'We're New Here'
[XL/Young Turks]

We've every right to be dubious when labels pair up hip, young zeitgeist producers with respected, legendary older artists, particularly thanks to the recent release of a few disappointing collaborative efforts (did some mention Jack White and Wanda Jackson?). We're New Here is different. How? For a start, this is a remix album. Then there's the source material: living-legend Gil Scott-Heron's 2010 epic/comeback, I'm New Here. Young Jamie Smith (drummer/producer for world-conquering UK indie three-piece The XX) has completely reworked thirteen tracks from the original album sessions, placing Scott-Heron's disembodied vocals amongst pulsing, spidery soundscapes. While sounding excitingly modern, like Burial or James Blake, We're New Here is endearingly reverent, even adding a degree of warmth to the intentionally deep, dark originals. Smith also samples snatches of vocals from Scott-Heron's work in generations past, providing for some kind of deep, philosophical inter-generational link. Whatever. This is proper dance music, 2011-style.

4/5 stars

Review reprinted courtesy of Waikato Times

27 February 2011

George FM Playlist Sunday 27th Feb "In The Pocket with 90"

24 February 2011

Review: Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra 'World Of Funk' and 'Hooked Up Classics'

SHAWN LEE'S PING PONG ORCHESTRA
World Of Funk AND Hooked Up Classics
[Ubiquity]

There are many words reviewers use which are superfluous. That's probably a chief culprit right there.

However, the one I'm picking on introduce this brace of Shawn Lee albums is "prolific".

The LA-based DJ, beat-maker, producer and weed-head Madlib aka Yesterday's New Quintet aka Otis Jackson Jr is prolific, recording quite literally stacks of material for the Stones Throw label, under multiple aliases. Legendary American indie rock-popper Robert Pollard is prolific, churning out something like eight albums a year via his bands Guided By Voices, Boston Spaceships, Circus Devils and too many more to mention here. Brighton-born, Cali, Columbia-resident, producer, DJ and crate-digger Will Holland is prolific, recording as Quantic, Quantic Soul Orchestra, Quantic and His Combo Barbaro and many others besides.

Add American-born, UK-resident Shawn Lee to this list.

This multi-instrumentalist, producer & musicologist is genuinely prolific, having released literally dozens of albums on his own, as the Ping Pong Orchestra and in collaboration with the likes of Money Mark, Tommy Guerrero, Clutchy Hopkins - not to mention in his past life as a session musician for hire, when he worked with everyone from The Dust Brothers & Jeff Buckley to the Spice Girls, while the man has made a mint from providing the musical backing for hugely popular TV shows like Lost, CSI, House, Ugly Betty etc. You could argue he began his career as a "library" music composer and performer when he released the phenomenal Ape Breaks series back in the day.

Under his Shawn Lee and The Ping Pong Orchestra guise, he now presents two more albums of heavily conceptualised library music, each as eminently listenable as his past work.

Following in the footsteps of recent albums Soul In The Hole and Sing A Song, where Lee was joined by a roll-call of guests in albums dedicated to various readings of one musical style, World Of Funk is packed with churning, riveting afro-funk in all its many flavours.

Guests include legendary Egyptian singer Natacha Atlas, multi-instrumentalist Brazilian artist Curumin, Dengue Fever's LA-based Vietnamese singer Chhom Nimol, Truth and Soul recording artist Michael Leonhart, NOMO band-leader Elliot Bergman and others.

While some may rail against Lee ripping off or bastardising these musical styles, the fact remains that this is a labour of love for him. He really does pour himself into these albums, playing many of the instruments himself & wholeheartedly committing himself to an authentic, genuine approach to song-writing, performing and recording the music.

The second of this pair of Ping Pong Orchestra albums is inspired by the Hooked On Classics series of the early '80s (factoid: put together by ELO's Louis Clark) and follows more in the vein of previous Lee albums Hit The Hits and his Christmas album.

Hooked Up Classics sees universally known songs like 1812 Overture, Swan Lake, Dance Of The Sugar P{lum Fairy, Also Spracg Zarathustra and eight others given a right odl dressing down, with Lee taking the essential elements from each piece and reinventing them within entirely new frameworks: 1812 Overture becomes a sweet, sunny, BBQ reggae track; Flight Of The Bumblebee welcomes a freestyle "chorus" over a boom-bap beat; and Hall Of The Mountain King gets twisted into a frenzied surf-guitar stomp.

This is an entirely enjoyable, hilarious and musically unpredictable journey through some of the best known songs ever written. Upon first listen I snorted, more than once, thinking "Sure, this is fun, but how many times am I actually going to listen to this gimmicky record?"

The answer? Prolifically.

