Reviews: 147

Single of the Week

wAFF
Fat Gash EP
Hot Creations

waffSo ok, the title grabs your attention. But before you go getting all hot under the collar rest assured that the gash in question actually refers to the artist’s best friend (one Jey Kurmis). Back to the music and the title track is indeed an excellent combination of fiery drums, creative stereo effects, cool pulsating bass plus commanding vocals – an irrepressible production for sure. Next comes, Shabby which drives squelchy Acid bass into Detroit and comes up tasting of Berlin (via Leeds). While leaving the high energy rhythms of Connected to end this great release on a further high, ably assisted again by more captivating vocals, beats and bass.

Release: April 6

https://www.facebook.com/wAFFmusic
http://hotcreations.com

Urban Sound Lab.
Falling
Room Control Records

It’s not so often these days that the more traditional sounds of Soulful House (to use the clique) have anything new to say but these luscious harmonies are simply too hard to resist. Renn Washington supplies the honours with heartfelt abandon and does a first-rate rendition over some cool, shuffling Afro Beats for you to lose yourself in. The Dub is great too playing out the warm backing vocals over the punchy key driven rhythms, while an Alternative Mix adds provides another angle to it all.

Release:March 20

https://www.facebook.com/UrbanSoundLabmusic
https://www.facebook.com/roomcontrol

Sex Judas
Big Sex Thing EP
Marketing Music

Sex_Judas_-_Big_Sex_Thing_-_MLG023_cover-150Ejecting all sense of taste and decency (good) the wonderfully named Sex Judas sets the Disco balls spinning with this trip down into dancefloor ecstasy. Big Sex Thing is all about the feeling and this arrangement of 70’s punctuating synths and rolling bass set the scene perfectly for the baritone vocals to strut their stuff – you either love it, or you don’t I guess. Label head Tim Paris then supplies remix one with a darker infusion of Acid keys giving it all a moody, more contemporary edge, with the second remix from Arttu adding bouncier beats and further Acidic intensity to the equation. Next, Cocksucker Blues again detunes the vocals over fresher sounding twisted, synthesisers amid strains of rocky guitar to deliver another feverish production.

Release: April 6

http://mkgmusic.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sex-Judas/207787179266274?sk=timeline

Ginger Johnson and His African Messengers
I Jool Omo
Freestyle Records

If you love rhythm, and who doesn’t, then you are going to fall in love with this. Life is great when it’s that simple. Historically an important figure with regards to the beginnings of The Notting Hill Carnival along with his own North London venue, Club Iroko. Plus, as an influence on Fela Kuti and having played with The Stones (performing live with them in 1969 at Hyde Park providing the percussion to ‘Sympathy For The Devil’) and Quincy Jones amongst many others. I Jool Omo feeds the percussive fire with a steady stream of sassy beats and life-affirming song, accompanied by horn blasts and raspy Latino flute lines all recorded in the late sixties. Talking Drum is the edgier of the two with less emphasis on harmony and more on banging those drums with horns and rocky guitar adding further tension.

Release: March 30

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