Experimental French hip-hop via Japan with a dash of Futuristica Music is the cocktail that is the debut album by As Valet, Primitive.
Once again, many thanks to DJ Simon S for giving us the heads up on this one as, to be honest, you could easily miss it if you were to judge a CD by it’s cover as arty as it is (whilst noting, Californian artist JAO has Carlos Ni?±o, Plug Research and dublab connections and I do love the beans on the inner sleeve). So with that out of the way, this is modern glitchy space bass hip-hop beats boogie that we love.
Starting off with the ‘Village Of Eternity’ (I think we know where this is going) that features the female vocals of LaNote (Oh yes) we’re lulled into the spaceship nicely (think Ahu, Mr. Beatnik and the like).
‘Mars’ continues bass beats to airy synth over-layers as if the red planet was warping the master tapes but we really get primitive with ‘Star Crisis’.
And it just gets better with all your favourite influences from Sun Ra/Yusef Lateef to Emanative to Malib/Daedelus/Baths/Tokimonsta and the new generation of dubsteps.
And talking of dubstep, Dom “has he stopped raving about the Blue Daisy remix of Stac’s ‘All Or Nothing‘ yet?” Servini will be impressed with the choice of remixer on ‘My Dream’; yep, it’s Blue Daisy.no less. And then theres’s a collaboration with Futuristica Music recording artist, Zig Sixteen on a track called ‘Pou Nou’ (and if your up with this, check of the 7″ ‘Abstract Lullaby/2×8′ out now as Cat. No. FM021).
Some with sharp ears might make a connection with Electric Conversation (who are legendary in Jazz Chronicle terms as being one of finest guests to grace the 60MPC decks; more stunning selections from your residents tomorrow – see details below) but then again, it’s all that much more today at the same time.
A fantastic debut and luckily, you don’t have to go to Japan to get it as vendors of all things great, Sounds Of The Universe (see below) have it in stock so go get it!
Reviewed: As Valet – Primitive (Moamoo/Art Union) Cat. No. ARTMOA-014 Release date: 16th June 2010
Tracklisting:
1 Village Of Eternity feat. LaNote (2:21)
2 Mars (2:38)
3 Star Crisis feat. LaNote (2:39
4 Pou Nou feat. Zig Sixteen (2:02)
5 Spring Time Again (2:10)
6 My Collection (3:13)
7 Goanzi (233)
8 Mindcontrol (2:06)
9 My Dream (2:07)
10 Stardust feat. LaNote (3:20)
11 Pens?©e Profonde 3:00)
12 Gymnastik (3:07)
13 Ekipoiz (2:50)
14 My Dream (Blue Daisy Rmx) (3:36)
15 Pou Nou (Ichiro_Rmx) (3:14)
Links:
www.myspace.com/asvalet
artuniongroup.co.jp/moamoo
www.myspace.com/moamoooo
www.myspace.com/emanative
www.myspace.com/bluedaise
twitter.combluedaisytwit
www.justanowl.com
Futuristica Music – New Directions In Soul & Jazz
www.myspace.com/futuristicamusic
www.myspace.com/djsimons
www.myspace.com/jazzchronicles
Jazz Chronicles with Simon S, Martin Gordon and Gerry Hectic every first Saturday of the month – next up: Saturday, 6th November at 3:00pm @ Sixty Million Postcards, Bournemouth
www.myspace.com/60millionpostcards
www.soundsoftheuniverse.com SOUNDS OF THE UNIVERSE, 7 Broadwick Street, Soho, London W1F 0DA Tel: 020 7734 3430 e-mail: mailorder@soundsoftheuniverse.com
