Floorplan take another step along the road in their relationship with Classic with a powerful club track, What A Friend.
Previous releases on Luke Solomon’s label have been well received – WeGiveTheeHonor has done particularly well on UK radio, while LikeDat was a strong club track. Robert and Lyric Hood have also been busy on stage, at Brunch Elektronik in Barcelona, The Warehouse Project in Manchester and Igloofest in Montreal.
WhatAFriend has the familiar chopped vocal samples with tough, four to the floor beats, deliverng a strong blend of tougher techno and gospel tinged woth euphoria. You can listen below:
Ten years on from their last appearance on a long playing format together, DJs Francis Harris and Anthony Collins renew their partnership with this collection of deep house cuts.
The idea was that Frank & Tony would connect for one night only on an imaginary dancefloor, vowing, in the words of the label, “to make work together in the future; however, having exchanged no information, and with classic club kid garb obscuring any common identifying characteristics, they turn to the internet in hopes of reconnecting for a collaboration.”
Since their first album, You Go Girl, the duo have taken part in all manner of collaborations, many of them under the Scissor and Thread umbrella, though here they use their own contact book to bring in a number of fellow artists. These include Eliana Glass, DaRand Land, Lawrence and DJ Aakmael.
What’s the music like?
Classy. Ethos fits into the duo’s observation that deep house music has evolved a great deal since 2014, but in many ways it has been a point of stability. There has always been a need for new music in the genre, but often artists have been able to keep the stylistic features while producing quality new work.
Such is the case here. A warm wave breaks over Olympia, whose solid beat supports a beguiling vocal from Eliana Gloss. This is a heat-soaked track, crackling with atmosphere – a trick repeated later on with Cecile, with just a bit more breeze from the hi-hat.
DaRand Land joins for Ethos, an airy number with an active bass, while DJ Aakmael’s sultry collaboration Drift operates on the slower side, its minimal material spreading easily across the sonic sky. Too Poor For Movies, Too Tired For Love is a thoughtful number with Lawrence, its introspective mood countered by active keyboards.
The duo use fuller beats for their own tracks, upping the pace for By The End They Will, which features one of those keyboard pad sounds you could dive into. From Life Ahead is more languid, while Continuity breaks the beat and adds an effective spoken word sample.
Does it all work?
It does. This is the sort of music that seems to come effortlessly to Frank & Tony, but which is surprisingly hard to reproduce!
Is it recommended?
It is. An album of thoughtful deep house that comfortably does its job in also telling the feet to get that bit closer to the dancefloor.
Thandi Draai has built a strong reputation as a DJ bringing some of the best Afro house music to the dancefloor, and her contribution to the last in Get Physical’s compilation series continued the good momentum the label have built up.
This fifth volume was actually released in December, but with the nights still long and dark in this part of the world it is a compilation Arcana didn’t want to let slip away.
What’s the music like?
The reason this collection should be praised is of course the music, well chosen and executed, with a number of standout new productions.
Among the best are Draai’s own cuts, headed by the superb Letha with DJ Beekay and the excellent collaboration The Clique, made with Candy Man, Cuebur feat. DJ Clock & Kitty Amor. Draai also turns her hand to one of Get Physical’s biggest hits, Samim’s Heater, in a distinctive remix. BlaQRhythm offers the slightly woozy (in a good way) Insimbi Yamabutho, while Dylan-S & Ed Ward offer the propulsive Phantom, with a fine breakdown.
McK & Nana Atta’s Lungisa is spacey, with an unusual loping break beat that works well, while in contrast Foozak & D.O.A. head for the trancier side of things with Uhula Kweeri, offering some great vocals. Josi Chave & TorQue MuziQ’s Inzangoma, featuring Khokho Madlala, is a powerhouse of a track, but topping these is Africa Get Physical from Suffocate SA and Roland Clark, who delivers a fantastic vocal in praise of the continent and its values. The sentiments – “Let’s all come together so we never have to dance alone” – are spot on.