World Of Funk: SIX AND A HALF sitars out of TEN
Hooked Up Classics: SEVEN AND A HALF outraged classical music buffs out of TEN

Listen to the Radio Ponsonby Record Review with 90, every Weneri morning around 8.30am, on Murry Sweetpants' Breakfast Show. Thanks To Longroom.

20 February 2011

George FM Playlist Sunday 20th Feb 2011 "In The Pocket with 90"

16 February 2011

Review: So Frenchy So Chic 2011

Various Artists
SO FRENCHY SO CHIC 2011
[Cartell]

Those crafty frogs.

With their effortlessly stylish ways, a seemingly unshakeable self-confidence & the ability to strike the balance between sexy & not taking themselves too seriously, the French have always seemed so... well, just so damned charming.

The double-disc compilation So Frenchy So Chic 2011 does nothing whatsoever to dispel those stereotypes.

Far from being solely about endearing chanteuses or deep, throbbing dance beats though, modern French music is inspired by the melting pot of cultures & peoples present in the country. Combining African rhythms & elements of indie rock; soulful singer-songwriters & the sweetest pop; edgy electro & twisted trad-folk sounds, So Frenchy So Chic delves deep to uncover some glittering gems.

Frenchies resident in Oz, Juliette Bouquerel & Jean-Francois Ponthieux have assembled yet another joyful & highly enjoyable romp, showcasing some of France's brightest new musical talents, across a number of genres.

And yes, absolutely charming.

Listen to the Radio Ponsonby Record Review with 90 every Wenerei morning, on Murry Sweetpants' Breakfast Show. Thanks to Longroom.

13 February 2011

George FM Playlist Sunday 13th Feb. "In The Pocket with 90"

I had the great pleasure of welcoming Fat Albert himself into the studio this afternoon, with Jay Jeffrey bringing along a bag of goodness. We dropped two-for-two across the 2hr show & time flew.

Linkwood Family | Miles Away
Fat Freddy's Drop | Boondigga
Leonard Seeley's Heritage | Feel It (BT Magnum edit)
The Blackbyrds | Rock Creek Park (Onur Engin edit)
David Joseph | You Can't Hide Your Love (Larry Levan remix)
Sharon Redd | Never Give You Up
* Change | Mutual Attraction
* Russ Brown | Find A Way
Manujothi | Shake Your Body
Michael McGlory | Love Every Inch Of Me
* Candido | Thousand Finger Man
* Loose Joints | Is It All Over My Face
Lakeside | We Want You On The Floor
Disco Tom | I Wanna Take You For A Ride
* Young Disciples | Move On
* Galliano | So Much Confusion
Bernard Wright | Haboglabotribin
Mtume | Juicy Fruit
* Q-Tip with Erykah Badu | Show Me The Way
* The Roots | Mellow My Man
Esther Phillips | Home Is Where The Hatred Is (Onur Engin edit)
Guru with Erykah Badu | Plenty

* denotes a selection from the deep crates of my good mate Jay Jeffrey.

12 February 2011

For Your Ears aka Random Review: Anna Coddington - Cat & Bird

ANNA CODDINGTON
Cat & Bird
[Teaset]

Some people make this music lark look easy. Anna Coddington is one of those people.

One her 2nd solo album, Cat & Bird, Coddington effortlessly glides through a balanced set of exceptional indie pop. Deceptively simple sounding, with each listen the songs reveal subtle turns of phrase & clever melodic interplay between the stellar band - producer & guitarist Ned Ngatae, drummer Riki Gooch (Trinity Roots), bassist Mike Hall (Nightchoir) & keyboardist/vocalist L.A. Mitchell (Dave Dobbyn).

Cat & Bird has a more guitar-driven, full band sound than her excellent, alt-country influenced debut The Lake, but long-time fans need not worry: there are also a handful of gorgeous, delicate & incredibly touching songs here, showcasing Coddington's considered approach & strong vocals.

Her unassuming presentation belies a clever song-writing brain & though she's relatively unknown, Cat & Bird is further evidence Coddington is a NZ artist we willl treasure in years to come.

4 stars from 5

Review reprinted courtesy of Waikato Times

09 February 2011

Review: Kelis - Flesh Tone

KELIS
Flesh Tone
[Interscope]

Reviewing this album confused me.

On one hand it's as light & fluffy as chewing clouds, while on the other hand it almost seems there's something a little darker going on just beneath the surface.

Strictly speaking I should strongly dislike, if not hate this album.

It's essentially euphoric dance pop music, blending electropop, synthpop & house music. Production is by David Guetta, Boys Noize, Jean Baptiste & Benny Benassi, among others. It's released on Will.I.Am's label. While it may be a radical departure from Kelis' previous R&B-styled albums, Flesh Tone breaks no new ground & she does nothing we've not heard from others before.

