bussetti - softly
debut 7 track release on realise records, to be released at end of july.
a live band doing hip-hop/soul/jazz/dub cross genre collision.
acid jazz revival with jazzie b in the backroom anyone ?
opening track debussetti is a straight up live band hip-hop jam with tighter than tight feel. just when you think you have the track filed along comes a mad intensely dramtic sample of horns/orchestral blast that completely pulls the listener into its crafty grasp .. this track is serious quality.
next up is 'softly' this a lot smoother - fem vox over the top of a laid back sunny weather groove, not too original but mighty pleasant and made me dig out my old galliano albums to check credits to see if there was a crossover anywhere.
the vocals are sublime though.
fsm starts like any decent radio2 pop-soul crossover track .. perfect lisa stansfield cover material .. nice but doesn't particularly grab me, that is until the backing starts moving up a gear and a punchy acoustc bassline (could be a bassified cello - i dunno about the small print on these things) asserts itself making the track far more compelling, a decent album track thats for sure.
'krax' (interesting titles !) immediately pulls me in - with its heavily reverbed drumfills and jazz-lite piano riffs .. but then the track meanders as we get a sax solo after which we get a hammond organ solo (james taylor quartet lawyers on the phone yet ? )
.. i cannot deny the quality of the band though, they have done their time and pull off some lovely funky licks ..
and so to the remixes .. all of them are of the softly track .. of most interest to the media will be the remix by man of the moment hebden 'four tet'. overly distorted drum parts made me think that they had mastered the track incorrectly but closer inspecttion of the press release indicates that this is meant to be so - hmm .. makes headphone listening a little too bass heavy and quite uncomfortable .. i did like the ginga ninja version though .. more uptempo with vocal cutups from a must workshop training video and an off-kilter phased sitar in the distance .. . the whole interplay of the groove and the subtle studio polish/tricks .. the last version "boomclick remix" is much more bassy, dubbed up style like the orb used to do so well .. ambient jazz dub - this is my fave of the bunch ..
so, an interesting first release and if the sun shines during their forthcoming appearances at big chill/festivals then i reckon they will convert many more to their cause.
watch this band go places.