kings of the universe - watching over you

i heard about kings of the universe a few years ago on myspace when i was looking for information about kyaal's remixes of ciara's "promise" and beyonce's "irreplaceable". he posted up a few songs and i quite liked their songs and their throwback late 80's/early 90's acid house sound. infact i still played "shooting star" and "rules of my house" and a few others.

needless to say, i'm a fan and when kyaal & funky loffe announced their latest single on twitter i was on it. this track keeps in their sound but sound a little more melodic in a moody way. in a really good way. it stays moody and then after a small break the midrangy acidline grows more busy and then it explodes.

what comes out on the other side can only be described as a gospel anthem with a bellowing choir and a kyaal in a killer vocal performance. i love this track and i will keep supporting these guys.

buy here (itunes)

slyboots - fisherman

i picked up the album where this track was taken from in a secondhand store and i bought it blind. you learn to pick up things blindly after digging in crates and i think this was chosen because it had two remixes listed and that it gave an indication that it was sort of electronic music that i was dealing with.

sure enough it was and it was the type of music that would be called trip-hop but it was just breakbeat stuff in general without the typical dancefloor attire. which was typical for the label (named "recordings under constructions) it came from as well, from the info i gathered up.

i'm guessing it started like a ninja cuts/skam kind of thing, actually dot records or flora & fauna are better reference points, and were on own legs until they joined german label "artellier music". this record maybe is from the latter label period and maybe one of the last records released on the label.

but about the music, "fisherman" and "waiting for the tgv" was tracks i found most pleasing and they were something i could work with in sets in a modern setting. actually most of them could so but they sounded the best. this one is a lowkey track with a steady drumtrack that accentuates the quirky sounds and they very midrangy synth-bass.

however i'm guessing most will hear this track and think: "what the fuck, this track is nothing special" and you are perfectly allowed to think so but i like it.

listen here (youtube)

oh and the video, which i never knew existed until today, is really nice

chab - matica (zion mix)

this was a track i got the heads up on from my good mate jan henrik and most likely he got wind of it through marco v who used to cain this track. it was originally the first release on uk label undercurrent in late '00 whom went down after a year in operation.

i had no idea on this one prior to his recommendation but it was quickly a track i took an instant liking to because of it's drive & heavy groove and for it's ability as a workhorse within a set. francios chabloz could make these banging tracks but also do some heavy melodic material such as "keo" (released under the moogwai moniker) which were equally awesome.

this version was originally released as the moogwai mix but was for it's re-release last year on platipus it was renamed the "zion mix". reasons probably being for it's jamaican vocal samples and for him maybe wanting to seperate the chab & moogwai monikers and keep chab for the progressive tracks and moogwai for the melodic.

the difference to the matrix mix (which i'm guessing is the "original mix") is that it's a lot more pumped up and the top is more accentuated, where the matrix mix has a deeper bass & accentuates it's tribal groove. also it's breakdowns hits at two different spots and in the zion mix it comes off more naturally and works better.

it does actually have a tension & release scheme in which the matrix mix is this groove and the break is supposed to be the release for something that built up before it and there is nothing substantial built up. not even in a subtle way, it's that groove before the drop and after the drop it's the same groove after it. not saying it's bad, infact both mixes delivers in their own fields, it's just pointless.

either way, this track has served me well in sets and i really like the combination of banging no nonsense trance with a nice groove and jamaican vocal bits. well recommended track.

buy here (junodownload)

cari lekebusch - unite

this one i got wind of this track through a discogs comment that mentioned that it was possibly more jamaica than any other techno track. apart from that employs a dub reggae sample i don't really think so, but it is is a banging track and a great production. but not just for this track, the whole ep is oozing of quality.

the name of the game on this one is funky techno with deep chunky basslines, vibrant percussion loops and a steady drumtrack. it is very much in line with what would be dubbed the swedish sound or the drumcode sound. the melodic elements are appearent but are in this case featured by echoed & reverbed stabs.

while the sample from scientist's "dangerous match 6", taken from the album "scientist wins the world cup" (and is the version of johnny osbourne's "never stop fighting"), is what the track is built around, it would carry itself without it because of it's heavy groove. it's a killer record and worth a revival.

buy here (junodownload)

mini reviews #9

ninth edition now and again for the this one i've asked a person who i've had in mind from the get go. he is jyri lehtinen but goes by the name of grimreaper. he is a serious musicenthusiast, a massive record collector and someone that used to be called "the walking discography" because of his deep knowledge of electronic music. i've discussed music with him so much and he's given me so much information & heads ups of music.

