“Don’t think about it, just do it” sings Venise and that’s as good advice as you’re going to get when you purchase this double CD collection. As with their previous collection Off Track Vol. 1: The Bronx don’t be concerned that you might not recognise many (any?) of the artists, just trust these DJs.

And if the Bronx was hot, you’ll want to get the next train to Queens. Kon’s cramed his disc with 11 pre-house disco soul monsters that’ll force you to get your plastic out to book up for the next Southport Weekender whatever the state of the credit crunch. ‘Turn Me On’ is another huge track that you can’t believe you haven’t lived with for the past 20 years. With the added advantage of Kon’s 2008 edit’s, there’s some beats that’ll drive you wild like ‘Push With Size’ and the closing track, ‘Let Yourself Go’.

Amir takes CD2 in a totally different but absolutely dance orientated direction. Now if Queen’s is as African as Amir’s CD, this Borough is a whole melting pot of sounds from the mother continent with diversions via Jamaica, Brazil and big Afro-Cuban beats. This album is going to be a hot one for the Fly office, Charlie Gillett (who played Dele Ojo & His Star Brothers Band off Nigeria Special this week) and Kon & Amir fans ?uestlove and Mark ‘Authentic Shit’ Ronson.

I’d only heard of Wood Brass & Steel before as they had a minor hit with a cover of Ronnie Laws’ classic ‘Always There’ (this was before breaks and covers were looked down on; especially if your band name was a lame rip-off of Earth Wind & Fire) and, also from 1976, there’s was the Trojan album by Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus, Tribute To The Emperor that came out before even Joe Strummer had heard of the nyabinghi. So that apart, after listening to these CDs you’ll feel like Gilles Peterson who said he felt like getting new record collection to try and match Kon and Amir’s. Well that’s unlikely to happen but you get the idea. After all, you’re not got to be too badly off when you add the other 3 albums to complete the Of Track collection.

There’s a couple of track titles that sum this set up, taking one from each CD, ‘Let Yourself Go’ and in the words of William Onyeabor, this is ‘Something You’ll Never Forget’; totally awesome, inspirational and essential.

P.S. It might be worth checking out Academy Records, 77 East 10th St, East Village for some create diggin’ or their Academy Radio show on East Village Radio.

Reviewed: Kon & Amir — Off Track Volume Two: Queens (BBE) Cat. No. BBE CD 098 Format: 2 x CD Release date: June 2008
Tracklisting:
Kon’s Selection
1-01 Angelo Tinsley — Get Down With Me (3:33)
1-02 Wood Brass And Steel Band — Long Live Music (Kon’s Edit) (5:39)
1-03 The Fabulous Conti Family — You’ve Got Me Goin’ Baby (Kon’s Edit) (4:42)
1-04 Venise — Don’t Think About It (Kon’s Live Edit) (5:58)
1-05 Sweet Touch — Live It Up (Kon’s Dub Re-touch) (6:10)
1-06 Jay W McGhee — Turn Me On (12” Version) (6:59)
1-07 Terry Nova — Push With Size (Kon’s Live Edit) (5:52)
1-08 Phillip And Lloyd — Keep On Moving (4:43)
1-09 Reflections — Reflex (3:46)
1-10 Eddie Benitez — We Are The Ones (Somos) (2:44)
1-11 Sparkle — Let Yourself Go (Kon’s Edit) (7:01)
Amir’s Selection
2-01 Ras Michael & The Sons Of Negus — Boma Yeah (5:33)
2-02 Bentho Gustave Titou & L’International Poly-Rythmo — Agnon Djidjo (7:55)
2-03 Pedro Gnonnas Et Ses Panchos — Okpo Videa Bossouo (3:56)
2-04 Black Truth Rhythm Band — Save D Musician (4:49)
2-05 Honore Avolonte Et L’Orchestre Black Santiago — Assounon Dje Dokoli (6:50)
2-06 Theodora Ifudu — Hello There (3:17)
2-07 Abacothozi — Theme Maboneng (6:23)
2-08 Bentho Gustave Titou L’orchestre Poly-Rythmo — I Ya Me Dji Kibi Ni (4:04)
2-09 Super Boire Band — Samba (5:21)
2-10 Earl Rodney — Midnight Man (3:57)
2-11 William Onyeabor — Something You’ll Never Forget (8:29)
2-12 Orchestre Black Dragons De Porto-Novo Dahomey — E Sa F’aiye (3:11)

Links:
www.myspace.com/offtrack97
www.myspace.com/konandamire
www.myspace.com/bbemusic
“Hearing the new kon and amir off track series has made me want to go out and buy a new record collection, those guys know how to rock a floor too. ” — Gilles Peterson, 2008
SOUTHPORT WEEKENDER 43 — NOV, 7, 8 & 9 2008 www.southportweekender.co.uk
www.charliegillett.com Last Updated: Sunday, 25 May 2008, 01:32 GMT
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1. “ifetayo” by Back Truth Rhythm Band played on 02.26.08 on Academy Radio with Academy Records”