Does it all work?
It does – Draai’s sequencing is pretty much spot on, and there is rich stylistic variety. Not surprisingly, the rhythmic elements are all on point.
Is it recommended?
Yes – the fifth in an increasingly vital series that is doing a great deal of good for house music. This one has plenty of highs!
For fans of…
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Published post no.2,095 – Thursday 22 February 2024
Ash Walker’s Astronaut slipped under the Arcana radar in 2023, so it’s only right to focus on it as its constituent tracks start to get the remix treatment. The choice of Afronaught is ideal, not just because – as the press release states – it flips the title of the album on its head, but because it contains guest vocals from Amp Fiddler.
Amp – Christian name Joseph – sadly left us just before Christmas 2023 at the age of 65, leaving in his wake a stellar discography of solo vocal and band keyboard contributions (notably with George Clinton and Moodymann).
This is what Walker had to say: ‘Having recently very sadly lost a dear friend, mentor, collaborator and huge inspiration of mine – Amp Fiddler, it was very touching to hear how Ron Trent reinterpreted Amp and I’s track together ‘Afronaught’. Label buddy Ron was able to steer Afronaught in a Chicago style, Acid House inspired direction which compliments Amp’s vocal perfectly, giving the track a new lease of life. Amp was such a pioneer and embodiment of Afrofuturism who never ceased to push boundaries, proving that us as black musicians have the power to defy genre and surpass societal expectations. Amp’s spirit will live on eternally, not only through the music he created in his lifetime but also through all the artists he nurtured and influenced worldwide.”
The press release goes on to say that “Ron Trent’s remix marks just the beginning of this journey, a sonic flare if you will lighting up the way for the projects to come”.
What’s the music like?
It’s difficult to imagine a more appropriate mix to mark Amp Fiddler’s passing. Ron Trent delivers a spatial piece of work full of low-end goodness – mellow keys underpinned by a steady, deep kick drum and surrounded by vocal snippets that are easy on the ear. Amp’s voice appears as though in a vision, while the keys flicker in the middle ground.
Does it all work?
It does. All very easy on the ear!
Is it recommended?
It is – a very classy remix and the ideal tribute to a much-missed musical presence.
For fans of… Moodymann, Charles Webster, Carl Craig, Juan Atkins
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Published post no.2,093 – Tuesday 20 February 2024
While it is great to report a redux of The Monitors single originally released on vinyl in 2011, it takes place in tragic circumstances – for the death of Silent Servant – aka Juan Mendez – was announced only two weeks ago.
The two were good mates and frequent collaborators, and as you will read from this excellent interview and tribute, John Tejada decided to press ahead with the release in tribute to a dear friend. Mendez contributed the design, as well as updating the drum tracks – while Tejada gave the release a fresh master.
The two have a rich history in electronic music, sharing a release in 1995 on Cytrax – and as Tejada points out, this is one of his final releases on Palette Recordings.
What’s the music like?
This is classic instrumental techno. Control makes itself known with a solid beat, which drops out to introduce the main subject, a repetitive and minimal riff in close harmony that sounds close up to the ear, but is put in perspective by clips of much more distant vocals. Towards the end the driving rhythm drops away to leave an atmospheric musical cloud.
Protection starts with the same riff and a spoken word segment in the middle distance. “Depend on The Monitors”, the public address says…and the track kicks into gear with a more intimate feel this time. That is enhanced by the addition of warmer pad sounds.
Does it all work?
Yes – the pair complement each other really well.
Is it recommended?
You know what to do – this is classy Detroit techno given a polish but sadly loaded with extra poignancy. A fitting memorial to a talent who will be much missed.
You can read a tribute to Silent Servant by the Guardian here
For fans of… both Silent Servant and John Tejada, also Terrence Dixon, Kenny Larkin
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Published post no.2,076 – Saturday 3 February 2024
Arcana.fm 