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So whilst Jazzanova are now making records again (surprisingly on the Verve/Universal label), as they’ve already done their Best Of with the Sonar Kollektiv - Ten Years, Who Cares? compilation, what’s the theme for this? Well I’d says it was just “quality” as SK200 is a celebration of what they’ve been doing recently; if not mostly this year!

So if you’re of the “they don’t make them like they used to” mindset, think again as these guys take us on a electronic, folk, world, funk, soul, jazz, Latin, reggae, house tour.

Interesting enough, the opener is called ‘Sun Children’ by Soulphiction (who we’ve recently come across as Jackmate with the Malawi Dub 12”). The sun brings life to everyone and its suitably haunting and string heavy house. But as this is Sonar Kollektiv, jazz and dance are never too far away and they crash in next with ‘Around The World’ (the Daft Punk cover by Christian Prommer’s Drumlesson) off the brilliant album Drum Lesson Vol. 1 and who were equally brilliant live at the Big Chill this year. That’s one of the album’s of the year but, Sonar Kollektiv have released their own series of Albums Of The Year such is their multi-genre strength in depth.

SK200 is a true celebration of this with class tracks they’ve released this year; the 70’s ‘lost’ classic of Paul Bryan’s ‘Like A Rainy Night’ (from Listen Of), the always classy Black Seeds with ‘Take Your Chances’ (from their latest album, Solid Ground and a ‘Inner Soul’ from Roland Appel’s Talk To My Angel.

Talking of the Black Seeds, I always associate them with Eva Be due to her supporting them at the Astoria. I know she’s got other things on her hands at the moment so it’s great to hear a cheeky trickster ska remix from her.

Get back to the dancefloor side of things, Season & Sygaires ‘Cowboys & Angels’ (featuring one of our favourite vocalists, Randolph Matthews) and it’s beautifully percussive deep soul.

On the jazz side, 2BO4’s Wake Me 5.30’ which is still “my current favourite” off Junkyard Gods and they’ve included another favourite, ‘the Azymuth track’ off Lars Bartkuhn The New Continent and the monster jap-jazz of Quasimode with great ‘Dingwalls’ jazz vocals of Carmen Lundy.

And other favs indispersed with all this goodness is the folkish Thief’s ‘Somewhere’ (off Sunchild), Clara Hill’s Folkways and even Recloose’s ‘Catch A Thief’.

The album ends on the sweet soul of ‘What’s Wrong With Grovin’ off the brilliant Stee Downs album All In A Day. Watch out for Stee appearing live at Flowmotion on 17th December for their Best Of 2008 show at the Big Chill House - now that’s an early Christmas present and so soon after the Big Chill party too!).

Perhaps if there’s any one act the sums up what SK are all about, it’s the collective of the Sonar Kollektiv Orchester and Guaranteed Niceness but there’s no bad on this CD. OK so I’m a fan but these guys don’t do wrong so there’s no fear that future releases (landmark or otherwise) will be any less magnificent.

Label of the year!

Reviewed: Various - SK200 (Sonar Kollektiv) Cat. No. SK200CD Release date: 5th December 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Soulphiction - Sun Children (5:37)
2 Christian Prommer’s Drumlesson - Around The World (5:44)
3 Paul Bryan - Like A Rainy Night (2:50)
4 The Black Seeds - Take Your Chances (4:42)
5 Thief - Somewhere (4:13)
6 Roland Appel - Inner Soul (Slow Version) (5:52)
7 Season & Sygaire feat.Randolph Matthews - Cowboys & Angels (6:48)
8 Quasimode feat. Carmen Lundy & Masato Nakamura - Object In The Mirror (5:27)
9 Two Banks Of Four - Wake Me 5.30 (5:54)
10 Lars Bartkuhn - Prayer / Dance Into The Sun (8:31)
11 Ye:Solar - Eggsample (Eva Be’s Egg Me Remix In Eva Be And The Bes Live Version) (4:40)
12 Clara Hill’s Folkwaves - Ocean Queen (4:27)
13 Benny Sings - For Your Love (4:09)
14 Orchestra Los Van Van - Y Que Se Sepa (4:23)
15 Recloose feat. Rachel Fraser - Catch A Leaf (3:10)
16 Sonar Kollektiv Orchester - How To Find Royal Jelly (4:47)
17 Stee Downes - What’s Wrong With Groovin’ (LP Version) (3:43)

Links:
www.sonarkollektiv.de
www.jazzanova.net