We’ll it was certainly a long time coming as the Quiet Village duo of Joel Martin (De Wolfe Records) and Matt Edwards (Radio Slave) recorded the album over a 3 year period from 2004-2007. In fact, there were some early 12” singles out on Whatever We Want Records (‘Can’t Be Beat’, ‘Pillow Talk’, ‘Too High To Move’, ‘Circus Of Horror’, ‘Free Rider’ that are now worth a few bob why not get the CD as they are all included.

But what is Radio Slave (he of remix heaven Misch Masch Vol IV, the hot Herbie Hancock ‘Nobu’ remix and the latest Slices, Issue 2-08) getting all cinematic with experimental, abstract, psychedelic, synth-pop disco? Well, there’s a definite affinity with the TV theme/soundtrack genre that Joel inhibits with a ‘remix’ master like Matt.

The album starts with ‘Victoria’s Secret’ which is as good an example of this duality of approach; big lush sweeping strings with waves lapping on the sea shoren with seagulls squarking is daydream like and absolutely nothing to do with langery. ‘Free Rider’ is some lost tortured voice from the back woods and ‘Pacific Rhythm’ is more Califorian reggae with strings. I know all this reads as if the album is some horrible mess but it is anything but. Beautifully crafted with the production skills of two experts.

As you might guest from their titles, the tracks ‘Utopia’, ‘Keep On Rolling’, ‘Broken Promises’ and ‘Singing Sand’ are so Big Chill ambient/Future Loop Foundation dreamscape whilst in total contrast, ‘Can’t Be Beat’ is reminiscent of a future classic if you see what I mean. It’s hard to not fall in love with it as Kelly Polar meets Thomas Crown Affair and Frankie Knuckles (or similar).

Apart from ‘Can’t Be Beat’ , the top track of the album is ‘Circus Of Horror’ that crams in the most influences as it hints of the house of Hammer films with funky Blaxploitation guitar and strings that come in from the disco via a TV theme; great backing vocals and an excellent flute solo. What more do you want?

Of course our font of all things OST/Library is Jonny Trunk but even he may have to concede that Silent Movie is the best soundtrack to the film that never been filmed.

I’m still going for Daedelus’ Love To Make Music To for my album of the year but if you like a bit on up-to-date reminiscing a la Daedelus, this is a good companion album from a different angle.

As both Quiet Village and Daedelus will be appearing at the Big Chill 2008 next month, it will be interesting to compare them both in the great outdoors.

Quiet Village @ Big Chill
Daedelus @ Big Chill

P.S. You might have been surprised as I was to see those stalwarts of Ninja Tune, The Herbaliser have got a transfer to !K7 but their new album, Same As It Never Was, like Quiet Village, sees them in a modern-retro state of mind and it’s possibly their best yet! Both albums are highly recommended purchases.

Reviewed: Quiet Village - Silent Movie (Studio !K7) Cat. No. !K7225CD Release date: 28 April 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Victoria’s Secret (3:32)
2 Circus Of Horror (4:50)
3 Free Rider (4:20)
4 Too High To Move (6:42)
5 Pacific Rhythm (4:29)
6 Broken Promises (5:47)
7 Pillow Talk (5:07)
8 Can’t Be Beat (5:46)
9 Gold Rush (5:26)
10 Singing Sand (5:09)
11 Utopia (5:03)
12 Keep On Rolling (3:48)

Links
www.myspace.com/rekid
www.myspace.com/dewolferecords
www.whateverwewantrecords.com
www.eb-slices.net
Gilles Peterson :: 03 July 2008 :: Quiet Village In The Studio & In The Mix
Quiet Village - ‘Victoria’s Secret’ (!K7)
Quiet Village - ‘Circus Of Horror’ (!K7)
Quiet Village - ‘Free Rider’ (!K7)
Quiet Village - ‘Broken Promises’ (!K7)
Quiet Village In The Mix
Aphrodites Child - ‘Agean Sea’ (Polydor)
Grace Jones - ‘Private Life’ (Island)
QV - ‘Pacific Rhythm’ (!k7)
Terumasa Hino - ‘This Planet Is Ours’ (Flying Disk)
Guru Guru - ‘Taoma’ (Brain Records)