01. slowhill - come back as a butterfly | soundcloud
it builds slowly but incredibly well and i really liked the track.

02. orbital - new france (tom middleton cosmos mix) | youtube
it was ok, it sounded like a generic anjunadeep track.

03. saint etienne - only love can break your heart | youtube
sometimes i find myself singing the hook for this on a whim. love this tune.

04. giant robot - dub controls | youtube
very lowslung and quite hypnotic but with a good headknod factor. liked it but just that

05. percy mayfield - nothing stays the same forever | youtube
really good tune, quite funky it's smoky blues stylings.

06. dj shadow - building steam with a grain of salt (nit grit mix) | soundcloud
it was ok but wasn't up to par with the original. the wobble-saw & the stretched elements became a bit annoying after the second break

07. jii hoo - let me luv u | youtube
quaint but funky and this tune is a much welcomed classic any day.

08. slowdive - in mind (reload remix - the 147 take)  | youtube
really nice atmospheric jungle rooted with a slight techno slant that sound incredibly fresh to date and also relevant within these times

09. starecase - lost 22 (max graham remix) | youtube
quite banging and a good example of max grahams quality trance productions but i prefer the original over the remix.

10. the coup - me and jesus the pimp in a '79 granada last night | youtube
love it. great storytelling with the combination of a great beat.

thanks for those ten jyri. and as always i asked if he wanted to anything extra about his picks and the response was:

hmm can't think of anything reasonable. I just tend to play whatever gets stuck in my hand from the shelves.

right on.

destiny's child - say my name (plaebac remix)

this was another soundcloud discovery and by searching on "say my name" and i was particularly looking for a 2-step rendition or something within the uk bass music area. the original is interesting in it's structure where it shifts between 138 bpm fulltime and halftime and it was again, like i said in the previous entry something i discovered a few years it's release.

the original had a few remixes done back in the day both official and bootleg and they shifted from house to garage and more hiphop oriented. most of them were good and i could easily write something on them but this remix by plaebac grabbed me harder than groove chronicles mix (done as a bootleg i think), the dreem teem mix (official) or the maurice joshua house mixes.

it set a mood on an instant with those warm airy pads and the crisp drum hits pounding away setting the tone. the drum programming is on point and it also shifts between calm & frantic like the original while fitting the track perfectly. also when that lucious bass comes in right when beyoncé sings the first verse along with the lovely pads & sweeps in the background, it's just brilliant.

i quite like the original but this production seriously rivals the jerkins brothers production.

listen here (soundcloud)

aaliyah - try again (andre-u refix)

i wouldn't be wrong in saying the original is one of the best songs of all time and it's one of timbalands best productions of all-time. it was one of those songs that i didn't realise it's greatness until a few years after when i listened to it with fresh years.

so when i noticed that andre-u posted his remix on soundcloud, my interest peaked instantly. i had noticed this producer on soundcloud a little while back when i ran a search on eric b & rakim's "follow the leader" to see if anyone had done anything interesting with that. andre-u did an nice take on it and i sort of liked it but it was another track ("brandy & mandy") of his that prompted me to follow him.

andre-u works with glitched out sounds and that sort of funk and his remix of "try again" has like the original one foot in the straightforward hiphop game and the other foot in the more electronic. it uses the same melodic groundwork but it sounds now more like how kid606 would tackle a just blaze production.

there is so much detailed sound-trickery and effects and even the way the vocals are reshaped in a subtle way is really good. i like how he sets up and builds up to aaliyahs' vocal by working timbaland's vocal (that of course is a rephrase of rakim's first bars of "i know you got soul") along with a vicious glitched saw stab.

also even though the bassline comes in 16 bars before the vocal the impact it gives when you hear the drums, aaliyahs vocal and that really subby bass is really effective. of course i would i have wanted that andre-u would have included that waggly acidline from the original but i think that phased synth sound that comes in halfway in is nice as well.

listen here (soundcloud)

ernesto - reelin'

i caught wind of this one through twitter a week back and the idea of a new ernesto track got my interest instantly. this is probably the third or fourth entry i do with bäckelie/ernesto but it's no secret that i'm a fan and i'll probably hype his material as long as he makes good records.

