I suppose I'm breaking the mould of Sputnik here a bit.
For one, I'm reviewing an artist no-one has heard of, secondly, I'm reviewing a Dance artist. Which will cripple the reputation of this album. Because let's face it, no-one likes Drum 'N' Bass...or do they?
With this out of the way, onto my review of Mysteries Of Funk.
Let it be stated that, well, quite simply, this album is an aquired taste. It just happens to be the aquired taste of those who like heavy, fast Drum 'N' Bass, and lots of it. If you're into this stuff, get the album, it really is that simple. I've managed to turn a few people into Grooverider fans, just off the one album, and I aim to turn a lot more people too. So with that forewarning, the review.
TRACKS:
#1: Cybertnetic Jazz.
This album, like many other tracks off it, contains a soundbite from Star Trek. The album's main theme is space, and time. And with excessive quotes and samples from such a definitive show as Star Trek, it was bound to have been conveyed. This track starts off with your signature quote, or sample. But moves into familiar Drum 'N' Bass territory, with a piece of heavy bass, slapped on top with a nice quick and nasty drum sample. The kind of drum sample that legends are made of. This is a very powerful album opener, and manages to get the point of the album across in a relatively short space of time. Well, 9:11, actually.
5 Stars.
#2: Rainbows Of Colour.
What the hell? Drum 'N' Bass is supposedly a masculine genre! What's all this with the sampling of pianos and a woman singing? Well, to be quite frank, it's a prototype House tune, even though Grooverider don't really make a forray into House, or Techno. This shows the true colours shining through (Let's not forget, Grooverider has been a DJ at open house parties since the early 1980's). The Rainbow Of Colours! This is a decent track, and if I'm being honest, is a bit of a comedown from the spectacular opening track.
3.5 Stars.
#3: On The Double.
Seriously. This is brilliant. An absolutley brilliant song. It contains sampling from one of the fattest beats and bass combo you will ever hear. Not to mention a nice slice of Jazz, and even some organ! All through the song, the pace is maintained all the way through, and what a deliciously appetising pace that is. Well above normal Tempo, this is an infectiously catchy song, but it remains close to the point. Only 4:02 long, it is a perfect antidote to the quite meh forementioned song. A definite, if not the stand out of the album.
5 Stars.
#4: Time & Space.
Well. This is it really, isn't it? Grooverider contains his jazz influences, house influences and even his Sci-Fi needs into one song. With a lazy vocal line over the top, and a haunting trumpet playing at random intervals, this 7:11 song still remains exciting and fresh, after each and every listen. It flows very well with the last few tracks, and finds it's place very well at the first quarter of the album. A lazy, yet invigoratingly fresh take on Liquid Jazz.
4.5 Stars.
#5: Where's Jack The Ripper?
Well, one word, Layered. This song is layered to the brim. Every time you re-listen you realise something that you didn't realise first. This is the stand out, and best song off the album and deserves to be celebrated as such. Such a dirty and dark atmosphere is contained within this song that you can actually smell the sweat, and drugs of the dancefloor. Not many songs can amaze you so much, and do so much to your senses as this one. An absolute gem of a song, which combines Drum 'N' Bass with some traditional Ragga Jungle sounds. This should be reveered...
5 Stars.
#6: Fly With Me.
The first of the "stop off songs" on this album. I don't actually count this as a song, and allthough it has some music, I don't class it as a song. And is only a stop off point between the big songs on the album ("Where's Jack, and C Funk").
2 Stars.
#7: C Funk.
Ah, yet again, Grooverider manages to distill his excitement and produce another cracker. This one, as suggested, contains a melody borrowed heavily from 1970's funk, and is a quintisential edition to this album. It fits in very nicely between songs. And contains some of the hardest, fastest, and incredibly dirty and dank beats you will ever care to hear. A genuine classic, and should be celebrated this way too.
5 Stars.
#8:Imagination (Parts 1 & 2)
This is very similar to Rainbows of Colour actually. On second listen only did I discover that. It shows some very house-y like lyrics and a mumbling under-melody, dying to break free and expose it's self. But it controlls it's self throughout the songs, and manages to create a solid instrumental pallette for which the Bass and Drums (hey, it IS called Drum 'N' Bass after all) can work their wonder. And what a wonder, the bass and drums work so well in sync with each other that at one point they become merged in a sonic frenzy. Good stuff.
4 Stars.
#9: Rivers Of Congo,
This has a very techno-ish feel to it. I like that, allthough Jungle is in some ways "The Death Metal" of Electronic Music, the two genres have never managed to live in relative harmony. Back to the song. This contains a super-impozed and sampled rusty gate opening and closing, as does Where's Jack? But this soon starts off to be a completely different song. And much similar to Time & Space, as the Trumpet, and Jazz melodies shine through so brightly. Even a hint of blues is conveyed here, which is a very very hard thing to do. Even for such an artist...
4 Stars.
#10: Imagination (Part 3),
As the name wrongly suggests, this is not a follow up to Imagination (P 1 & 2). It's a completely different song, and for that, I respect it even more than the original. It contains a particularlly heavy emphasis on drums on this, with an enourmously offbeat snare colliding with muted cymbals. It's one of the uniquest off the entire album, and that's some credit.
4 Stars.
#11: 560 Degrees,
If I was saying to somebody "Here's a D'N'B band, you might like them, here's a song.." I would deffinitley send them this. In some respects even a bit poppy, this manages to retain a sense of invigoration throughout a simple and easy concept. One of the few songs off the album to contain only a few samples from songs. A unique number that is a stand out.
4.5 Stars.
#12: Starbase #23,
This was the first Grooverider song I ever heard, and for that, I have to love it. It once again contains Star Trek samples, and some incredibly, almost head-clutchingly heavy beats. It contains some more vocal samples throughout. Which is also what the song is trying to convey. A sense of emptiness in space, and how we should be careful as to what we do in outter space. A standout.
5 Stars.
#13: Rainbows Of Colour (Heaven's Breath),
The last track on the album, and he's decided to go for a lazy one. Something like 18 seconds long, and not very good at all. The worst on a good album.
1 Star.
I hope you've enjoyed reading, and all that jazz.
Check out some of their stuff though, they're unknown and brilliant!
