DANCE

Rip It Up, Issue 210, 1 February 1995, Page 35

DANCE

Idle and Wild Far Behind (UK Hott 12”)

Michael Watford and Robert Owens Come Together (UK Hard Times 12”)

Two from the hand of the now firmly re-estab-lished Marshall Jefferson. Monumental deep garage from some of the finest voices on the planet (Keith ‘Break For Love’ Thompson is the vocalist on ‘Far Behind’) that may be too subtle for this guitar driven musical backwater.

Way Out West Arjare (UK Deconstruction 12”)

Straight out of Bristol (there must be something in the water in that city), a fusion of technoid sensibility and old school electro that really jams on the best mix (Pierre’s Wild Pitch), a perfect meeting point between Union Square and Saint Paul’s.

Congress Happy Smiling Faces (UK Blunted 12”)

M People Open Your Eyes (UK Deconstruction 12")

Enough cheese for a family of five. The Pak 'N’Save of dance music, M People, have actually tucked away a couple of fine mixes on side two, from Farley and Heller, especially the ‘Wild Luv’-ish dub. Congress’s own re-mix (under their alter ego Nush) of their oldie grooves along in a perfectly acceptable pop dance manner.

Mory Kante Yeke Yeke (Fr Going Global 12”)

Dave Angel In Flight EP (UK Blunted Dbl 12”)

Originally from 1988, ‘Yeke Yeke’ has been re-mixed in a nice churning, funky and acidic manner by Germany’s Hardfloor, and is kind of essential, at the moment. Dave Angel’s EP isn’t really quite so essential, but has a mellow, soulful Detroit feel. For fans of Carl Craig,

Chez Damier etc. Very cool.

Elastic Reality Casa De X (UK Tribal 12”)

Danny Tenaglia Bottom Heavy (UK Tribal 12”)

The tribal machine move on. Just when you think they've pigeonholed themselves with a sound, they change the rules. Danny’s single (first heard on the Tribal compilation last year) is a dark, noisy and metallic trance track, that takes his sound one step on from ‘So Get Up’. Casa De X is an X-rated gem from the amazing Brian Transeau that twists together tribalism, homo-industria, trance and jazz.

Velvet Jungle Keep Holding On (UK Sony 12”)

Kerri Chandler and Arnold Jarvis Inspiration (UK Freetown 12") .

The sound of Manhattan as seen from both sides of the Atlantic. Ashley Beedie’s East Village mix of Velvet Jungle is really a lovely raw, deep and funky

groove, that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Strictly 12, even though it’s out of West London. Kerri Chandler’s the real thing, a lazy four to floor mood piece, with a stunning vocal from Arnold Jarvis.

Matrix Can You Feel It (US Vicious Music 12”)

Johnny Vicious with an excellent 17 minute techno-ish bump and gind, which retains much of his earlier work, but is less like a roller coaster cut ’n’ paste than his normal output. Does the world need another record called ‘Can You Feel It?’

DJ Krush Strictly Turntablised (UK Mo Wax double LP)

Various Headz (UK Mo Wax triple LP)

Whilst Mo Wax may still be the hippest name to drop around town (although its new major label affiliation may change that), don’t let it deter you from the music. Both these albums stretch and manipulate the boundaries of the style called jazz. They do so brilliantly, with music that creates its own environment, and

repetitiously, ultimately goes nowhere, which is exactly the point. Summer in the city. SIMON GRIGG