bäckelie splits his output with his monikers and the ernesto material focuses on his vocal abilities and by default the soulful side. this one starts with him and his ivories and the first verse stays beatless and then when the subtle harmonies come in on the chorus a rhythm is introduced. a really recognizable rhythm...

anyone who knows their michael jackson knows that bäckelie was obviously influenced by jacko's classic "liberian girl". the beat sets a new context to the song and while the concept of bringing the drums in halfway in isn't new but it shifts the song into even more soulful territories. but the problem is that when the song really becomes good, it stops.

but the upside to that small annoyance is that it makes me want to hear the song more, on repeat even. i am well aware that there are hundreds of soulful lovesongs like this one and they all should get the recognition, but i wouldn't leave this one out in that list.

buy here (junodownload)

normally i would have done a focus on hulkkonens remix and to be honest, this version is going to get more shine than the original. it's a great rerub and he converts the original into a great deephouse tune. all the melodics & harmonies are kept and the additional synth melody he added is killer.

amel larrieux - down

i found about this one after rediscovering "get up" through ron trent's lovely remix. most found out about larrieux through her involvement in 90's constellation groove theory where they had the hit "tell me" and i still love that tune.

this song grabbed me since it had that brand new heavies and 4hero type feel to it. swinging drums and nice upright bass set the groundwork for amel's vocal delivery. there is a subtle smoky sarah vaughan influence in her voice which accentuates this well and her ella fitzgerald like scatting on the end is lovely as well.

the only thing that bugs me is her phrasing of the words that are meant to rhyme but otherwise i really love this tune. the rhythm section is nice, the piano is working well with her tone of voice and mood and i love that subtle tabla in the back. ye. killer song, well recommended.

buy here (7digital)

britney spears - toxic (felix da housecat club mix)

the original of this took everyone by surprise with it's stunning production and catchy hook and suddenly the names bloodshy & avant (real names: christian karlsson & pontus winneberg) were on everyones lips. they had cut up this indian track and reassembled for the song and it really got me interested and i was a huge fan of the song.

it left a real good impression and i got interested in what bloodshy & avant had else done and fact was, they were two swedish guys and they had done some hip-hop and r&b production. mostly at the poppier end but most notably was that they produced & co-wrote christina millian's "am 2 pm".

i even bought the cd-single for "toxic" and 12" vinyl in a proper legit way (by that i mean not second hand) when this was out and i stand by owning it. i have quite a few records and items from artists that aren't credible but have songs that are amazing. but it's more singles than albums, britney isn't an artist i would shell out money for an album. i'd rather buy a mandy moore album or a christina aguilera album because they are and were better singers.

soon after the original was out the remixes came out and as an armand van helden fan, my focus was on that version and i think he really did a great effort and gave it a gritty touch with that thick bassline. i thought that was the version that was going to be the remix that everyone was going to focus on given that it was the a-side on the remix 12".

but i heard a lot of hubbub about felix da housecat's remix and even the heads who wouldn't give two shits about britney were on this one and i heard it and was floored. a really hard tr909 drum programming leads the way and affected pieces of vocal builds up for a small but vicious bass drop. it carries on that driving way until felix unleashes the indian string hook and then the track goes back to being this chicago hard house thing.

the track is just energy and i really like how he messed around with the vocal and the other elements of the track to form this really pounding piece of music. it was a really big shocker and reason why i was this stunned since i had grown custom to felix's more 80's flashback sound. but i was given wind on the fact that before the devin dazzle period felix was known for being very chicago sounding.

i was also given the advise to check his aphrohead tracks and more of the stuff in his back catalogue and i think you should too. solid.

buy here (amazon)

james brewster - wingbeat fission

i heard this one on national radio station p2 on the radioshow "monitor", a program dedicated to more experimental electronic music. it was during a selection of rather new stuff and things sent to them and it really got my interest a bit into the track.

the track itself is a segment as the album "as a hovering insect mass breaks your fall" and the first part of this track follows much like the rest of the album. kind of an electronic take on post-rock or like chillwave or whatever it's called. but then track breaks down and entering there is this waggly (maybe fake) acid bassline.

the vocals that appear in the first half are reversed and the tr-909 drumprogramming is starting to appear in a more substantial way. but it doesn't stay all acid housey and eventually it goes back to the downbeat vibe of the  first part. much like the experimentation of the rest of the album, the track morphs into this haze of buzzing bees and reverb.

