Category Archives: On record

On Record – Ben Reed: Bandaged (Esoteric)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Ben Reed has an eclectic musical CV, so it stands to reason his first album on the Esoteric label should live up to those promises.

So far his credits include playing for artists as diverse as Frank Ocean, Sampha, Orlando Weeks and David Byrne – while his own original work draws from progressive rock old and new but reaches back further, to classical music and beyond.

Bandaged has been in the pipeline for three years, with Reed himself recording the vocals – but with guest support featuring a starry array of names. These are Caravan’s Jimmy Hastings, Ross Stanley (organist in the Steve Howe Trio), steel guitar royalty BJ Cole, flautist Rachel Hayter, singer / songwriter Laura Groves on keyboards and Matt Weeks, who doubles up on horns and extra production.

What’s the music like?

Bandaged is a consistently rewarding album. As with all music of a progressive nature it doesn’t reveal all of its treasures immediately, but there is plenty for the first-time listener to hang on to.

The chorus of Tale Of Cleopatra is an obvious case in point, taking up root in the head immediately, but so too is the more complicated, virtuoso performance behind I’ve Got Chains, a lyrical masterclass which also provides an uncanny reflection of modern life and all its pleasures.

The richly coloured and beautifully scored opener Plea finds Reed looking back towards Medieval music in some of the rhythmic trickery, yet he doesn’t fall into the trap of making it too cheesy. Instead, music old and new adds up to something wholly rewarding.

Comparisons with the Canterbury scene are valid for many good reasons, and songs like Everything That Matters enjoy a closer stylistic parallel while keeping a healthy sense of humour, but there are also references in Reed’s work to late-1960s psychedelia. On the other hand, he can write a study in thoughtful meditation, as No Arms No Legs No Body At All and Dwindled turn out to be, the latter with ghostly visions.

Tangled Branches has beautifully layered harmonies and a lively flute counterpoint from Hayter to tell its story, while on the darker side we have Chapter Of Risk, its lower layers of doom enhanced by Hastings’ contrabassoon.

Does it all work?

Yes. While there are a lot of experimental tendencies on Bandaged they are brilliantly managed, and there is almost always a musical hook to hang on to. Lyrics are excellent and memorable, too – when did you last hear the word ‘rivulets’ in a song?!

Is it recommended?

Definitely. Bandaged is a very English progressive record, in the best possible way.

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You can explore purchase options for Damaged on the Cherry Red Records website

Switched On – Laurent Garnier: 33 Tours Et Puis S’en Vont (COD 3 QR)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

33 Tours Et Puis S’en Vont is the first album in eight years from Laurent Garnier, one of electronic music’s favourite sons. French dance music without Garnier would be unthinkable; indeed, house and techno without his input would be immensely poorer, even before considering his contribution to more jazzy quarters of the musical sphere.

In his career, Garnier’s output has been notable for its consistency. This bumper album, however, takes him back to the basics of making people dance, in a mixture of instrumental and vocal tracks operating predominantly at a fast tempo.

What’s the music like?

Propulsive. This is Garnier taking his music for the dancefloor back to first principles, with not a filler in sight.

There are many highlights. Au Claire De Ta Lune is excellent, a driving rhythm supporting shimmering textures and a long, arching drone-like figure. If anything In Your Phase is better, with a foreboding combination of slow siren, held notes of peril, a driving beat and an urgent vocal from 22Carbone. This combination of quick, driving rhythms and long, sustained notes serves Garnier really well, together with a sharp instinct for structuring the tracks just right.

Multiple Tributes (to multiple people, for multiple reasons) cools the temperature a little, while Reviens la Nuit is a powerhouse, driving and sharply edged. So too is Saturn Drive Triplex, topped by euphoric vocals and an incisive vocal from Alan Vega as Garnier cranks up the distortion. Trumping all these is The Real World, which gathers strength over 11 minutes to become a powerful and hypnotic masterpiece, Garnier pacing each layer to perfection.

Sado Miso is intriguing, a drum and bass-laced track that shows Garnier hasn’t lost the ability to experiment successfully on a record. This one is nippy to say the least!

Does it all work?

It does. These pieces have the same raw energy that Garnier has demonstrated in his club-based music ever since the late 1980s. A ‘back to basics’ album that reaps dancefloor rewards!

Is it recommended?

It certainly is. This is Laurent Garnier on peak form – and how wonderful it is to still be able to say that a mere 35 years after his debut!

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Switched On – Octave One: Never On Sunday (430 West)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Never On Sunday started as an EP in 2021, headed by the single Contemplate which Octave One recorded with vocalist Karina Mia. Gradually it expanded, with new productions and a clutch of video productions which the brothers are now able to release as an album.

These are the brothers Lenny and Lawrence Burden, who formed Octave One in their Detroit base and have been releasing music for over three decades. Never On Sunday is their first long player in five years.

What’s the music like?

