Paraphrasing the Soul Sonic Force and sorting through today`s releases for tunes that could have graced Alfredo Fiorito & Leo Mas’ Amnesia dance-floor…

ASHHR / Fizzy / 20:20 Vision

Los Angeles-based trio, ASHRR’s Fizzy – a taste of their forthcoming album – is melodic poolside pop. A late summer shuffler, that boogies somewhere between blue-eyed soul and soft / yacht rock. In the hands of Felix Dickinson it’s transformed into cracking cosmic disco. Full of echoed percussion, and stretched out over a great, growling bass-line, that “pays tribute” to ESG’s NYC punk-funk. The real draw in this package, though, is a dub from Hopeton Overton Brown, aka Scientist. A former protege of reggae recording pioneer, King Tubby, Hopeton, while working at Channel One in the early `80s, became a legend in his own right. His rework here must have been based on Felix’s, since it too features that ESG-esque b-line, all be it slowed to almost a crawl, and rocked by ringing walls of delay and feedback. Ralph Lawson, and ASHRR themselves, provide edits. The former, extended, and removing the vocal. Both are a must listen for anyone who, like me, is a fan of Mr. Brown’s back catalogue, and also for folks, again like yours truly, who Hoover up Dennis Bovell’s post-punk dubs. 

Joan Bibiloni Band / Valerie Kiko Navarro & Willie Graff Mixes) / Island Issues

Joan Bibiloni is a Mallorquin, born and bred, Balearic guitarist, of great renown. A musician, who as a teen ran with the members of Canterbury jazzers, Soft Machine, and the family of celebrated poet Robert Graves. In the `70s, Joan jammed at Ibiza’s hedonistic haven, Amnesia, before launching a prolific, 20-year-plus, solo career. Valerie is a fine slice of fusion / boogie, which first appeared on his 1986 album, Papi, Are You OK? Kiko Navarro & Willie Graff have now remixed the song, for the debut release on a new Spanish label, Island Issues. There are 3 fresh takes in total, but it’s the Club and Dub ones that really, and I mean really, do it for me. Both are quality hits of lively Latin house, that have found some inspiration – some percussion and the odd, “Arriba!” – in the seminal late `80s productions of Clivielles and Cole. Strings rise, synth riffs ring, but it’s the amazing keys, which dominate the second half of the Club Mix, that steal the show. The piano dropping big chords, boogie-woogie breakdowns, but also pirouetting solos. The dub impatiently brings these in after only a minute. There are nods to `90s Italian house, which is always in vogue, but the tracks are too rich, too 21st Century polished, to be totally retro. Just like Justin Van Der Volgen’s essential remix of Soft Rocks’ Talking Jungle, it’s a guaranteed dance-floor-filler that I don’t think I’ll ever tire of. This release sounds like a future classic to me.

Field Of Dreams / Keep Rollin’  / Field Of Dreams

The 4-track Keep Rollin’ E.P. is the first musical fruit from Field Of Dreams in something like 18 months. Everything is spiked with a differing dose of acid, but 3 of the tunes are much, much house-ier than F.O.D.’s usual stuff. Into The Night is more of a teutonic trancer, pace-y and pounding, but the title track, for example, must surely be a tribute to the Chicago triumvirate of Marshall Jefferson, Larry Heard, and Harry Dennis. Referencing, as it does, the late `80s / early `90s sounds of Jungle Wonz and The It. Mind Over Matter’s looped vocal is a definite tip of the hat to Louie Vega /  Hardrive’s classic, Deep Inside, while its music pays homage to the mid-90s robo-disco of New York’s Sound Factory and London’s Junior Boys Own. Into The Sun is deep, and dub techno tinged. Its melodies and riffs shaken, ringing with echo. Basic Channel-esque, with an uplifting synth / string line and some TB-303 flexing. The results not ruff and raw, but sleek, smooth and soulful. 

David Kitt / Til The End (X-Press 2 Remixes) / Warm

Darrens Rock and House, aka Rocky and Diesel, aka X-Press 2, remix David Kitt’s Til The End. An Eno-esque ballad from David’s album, Idiot Check, the British Balearic Beat veterans have the song riding a robotic 120 BPM chug. Transforming the track, already one of the long-player’s standouts, into a proper piece of dancefloor-directed pop. The pair are preparing to release a new record of their own, Three, on Acid Jazz, which is all peak-time, big room bangers, but their work here is more sunset / sunrise / start / end of the night. The full vocal mix pushes the sighing, ethereal, backing singers to the fore, without losing the defiant lyrics at its core (“There’s a bond that you defend, held your head up to the doubters…”). Percussion fills adding to the energy. Teasing with tender touches of Kitt’s guitar. The dub begins, beatless, acapella, with Laurie Anderson / O Superman exclamations, and then stuffs its graceful groove with near subliminal detail. Those 6-strings serrated, spinning, both backwards and forwards.  

Mudd / In The Garden Of Mindfulness / Claremont 56

In The Garden Of Mindfulness is the new single by Paul “Mudd” Murphy, and the title track from the Claremont 56 founder’s forthcoming album. Classily arranged and opulently orchestrated by Paul’s long-time collaborator, Michele Chiavarini, the piece is a move away from Mudd’s predilection for lushly produced prog rock, toward one of his other musical passions, jazz-funk. A elegant, feel-good, mini epic, with strings and big emotive piano, its synths reference Roy Ayers’ soulful, downtempo, rare grooves, especially the priceless perennial, Everyone Loves The Sunshine and Rick Holmes’ righteous Remember To Remember. 

On the super limited 12 – there’s no digital, and 250 copies only – this is flipped by Katanaboy – a more uptempo shot of Sci-Fi soft rock, with treated vocals and honking sax, that echoes the more cosmic, disco, moments of The Doobie Brothers and Crosby, Stills & Nash. 

Wrekin Havoc / Camino / Is It Balearic? 

Up until now known only for their edits, the West Midlands Wrekin Havoc crew have signed 3 originals to Is It Balearic? Camino is popping, locking, programmed, proto-house, sung partly in Spanish, and serenaded by swooning strings. My personal favourite, Moon Dance, is a slow, bass heavy chugger – all machined marimba and bionic bottom end. Its trippy details harbouring an It’s A Wonderful Life sample, and very 1990 / 1991. Like Audio Deluxe’s 60 Seconds hugging Ultramarine’s Stella, with a touch of the Templeheads thrown in for good measure. However, the one that everyone’s gonna go nuts over is RLTW – a sexy, sleazy, TR-808 rattling reading of Christopher Cross’ Ride Like The Wind, sung by Gemima Gallier. The Rotation Sound System-associated T Kutt also rock up with a super sensual, synth-y, electro-boogie version. You can take your pick of the mixes, but this threatens to become an anthem in all sorts of Balearic circles.