this composition is quite mad but in a really luscious way and the whole album is well recommended stuff

buy here (junodownload)

blümchen - heut' ist mein tag (blümchen vs. roh mix)

i thought about if i was going to write about blümchen seeing as i do like this project a lot and i thought, to hell with it. i really should because it's not like anyone is going to stop reading this blog if i did seeing as i've stated that i love eurodance, written entries about alexia and u96 and all that jazz.

also no one actually reads my blog any ways besides a select few and the rest who visits my blog usually comes for free musics and is usually disappointed when they don't find it. i hope you people stay for the blurbs and my ramblings but i doubt it. but let's get down to the nitty on this one.

i discovered blümchen when "ich bin wieder hier" hit the airwaves in this country, that song was a game-changer in the modus operandi with the blümchen project as it was a) not a cover of an older german song, but a 90's club hit, in this case rozalla's "everybody's free" b) the tempo was not at the usual happy hardcore speeds and was down at 140 bpm.

along with some promotion and a few other hit singles she suddenly had a fanbase in sweden but it was known that within the crowds that liked happycore, she wasn't interesting and it was very vanilla. but it all didn't matter in the end since the more serious hhc fans favoured the dutch and british stuff so it wasn't going to be big in that crowd.

but the formula of the project followed like a few others, singles were remakes of older songs and they were pumped up with ultra girly vocals, a banging tempo with a plain four on the floor with no distorted kicks. and of course reverse bass, luscious synths some cutup breakbeats (usually "think") and very present acidlines.

the team behind the project was arn schlürmann aka paralyzer, producer with roots from the german new wave movement and stani djukanovic aka silence and occasionally lukas hilbert and other people. jasmin wagner who sang was a bubbly personality and she did bring out a good vocal perfomances even outside of the standards of happycore.

this single was a big hit over here and even though "ich bin wieder hier" was the breakthrough, this fermented her status and was a single that was brought out after the album titled "jasmin" had been released. it had high rotation on tv & radio and was a great song.

the song is like many other blümchen song based on an other german song, in this case the hook is borrowed from german band roh. one of the members of roh was lukas hilbert and i think after they did a crossover version featuring guitars with previous single "blaue augen" (also a remake, in that case of ideal's 1980 new wave hit) they decided to full on do a rock version with roh.

this combination is immense and it brings out a slightly different dimension of the song. the big changes is the vocals are done without autotune and the synth melody is done with hilbert & carsten pape vocalising it. they also add backup vocals and all round moshy vibes. i really love the original but i think this version oneups it in so many ways.

the outcome is very over the top but then again the original was over the top so it's not a case of tautology, it's just all round fun.

buy here (amazon)

korallreven - sa sa samoa (elite gymnastics remix)

i've been buzzing off this one ever since it graced the national radio airwaves. it was a song that started like any other and then came some piano chords, chopped up drumbreaks a female vocal stab. at the time of the first listen i was not expecting it to be a full on throwback, i already sensed that it was doing a early 90's flirt but then again so has emeli sande, olly murs, axwell, miike snow and a few others already done (in the recent time).

then when the whitney houston sample evolves it eventually unleashes amens on top of the think, hot pants & funky mule drums. the remix keeps the vibe of the original track but turns it, as mentioned, into early 90's hardcore jungle, but with a slight twist.

revival jungle is one of those things that can be tricky as it can be cliché-ridden and a simple flavour of the week. this happens to me with danny byrd's '08 single "shock out", that was a well done and really well produced track. i loved it when i first heard that but the joy of it didn't last long and i have no idea why it didn't give me the satisfaction after the month i really listened to it. even now i think it's a good track but stays there.

i really don't hope this same fate happens to me and the elite gymnastics remix of "sa sa samoa", since i do like it a lot. even though i think the over-compression hurts this song a lot. it sounds rough when the amens come in and when they unleash the metallic reverbed-out cloud of sound in the last quarter it goes into overkill. come to think of it, this will happen...

listen here (soundcloud)

neneh cherry - buddy x (falcon & fabian remix feat. the notorious b.i.g.)

the intarwebs has been vibing over biggie smalls tracks since it's fifteen years ago the notorious b.i.g. passed away. as usual there will be songs shared and linked to from all times and there is a whole load of them that are quality and will bring the house down proper any day.

this tune is one that i found out about a couple of years ago and it's a mending of three special people, one of the biggest rappers/(or actually artists in general) to have ever come out of sweden (yeah, i know she is a bit uk and us as well but with a birtnname of neneh marianne karlsson, she is sweden); a very talented producer by the name of christian falk or falcon as he used to bill himself in the hiphop heyday and of course a (then) little known rapper called the notorious b.i.g. (or biggie smalls as he was known then).

