You may recall the last Broadway Project’s album was In Finite on Grant Central Records. That was in 2005, so it’s about time Dan Berridge (who is the Broadway Project) released a new album on the eagerly awaiting public.
Unsurprisingly for a talent like Berridge, he’s moved on in style from downtempo nu-jazz of In Finite to an intriguing blend on hip-hop beats al a Madlib and cinematic library music (it seems to be the fashionable thing at the moment with Quiet Village/De Wolfe and legend, Jonny Trunk).
You’ll recall the track called ‘Keats’ was included Karen P’s compilation ….Broadcasting but that won’t be the only familiar track on this album.
Berridge has got a reputation as a “go to” for the Ad Men as Broadway Project tracks have recently featured on ads for Orange, Guinness, Sky, Max Factor and Seat. Orange we’re the ones that picked up on the mad Sugar Plum Fairy of ‘The Wobble’ (ideal for fans of all things Ninja Tuna and Mr. Scruff) and Guinness used the sixties space jazz organ of ‘Bar Room Brawl’ for their Taste campaign.
So whilst there’s some Dabyre and Flying Lotus tendancies, there are some tracks in more of a cinematic mode, the ambient ‘Seeds’, ‘Graham’ has a Japanese temple bell chime theme, ‘My Polyrhythmic Heart’ is gamelan influenced and ‘One Night In L.A.’ is a nightmare on strings and hip-hop beats.
‘Pages’ is such a clever us of the old fashioned typewriter carriage return ‘trick’ in a indo-beat scene and ‘Paint It Blue’ gets jazzified and the Godfather track is ‘Meats’ (I love this one!).
You can tell that Mr. Berridge has an eye for the big screen and his recent work in the film world includes Better Things, a Cannes nominated feature film by Duane Hopkins and Identity of the Soul, a feature film starring Vanessa Redgrave and directed by Thomas Hoegh.
Also due is the the Broadway Project in a live format aimed at the dancefloor with Matt Bourne on cello and synths, on decks is member of Bristol’s Parlour Talk and the Undivided Attention crew, Sir Beans OBE and to complete the trio, Dan on his laptop. And then there’s the ODS Soundsystem (Dan’s live DJ set) where you’ve likely to hear loads of exclusive Broadway Project mixes along with rare library music, twisted hip-hop beats and exclusive new remixes and tracks.
Then there’s the One Divided SoulRemixed album on the horizon with contributions from friends and comrade’s including some FLY favourites like Mint Royale, Shawn Lee, Michael Fakesch, Bonobo, Jon Kennedy, Plaid and many more promosied.
This is an excellent album and a great start to the New Year. Definite one I keep coming back to as it’s another that gets better with every play.
Reviewed: Broadway Project – One Divided Soul (ODS Recordings) Cat. No. ODS003 Release date: 12th January 2009
Tracklisting
1. Harpo (1:58)
2. Bar Room Brawl (2:58)
3. Look Up! (3:33)
4. Run ‘Em Down (1:53)
5. The Wobble (3:15)
6. Graham (3:12)
7. My Polyrhythmic Heart (2:36)
8. One Night In L.A. (3:22)
9. Seeds (4:18)
10. Pages (3:39)
11. Paint It Blue (2:56)
12. Keats (4:18)
13. Bones (4:33)
14. Of (3:17)
Links
www.broadwayproject.co.uk
www.myspace.com/thebroadwayproject
