Under The Influence

Bebel Gilberto is the daughter of Brazilian jazz goddess Astrud Gilberto, and she follows in her mother’s footsteps wonderfully.

On Tanto Tempo, she enlists some of electronic music’s luminaries (Amon Tobin, Arling & Cameron, Suba, Smoke City, Thievery Corporation) to help out with her own compositions as well as some Brazilian classics (“So Nice,” “Bananeira”).

Through it all, Gilberto’s beautiful alto floats atop the tracks. Her duet with Nina Miranda on “August Day Song” is absolute bliss, with their voices forming a wonderful counterpoint. The featured cut here is the opener “Samba de Benção”.

Forget the pretenders: this is real Brazilian music done by one of the best.

I'd heard of Jazzanova's influence, but not been lucky enough to hear much of their body of work.

This compilation has served as an eye-opening guide to the German collective, and as such, needs to be an essential component of every musicologists collection.

Spanning only three years, the group has assembled their entire remix output onto a disc that is utterly indispensable for those who appreciate their brand of innovative soul.

The featured track, 'Welcome To The Party', shows Jazzanova at their best. Originally a composition that appeared on Ubiquity's outstanding New Latinares compilation, Jazzanova turns this honest, simple piece into an extended workout, complete with a shimmering piano breakdown that would have the snootiest of jazz purists bobbing their heads and shaking their hips.

Turn the lights down low, and enjoy!

I'm having a bit of a tidy up day today. Archiving off some of the music that's collected on my computer over the last few months. It's hard work parting with one's music, even just temporarily. Anyhoo, in doing so I'm listening to a bunch of stuff that I haven't listened to in a while - Atmosphere included.

Not sure who did the beats on this one but they're great. Super slick. The rhodes/guitar hook on Guns and Cigarettes is inspiring.

The Woman with the Tattooed Hands is a must hear - very touching piece of work. Other essentials to check out include Between the Lines, Don't Ever Fucking Question That and Like Today.

It's poetry man.

Opening your album with an argument concerning the details of Morrissey singles is a good thing - it shows a real appreciation of music.

Whenever I think of great song-writing Heartbreaker comes to mind. Every single track is an emotive masterpiece. Oh My Sweet Carolina makes me want to develop a southern accent (much like Lucinda Williams' drawl) something chronic. Before embarking on Call Me On Your Way Back Home Adams draws a breath in which you can feel the weight of the impending music bearing down. It's all so pure - unmarred by heavy production. This is the Ryan Adams I'd lose my little finger to see live in a tiny venue.

Second listen and I just can't bear to turn it off.

Might be wrong but it sounds like it's cut to tape too. mmmmm... juicy juicy tape.

I heard a snippet of B(if)tek's We Think You're Dishy at a friend's party (a rather fine affair in a giant manor house in Devon) and have periodically hunted for a copy of the album since. Last week I managed to get hold of a copy but I guess I mustn't have been in the mood for it at the time as I just flicked through the songs and then filed it away. Listening to it now I'm pretty impressed. I guess if you were in to your genres you'd call it progressive house with a twist of breaks - not that I'm any sort of expert in that field but it reminds me a bit of Gabriel & Dresden.

There are TV/movie samples lightly dusted over the album - I can't pick where they're from but I've heard some of them before on the Kleptones most excellent Night At The Hip-Hoppera. Not just TV samples for that matter, Bedrock for example is built on a foundation of a sampled 1940s(?) horn.

Constantly twisting, turning and evolving the listener isn't fatigued by the repetitive beats that generally plague house music. It's very interesting stuff.

Oh, and you get a playful cover of Wired For Sound thrown in for free.