However, I don't strongly dislike this album & I certainly do not hate it. I'm still not sure I like it, necessarily either. Here are three reasons why I'm struggling to get a true handle on my feelings about this album.

Firstly, despite brimming with sleek dance pop, the album flows as a listening experience incredibly well - something which can seldom be said these days, as most albums are really just collections of radio singles - while also playing host to a handful of potential major club anthems. Of particular note is the lead single Acapella & forthcoming single Scream, both of which incidentally, are produced by cheesy house maestro du jour David Guetta.

Secondly, Kelis sounds good. Really good. Full-tilt house diva mode clearly suits her. As does Motherhood. She has been quoted as saying that Flesh Tone is an uplifting album which celebrates the birth of her first child, so while she's obviously in good spirits, the Giorgio Moroder-era Donna Summer v modern Euro club pop sound is also an apt fit.

Thirdly, even though there's not one single fresh idea present on Flesh Tone, only one track really outstays its' welcome (the mindlessly repetitive Emancipate) & in all, the album's nine tracks barely scratch the 38min mark, strangely leaving me quite happy to listen again.

I admire any artist willing to change up their sound from album to album, and Flesh Tone is nothing if not a departure from her previous work. It's even highly enjoyable, in places, kinda like candy floss.

Hmmm... when was the last time you ate candy floss & felt good about it afterwards...?

In A Nutshell: candy-coated sleek club pop which is a non-fattening guilty pleasure
90's Rating: SIX glittering disco balls OUT OF TEN

The Radio Ponsonby Record Review airs on Murry Sweetpants' Breakfast Show every Wenerei morning at around 8.30am. Big thanks to Longroom.

07 February 2011

George FM Playlist Waitangi Day Sunday 6th Feb "In The Pocket with 90"

03 February 2011

Review LANU 'Her 12 Faces'

LANU
Her 12 Faces
[Tru Thoughts]

Upfront: I'm a big fan of Lanu's work.

Under his birth name Lance Ferguson he has produced five albums as the bandleader, guitarist & chief songwriter for The Bamboos, one of the best Deep Funk bands on the planet. He was the producer & co-songwriter for two albums by Bamboos frontwoman Kylie Auldist, showcasing a slick, R&B-styled soul-pop. As Lanu, his debut solo album, 2007's This Is My Home, blended West London broken beat with Detroit-styled future soul & an intuitive jazz sensibility.

So I was excited to hear he is about to release his 2nd solo album, titled Her 12 Faces. I came to the album with no indication how it might sound other than having been told "it's a little different from my other albums" by the man himself. I hadn't read the record company press release. I hadn't heard the single.

And I must admit upon first listen I was entirely underwhelmed.

Where's the edginess? Where are the "interesting" bits? Where the bloody hell has Lanu gone!?

However as I persevered, the hidden charms of this electronic-flecked dream pop began to reveal themselves. Dream pop? Oh yes, dream pop. And Lounge, Folk, even a little Latin music, all drawn together into a subtle sonic stew - which utilises clever songwriting alongside the kind of scholarly approach to contemporary beats you'd expect of someone who counts Mr Scruff, Keb Darge, DJ Food & Kenny Dope as fans/friends.

Despite the access to well-known international names (This Is My Home featured Aloe Blacc & Quantic, among others) the key guest on Her 12 Faces is Aussie popstress Megan Washington.

Fresh from a Gold-selling album in Oz, which also won her two ARIA awards last year, Washington's involvement here seems to have allowed Lanu licence to approach his songwriting from another angle stylistically. I mean, let's face it: the man knows his way around a tue, we're already well aware of that, but, given a new muse to work with, Lanu has branched out further from his past work to deliver 12 slices of peerless indie dream pop.

Having now read the press release I see they mention Koop, Feist & Janelle Monae, but I reckon Her 12 Faces pitches almost exactly halfway between Little Dragon & Steely Dan. To be frank, I can't think of anything dreamier, or more appealing in pop terms, than that. Nice one, Lance.

In A Nutshell: 12 slices of peerless indie dream pop from a modern songwriting wunderkind
90's Rating: SEVEN swaying sunflowers in a summer's meadow OUT OF TEN

Check out the Radio Ponsonby Record Review with 90 every Wednesday morning around 8.30am, on Murry Sweetpants' Breakfast Show. Thanks to Longroom. And youse fullas.