nowadays biggie is the star and neneh cherry is the lesser but back in '92 the roles were reversed and biggie had only been on a few records officially and this was one of them. rumour has it (according to falk's collaborator & friend dj sleepy) that biggie wasn't the first choice for the guestspot but busta rhymes but he was difficult to get and wanted more money. probably because of his reputation for turning out verses that stole the show.

the beat by christian falk and fabian is typical 90's east coast material and holds up really well and is nice & gritty. biggies verse isn't the best thing in the world but his flow and presence speaks for itself. this track is somewhat forgotten classic and for biggie, i want to bring it back. r.i.p. christopher wallace. and for neneh cherry, keep on rocking and doing what you do. she is still working and doing wonderful music, same goes for christian falk.

listen here (youtube)

familjen with ninsun poli - bethnahrin

this was discovered while pressing in the name "ninsun poli" on spotify. she's a singer (of assyrian descent) that has been performing both under her own name and in collaborations with other acts including familjen. she's a very talented singer and i loved her debut ep titled "for real" and was in love with "feber" which she made with familjen.

this song is from familjens second album (named "mänskligheten) and featured the same stylings as the previous record, bumping house and acidlines mixed with pop sensibilities in a clever way. i should note that poli sings on two other songs ("mitt bästa" & "vinter i april") on the record and they work in the same school as "kom säger dom" and "feber". however this song differentiated itself quite a lot from those and takes the drums off altogether and is a mood piece.

it's moody in the beginning and then a haunting vocal comes out of nowhere and grabs a hold of you on an instant. poli sings in her native suryoyo and talks about the motherland known as beth nahrin that's the assyrian word form mesopotamia. the vocal is something between an syrian-orthodox choir recital and a mawal and it's really powerful.

i think it can compared to a famous piece by ofra haza called "love song" where she does her version of song of songs 8:6-7 (more known as "love is as strong as death") in hebrew. i don't think they are on the same par but they are close and equally powerful pieces of music.

i should note that ofra haza's song is full a capella (and it should be noted that it's been sampled and remixed left and right over the years) and familjen adds dark pads and long sweeping synth sounds to back up and enhance the song.

while this song is no clear hit like most of familjens other tracks it really works as the ending track of the album and brings it all down to a great closing. much like "dansa" in timbuktu's "sagolandet" lp.

buy here (7digital)

source direct - shimmer

i discovered this one i think either through a set or youtube but it resonated with me on an instant because of it's grand atmospheric sound. it's very good looking records circa mid 90's with amens, a booming 808 sub bass and so much pads and strings you are drowning in lush.

the amen is employed a very straightforward re-jigging and with some key edits along the line to "spice it up". the eq used really brings out the snappy snares or it sounds like they layered on a pitched up clap. while i did exaggerate the uses of atmospherics, it does start as an exercise in pad-showers but gets down to business.

mind you i do think the plan for the tune was some sort of set-starter thing as it fucks around chopped around drums and then goes into full blast. short after that it boils down to drums and (sub)bass with the occasional female vocal sample. it introduces the main string motif later on it but it keeps it fairly subtle and it's a more culmination for the drop in the middle.

i know this record is far different from the bleaker techier records that source direct would make a name for themselves but good atmospheric jungle is always welcomed in my book.

listen here (youtube)

ward 21 - this anuh rampin' (prod. kid606)

this track comes of a project assembled by the wall of sound label with the simple concept of putting together a jamaican deejay, singjay or singer and an english-based producer who either do more electronic stuff. the riddims become different in perspective but they did/do come off like modern jamaican dancehall.

there are a number of great collaborations including the tanya stephens/prassay cut on "enuff 4 u" with it's oldschool ragga hiphop throwback and the ce'cile & general degree/jacques lu cont collaboration on "na na na na" with it's suspencebuilding beat. the lucious ska-like collab of big youth & west london deep on "rudie no" is another killer track.

and this one with ward 21 and kid606 which on paper had me thinking of something more crazy but it's certainly bumping. kid606 tones down his glitch and various modulation techniques for this one but pack in a beefy bass.

listen closely you hear some of his sonical trickery in the back but on top you have ward 21 mashing it up in their usual style. it's a very banging tune and ever since i found this compo i've been hooked to this tune and i'm not going to stop liking it any time soon.

