You would have thought a Dub remix in Glyn’s hands would be a straightforward EFX and echo job out of 70s roots version excursions. Well you (and I’n’I) would be wrong. After a tease of an introduction, the Drum Und Bass remix breaks into a sweat. I need to hear the bass in a large room on a massive system as “the grace of God moves me into dance”. Sofaih Thom who sings on this one and co-wrote it with Glyn currently “invites you to explore and transform your deeper selves through the power of dance, voice, ritual performance, writing and visual art” (see links below). So the original might be more suitable than the remix as a backing track for a Sofaih Thom promo video; either way, I’d like to watch it.

Tweak (Cyril Boehler) is true to his moniker and discos ‘Outernational Anthem’ up a bit with suitable handclaps. The tape sliced affected vocal towards the end is not very authentic to a ‘Car Wash’ era but that bouncy synth bass keeps your body movin’.

Now those that are impatient, are wondering what Ben Lamdin (aka Nostalgia77) would do with IOTK. How ‘out there’ did you expect? Perhaps not a full Sun Ra, but you get the idea. The keys are all jazz funky and the guitar is a mellow Grant Green whilst the horns/sax are just poking out from behind Saturn’s rings; think Henry Cow/Lol Coxhill and you’re not far away. The choice of Ben was inspired and the meeting of two of the best was bound to be different. Aready looking forward to the equally exciting ‘away trip’ of Bigga doing a remix of a track off The Garden. I love this and you’ll recall, Glyn told us in his last interview for FLY, that IOTK means “for Ingelosi Oe Tande Kewi” in Zulu was his favourite track on the album. My favourite of the three remixes as I just love the angular hypnoticness of it.

The 12” is as likely to appeal to the masses and the odd balls. Much like his old label mates Boozoo Bajou (who’ve just released a 12”, ‘Take It Slow’), never expect the obvious from BiggaBush. He’s too unpredictable and that’s why we love him.

Also, absolutely red hot, check out his new compilaton, Sound Sensation on Stereo Deluxe (see link below) [review to follow soon].

Reviewed: BiggaBush - ‘This River’ (Stereo Deluxe) 12” Cat. No. SD132-1 Released: 12 November, 2005.
A: This River (Drum Und Bass Version)
B1: Outernational Anthem (Tweak remix)
B2: IOTK (Nostalgia 77 remix)

Links:
Phonica ” Essential”
BiggaBush www.biggabush.co.uk
Nostalgia77 www.nostalgia77.com
Tweak www.tweak-music.com
Stereo Deluxe www.stereodeluxe.com
Sofia Thom
Bigga Bush - A Slice Of Paradise.