The jazzy, soulful debut album by Detroit’s Paul Randolph doesn’t exactly feel like a debut because of the longtime session player’s resume. He’s played with Carl Craig’s Innerzone Orchestra, Amp Fiddler, Parliament Funkadelic, Recloose, Kevin Saunderson (Inner City, Reece Project), Mad Mike Banks (Underground Resistance) and a slew of other artists. Warm, welcoming jazzy house music is the common vibe throughout Randolph Says’ six tracks (a relatively short foray), unsurprising considering it was released by Mahogani Music, Kenny Dixon Jr.’s (Moodymann) label imprint. If nothing else, Randolph Says,/i> gives listeners an enticing sampling of the potential talent of Paul Randolph, proving it’s time for him to step out on his own and proclaim his solo turf in the Motor City.
Five Corners Quintet Different Corners EP
The silky smooth vibe of 1960s-era bossa nova, Latin jazz and swizzle-stick Cubop is on full display from Helsinki’s Five Corners Quintet. Featuring members from NuSpirit Helsinki and the Jimi Tenor Group, the Different Corners EP serves up a plateful of cocktail-hour delights, especially Nicola Conte’s swinging Samba Version of “Three Corners” and Dharmaone’s old style drum & bass remix of “The Devil Kicks.”
Calibre Bluetop
Our favorite Brazilian duo, Marky and XRS, step aside to let loose some top-notch Calibre production on their Innerground label. “Bluetop” is not an instant smasher, but its twirling bleeps and chilling sounds draw you into the stripped down minimal funk that grows on you with every listen. “Gemini” elevates the vibe by pushing deep bass through mesmerizing textures and rolling amens. Highly addictive.
Faculty X Otherworld
Celebrating its 30th installation, Brian Zentz appears under the system-rockin’ alias, Faculty X. Amongst garage-crafted mid-bass melodic grooves, powerful cascading pads frolic with a shimmery ensemble of strings. Expect heavy rotation from minds like Mauro Picatto, Kevin Saunderson, etc.
Frankie Bones Unidentified
Taking a dirty-flanged typical Bones vocal snip, and applying it to a ghetto Technics-style deep straight shuffle, the quotient remains a useful loopy mix tool. Flip for Dietrich Schoenemann’s dirt box 303 funk cut, sculpted to start the night.
Sven Wegner Are You Logged
With his first EP separate from his collective live project, Hamburg Deadline, Mr. Wegner starts off in a burly manner with this minimal minded electric funk jam. Establishing a heavy melodic haze throughout, the progression remains playful yet experimental while displaying an uplifting glissando lead. Superb installment, and a boastful rookie solo release.
Miss Kittin Requiem For a Hit
From succulent rhymes to seductively sexual appeal, this girl knows well how to live on charts worldwide. This booty-heavy breakbeat mix blends equal parts smooth melody and chunky overdriven bass. Abe Duque devours the original into his own prospective NYC enchantment. Big thumbs.
Various Artists Transcendances: New Sound Patterns
From Portugal comes this broken beat/future jazz compilation, combining older jams with a host of new and exclusive bits from card-carrying heads the likes of Domu and Moonstarr. The latter bursts forth with “Don’t Sweat It,” a West London-meets-Detroit roller that syncopates in all the right places, while the former, here in his Zoltar guise, works a wonky, nu-funk killer that stands out despite solid broken debuts from Portuguese artists Kasper vs JackZen and The Fisherman. Though it kicks off with a few too-limp tunes to make an impact, once it gets going Transcendances comes out a winner.
Mutiny Yada Yada
Yada Yada, Mutiny’s second album, abounds with straight-line, four-on-the-floor house prosaisms-the dropped melody and pause followed by invading, volume-increasing drum fill, for instance-which would work well as touchstones and historical Easter eggs if the record wasn’t otherwise conservative. And yet, glimmers of energy and good ideas give it hot breath: Sweetie Irie’s infectious ragga vocals on the best track, “Dem Girls;” the inventive, spare rhythm quirks on “Shock;” the way the looped synth bubbles serenely atop Amrit Rahi’s longing, blue vocal hook on “I Need You.” But after 2003’s quirky In the Now, Yada Yada feels kinda “in the 1996.”
Bettye Swann Bettye Swann
In the late ’60s and early ’70s, Bettye Swann reinterpreted country and pop hits in her Louisiana croon, turning such songs as “Stand By Your Man,” “Angel of the Morning” and “Don’t You Ever Get Tired of Hurting Me” into bona fide Southern soul laments. Beyond connecting R&B with country, she drew the connection between the women of country and soul-before the leverage of feminism, both were plagued by the sorrow of bad men and soured love. This compilation is the most complete reissue, and includes the soul side “Today I Started Loving You Again,” a bright, brassy Merle Haggard cover drooled after by your local soul.