buy here (junodownload)

i have to point out that there are number of lacklustre tracks including the spragga benz/roni size one and the bling dawg/city hi-fi track.

james brown - king heroin

this was a song by brown i discovered late and it's a sombre blues like number. it's a telling of a poem written by a manny rosen and is a cautionary tale about drugs and what they can do to your ways of living. while it's a powerful lyrical expression, coming from james brown it resonates weirdly because brown's person.

then again so goes most anti-drug songs sung from persons you think were probably still doing drugs after doing the song, but i guess this song is valid and should be heard by most anyways. brown (and by default rosen) talks about heroin in the first person perspective, really personifying the drug. he goes off telling what he will do you as the drug and in the last part he says he will send you to hell. effectively saying: i will kill you, have no doubt about it.

buy here (7digital)

another song who runs in the same modus operandi is phuture's "your only friend", it was through this song i found "king heroin" since someone pointed out it's lyrical similarities. it differentiates itself only with the drug in mind ("your only friend" is about cocaine) and it's more blunter telling of the effects of the drugs.

"your only friend" was like "king heroin" an anomaly since it stemmed through a culture wrapped up drugs even though spanky, dj pierre & herbert j (like most of the chicago and detroit producers) weren't users themselves. but you had ron hardy, who famously broke "acid tracks" (which this track is the b-side to), who was a known heroin addict and the culture itself weren't that dissonant of drugs.

"your only friend" is a bit more sinister than "king heroin" but i think it was needed to send a clear picture to the heads in the club where as james brown wanted to talk to the people and elaborate. eitherway they are both really great songs.

buy here (junodownload)

u96 - life in paradise

i've mentioned before that i love eurodance and this one is a track i discovered a little while after when i was started playing eurodance-sets. i came to terms that you could play in the faster megamix stylings that i favoured and still build and release. this is like most dance music, if one wants to do an interesting mix then the solution isn't just to play anthems.

which is why you'll never catch me playing something like culture beat's "mr vain" until the end of the set. but you have to get from point a to point b and sometimes you want something subtle but still packing that eurodance-flavour. this is where something like track comes in to play.

to be really honest, it's not my favourite alex christensen production and again i say that in a state that i do have a favourite track done by him. that would be "love religion" but this is something completely different and it comes an album where the big hit was "heaven". a track which a deliberate rejack of cindy lauper's "time after time".

this track is infact album filler and it starts off with the exact same pad christensen used for most of this album (have a listen on the rest of the tracks in the junoplayer), later it introduces some melody that is going to be present for most of the track and then it kills it off to bring out the bass and drums. it's a very subtle production and i know i've reused this statement before but coming from alex christensen, the level of subtle in this is a feat.

it further on treads lyrical grounds of the road world peace in a sort of bleak manner, as done in the "conscious nineties". i can easily use this to sidetrack further more but i still find it piss funny that one of the least serious form of dance music spent so much time of peace, love, unity and consciousness. vocalist nikki and/or dea-li deliver this quite well though and it's one of the reasons i like this track.

buy here (junodownload)

to clarify something as well, whenever i say alex christensen production, i do of course everyone but christensen as he had a whole team of co-producers and henchmen on production. i also find it funny that this track one the album is preceded by something ("heartline/lifeline") that is an clowny re-take of union jack's cactus (buy here).

it's sub-ceded by a really awful outro track that sounds like the intro of a really bad happycore track. i don't want to spoil the fun but they bring in the sounds of das boot at the end, in a way that shouldn't make sense and doesn't either.

shorty rogers & his orchestra - taps miller

this one i heard on radio and i was going through the channels and stumbled upon some swinging big band jazz or whatever you want to call it. the track that caught my ear first when i switched to the station was a rendition of "jersey bounce" by joe reisman and his orchestra. i'd never heard it before but i liked the groove and it held me in for the next track which was a downright funky affair.

likewise it was a new piece of music for me but it had the bounce and groove to make this somewhat essential, i think what ferments it is that killer drum-fill near the end and anyone who knows me, knows i like drums. but it's more than drums and i found out that the song is a count basie composition and comes off a record where rogers plays basie.

i'd never heard of shorty rogers before but i had heard of shelly manne who plays drums on this. there is actually a number of names who play on this but i'm not familiar with their work elsewhere but they all perform really well. the track kicks of with a bang and it rides high and stays there on a glorious mood. good stuff.

buy here (7digital)