DANCE REVIEWS

Rip It Up, Issue 226, 1 June 1996, Page 26

DANCE REVIEWS

BAHAMDIA Kollage According to Bahamadia (EMI) Bahamadia is an ex-DJ turned MC from Philly, and don’t sweat the technique, ’cause the woman got mic’ skills to burn. Her flow is so smooth and so dope, and with positive lyrics and mad production from Guru, Premier, the Roots, and Da Beatminerz, this is a phat album. NONCHALANT Until the Day (MCA) Nonchalant is another female MC with the flow that’s good to go, and she sings to. A nice mix of R&B flavoured hip-hop soul, Nonchalant dishes the dirt on drugs, thanks God, and generally has a good time over some nice laidback grooves. VARIOUS ARTISTS Strictly Techno 2 (Sony) An interesting mix of the credible and the laughable. Well respected composers like Thomas Heckmann and the Arpeggiators rub shoulders with the a few escapees from the rave-by-numbers circus. The tracks range from quality 140-ish techno to 170-ish gabba bollocks. One for the schoolkids.

COSA The Map of Love (Incoming) More local product, this is the second album from a bunch of Auckland musical types who like to indulge in the odd informal studio jam session. Aside from the laidback dance of ‘This Thing of Ours’ and the ragga styles of ‘Still Water’, the album

is a collection of lush, tripped-out, jazz infested ambience. It’s very nice in parts — I do like a nice ambience enhancing record —and with all the associated guest spots, this is full of surprises and comes complete with Hammond organ cool. VARIOUS ARTISTS Multidirection 2 (Brownswood) Here’s a soulful jazz type compilation. We start with the excellent ‘Seasons Change’ by Sylk 130, which starts and ends with an announcer welcoming you to the club and inviting you to enjoy the music, and then a crowd starts clapping, and it all works very well, thankyou. The very busy and very cool Kruder & Dorfmeister contribute ‘A Tune For Us’, which is a sax led slice of organic drum ’n’ bass with the ‘Feel the vibe, feel the bass, c’mon’ JB’s sample. Not essential, but there’s some fine sounds to get your groove on. VARIOUS ARTISTS The Blue Note Remix Project (Blue Note) Oh, lovely, another jazz compilation. This one is designed to expose some old Blue Note jazz songs to a new audience in a new context. What this means is getting some flavoursome hip-hop production nous to remix each song. Easy Mo Be tackles Horace Silver, the Roots take on Bobby Hutchenseon, and the best cut? — DJ Smash’s take on Stevie Wonder’s 'Living for the City’, it's a killer. RONNY JORDAN Light to Dark (Island) Nice, more twiddly pseudo-jazz bollocks. Well, not quite — a new album from Ronny Jordan, the talented jazz guitarist. Mostly these are laidback instrumental grooves, certainly very smooth and accessible, but not exactly groundbreaking stuff, Batman. There are a couple of nice vocal tracks also and if it sounds harsh to call this a lovely background album, then harsh it is. VARIOUS ARTISTS Vibes on a Summer’s Day (Vibes) Vibes on a Summer's Day is an annual all-day acid-jazz/funk event that happens in various Australian cities, to showcase the best in local and international talent.' This compilation is an attempt at recreating the mellow vibe created by cruising tunes and sweet melodies. ‘The Creator has a Master Plan’ (and it involves jazz), at least, the Brooklyn Funk Essentials think so. The utterly sublime St-Germain contributes ‘Street Scene’, and there are also tracks from Jamiroquai, Jhelisa and more. ■ , • 2 BIRDS FROM SEXVILLE ‘Freaker’ (Cohn) To local jazz now, from John Osborne’s Jazz co-operative of local jazz inclined mucisians, such as Nathan Haines, Kingsley Melhuish,'Simon Holloway etc.... ’Freaker’ is a nic.icians weave in and around. The ‘Dirty Pervy’ remix features some bloke with an apalling kiwi accent trying to be really sensual and sexy, but unless I missed the irony, he comes off as a right twat. MAXWELL Maxwell’s Urban Hang Suite (Columbia) Christ, yet another soft-core jazz album. This is super sleazy, and so laidback I’m starting to drift off... erm, yeah, it’s almost like this is designed as a seduction album, the cover art even features a suspicously empty pair of high heels. Anyway, listening to Max crooning about love, life and wotnot under harsh office lights isn’t too convincing, but I’d wager with the right lighting, a few. wines, and perhaps a luscious blonde or two nibbling on your nipples, these laidback grooves could really come alive.