The rolling beats and Karina Mia’s introspective vocal are a good match on Contemplate, and Mia makes a strong contribution to similarly moody cuts The Bearer, where a powerful rhythm gets to the centre of the dancefloor, and Price We Pay, an expansive number.

Lifelike is an evocative instrumental, with metallic glints at the edges, while Tiers gets down to four-to-the-floor business, opening out into a widescreen panorama. Soon After carries a more mysterious profile, as does Mona, while A Moment Of Truth has a relatively coarse string sound, bringing tension to its otherwise foursquare rhythmic profile and building to a powerful finish.

There is a noticeable scene change for Metal Forest, where a serene, fluorescent loop passes between the imaginary trees. Soon a distorted rhythm sets a slow pace, and the area teems with life.

Does it all work?

Pretty much. There is a satisfying ebb and flow in the tempo variations, and also in the blend between instrumentals and vocals, and a an attractive set of bonus tracks which include instrumental versions of the vocal tracks, plus a bruising Skream remix of The Bearer.

Is it recommended?

It is – the Detroit legacy continues to stretch onwards, and Octave One are an outfit right at the forefront of its growth.

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Switched On – Nabihah Iqbal: DREAMER (Ninja Tune)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

DREAMER, Nabihah Iqbal’s follow-up album to her debut Weighing Of The Heart, stands as a story of resolve in the face of considerable hardship.

In early 2020, just as the pandemic was beginning to take hold, Iqbal’s studio was burgled and all her work lost – including the album on which she was working. By this time she was suffering from extreme fatigue and had sustained a broken hand, but worse was to come as her grandfather suffered a brain haemorrhage, and she had to travel to Pakistan to be with the family.

The relocation was unexpectedly beneficial for her music, as she returned to basics away from the electronic trappings, using an acoustic guitar and harmonium to make much of her music. Although the genesis of DREAMER was changed with her experiences, Iqbal found inner strength and power for her music, adding new colours and shades to her sound.

What’s the music like?

Having read the story behind the music you might expect a morose, navel-gazing album – but nothing could be further from the truth. Instead what we have here is music full of rich colours, resolve and positivity, finding an inner strength and power.

The shimmering textures of In Light set the scene, brighly coloured and soaked in heat. This is a theme continued by the sweet melancholy of Dreamer, but which reaches a peak on Sunflower, a heady rush akin to being in the middle of a dancefloor breakdown in the mid 90s. “Count the steps of the sun, comfort me sweet golden one”, speaks Iqbal poetically.

As the album progresses so more acoustic themes are revealed. The descriptive Lilac Twilight presents a rich acoustic picture, while the final three tracks, of a more thoughtful persuasion, offer an aside to self over largely non-digital sound pictures. By contrast, Gentle Heart presents a sumptuous deep house landscape, while Aky River reaches even more vividly for the light, with a strong beat in tow.

Does it all work?

It does. Iqbal’s music casts an unusual light, in a good way – and the lyrical content, while relatively sparse on occasion, is always meaningful. The balance of instrumental and vocal is just right too,

Is it recommended?

It is – this is a rather special album, and responds well to being played at volume!

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Switched On – Kirk Degiorgio: Modal Forces / Percussive Forces (BBE Music)

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by Ben Hogwood

What’s the story?

Kirk Degiorgio has been a musical explorer throughout his long career, and Modal Forces / Percussive Forces finds him turning down a new road. This is an album that turns its head back towards the 1970s, looking to recreate the format of a library music album.

This sort of album could be made by top notch musicians but with their eyes squarely on composing music specially for television or advertisements, providing incidental music or smaller, jingle-sized clips. In making this record Degiorgio set himself some strict criteria, giving himself a maximum of two minutes for the majority of the tracks.

The 16 recordings zip by in the album format, setting scenes and providing a rich tableau of jazz-laced grooves.

What’s the music like?

Authentic. Degiorgio’s grounding in jazz, funk and techno serves him very well here, for he has a great instinct of how to introduce his melodic lines – whether in treble or bass – and how to set them to a rich library of percussion, played live by session drummer Chris Whitten.

They clearly had a lot of fun if these recordings are anything to go by, from the easy disposition of Amurru, a bass-driven number in triple time, to the grit in the groove of Baltimore. There are some really good grooves in Chicago Shift, likewise the percussive Cincinnati Sunrise and Harlem – but by contrast The Oakland Feel is smoother. All are written with an eye on the dancefloor, but they satisfy all sorts of scene-setting criteria too. It’s easy to imagine a few detectives flexing their muscles and cocking their weapons to this music!

Does it all work?

It does. The only regret is that some of the tracks are good enough to run on for at least double the length, and make a few people very happy on a dancefloor somewhere! Maybe Degiorgio has longer edits that might be made available in time?

Is it recommended?

It is. An excellent, fun album – and another musical discipline that Kirk Degiorgio has successfully mastered!

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