31 January 2011

George FM Playlist Sunday 30th Jan. "In The Pocket with 90"

27 January 2011

Bumps

Bumps are tunes I'm feeling at the moment. In this instance, I'm posting a link to DJ Friction aka Frico's edit of Love Thang, by '70s Philly disco trio First Choice. An outstanding, percussion-based rub of an already brilliant tune. Enjoy! Just click on the Bumps...

26 January 2011

Deeper Pocket with 90 at Longroom

Deeper Pocket with 90
A deeper selection of soul, boogie, funk, proper disco & rare grooves, spun with love...
From 7pm WEDNESDAYS
At Longroom
114 Ponsonby Rd
Stop by. Say hello. Settle in. Get amongst...

Review: The Rhythmagic Orchestra 'The Rhythmagic Orchestra'

THE RHYTHMAGIC ORCHESTRA
The Rhythmagic Orchestra
[Impossible Ark / Unfold / Tru Thoughts]

As I lean back in my plushly lined listening chair in the expansive sound lounge of Chez Nyntee, with a cup of tea in one hand & the hi fi remote in the other, casually dictating this week’s Radio Ponsonby Record Review to one of my many personal assistants, a troubling thought again crosses my crumpled brow…

Why does good music like this get so little attention?

OK, so to us cynics the answers seem painfully obvious, so much so that I will simply ask you, dear reader, this: does the TV3 Nightline news team really need to be “reporting” about Justin Bieber? It’s after 10pm. What IS their target audience…?

But we at In The Pocket are not about to launch into a general rant about the many failings of the culture of celebrity while there’s an opportunity to carve some interest for a group who most certainly fall squarely into the aforementioned “brow-crumpling” category.

The Rhythmagic Orchestra was conceived & is produced by Benedic Lamdin & Hugo Mendez, two individuals with deep roots in Jazz & Latin music respectively; while the Orchestra themselves count members of Nostalgia 77 Octet, Ska Cubano, Examples Of Twelve & Jazz Jamaica among their number.

Lamdin himself is Nostalgia 77 & the co-owner of Impossible Ark, the label this self-titled debut is released upon (via Unfold & Tru Thoughts). He has long been championed in the British Jazz scene & beyond, with his work with UK legends Keith & Julie Tippett, as well as his critically acclaimed Skeletons project, of particular note to the Jazz Cats. His collaboration with Alice Russell on the massive slab of music that is Seven Nation Army, their stonking version of the White Stripes’ track, is a huge reason why he has also turned Heads in underground dance music circles.

Speaking of underground dance music circles, Hugo Mendez has generated more than a few & been gainfully employed in many more than that in his time. His own record label, Sofrito, is a true beacon of Latin-based music & he is considered a leading light in the London “tropical music revival” (for want of a better phrase). He assisted Soundway Records in compiling their outstanding Tumbele compilation & has brought tropical music to the heads & feets of many folks across the UK & Europe.

Enough nerding out – what about the music?

It’s not often you can put an all instrumental album on your stereo & have it hold your attention from start to finish. I have listened to the Rhythmagic Orchestra album no less than five times through in the last couple of days. It is genuinely compelling listening, particularly for a fan of Soundway Records, Quantic & His Combo Barbaro & (dare I say it!?) the Buena Vista Social Club.

The Rhythmagic Orchestra features some of the finest Jazz & Latin musicians in the UK, so it’s no surprise that the rhythm section’s interaction is excitingly fresh & the rhythms playful; the lyrical melodies are strongly presented via some beautiful brass playing; & it is all tied together with an understated, never overplayed, hand by a very versatile pianist. It seems as though everyone involved is playing FOR the betterment of each song. Wow, what a concept!

The Rhythmagic Orchestra have presented us with a beautiful blend of Jazz & Cuban music, well crafted & passionately played, which makes for vibrant, liberating listening, from top to bottom. The only sensible thing to do is turn the Bieber-dial down & get your stereo speakers popping with some actual music.

In A Nutshell: Liberating, vibrant, compelling Jazz/Cuban music, well crafted & passionately played.

90's Rating: EIGHT stoned bongo players out of TEN.

Listen to the Radio Ponsonby Record Review every Wenerei at 8.30am on Murry Sweetpants' Breakfast Show. Huge thanks to Longroom for sponsoring the review. Nice one.

24 January 2011

Longroom On The Regular

I'm pleased to be continuing playing at Longroom during the beginning of 2011, with a residency on Wednesdays (from 7pm) & Fridays (6-9pm). I'll be looking to roll out a "deeper selection" of soul, boogie, funk, proper disco & rare grooves on both occasions.

I'm also delighted that the Longroom Crew are still on board with the radio show too - continuing their valued support & sponsorship of In The Pocket with 90 at midday every Sunday, on George 96.6FM.