Abstract Index Playlist - October 14/10

Maddslinky's first album in many years reminds me of Roni Size's New Forms thirteen years ago.

Make A Change brings sharp, fast beats to soulful, hooky songs. Maddslinky knows how to make LFOs growl, but he's also unafraid to break out well-loved jazzy soul motifs that make his music feel so right. Whereas drum and bass exploration was Roni Size's manifesto, dubstep and whatever grime turned into are informing these beats. Given all the percolating joy, it's hard not to think about soca and other Caribbean echoes. Anyways, I'm not too worried about researching the microgenres at play; these beats are simply inviting.

It's the vocals that take the songs to another level; whereas Burial did such amazing things with one smudge of soul, these songs feature out and out bravura performances from the likes of Omar (!!!), Jenna G and Taiwah which channel the deep house emotions of Robert Owens and then some. The vocal tracks bring that lush British jazzy soul sound to the fore, which means there are going to be 50 year old Incognito fans getting down to this without hesitation. It's probably this last ingredient that tethers the release to Tru Thoughts as opposed to putting this record out on a more dubstep identified label like Hyperdub.

This record is a good summation of the kinds of beats that have been moving me of late, and its excellent songcraft will give it more staying power in my music playing devices.

Podcast

going downtown - gene shaw (argo)
certa noite - 3 na massa (nublu)
samba de orfeu - don cunningham (luv n haight)
receita de cancao - pedro moraes
snows & taxis - gold panda (ghostly international)
good life - brassroots (do right)
the decider- rudresh mahanthappa (pi recordings)
wayne's shorts - lina allemano four (lumo)
arthurs birds - teebs (brainfeeder)
candylane - gonjasufi rmx by bibio (warp)
bicho de luz - frikstilers (zzk)
take it easy - rise ashen & ammoye (balanced)
oh what a feeling - solomon burke (e1)
that's how it is - otis clay (hi)
love is gone - choice of colors (kent)
imagine - jeff mills & montpelier philharmonic orchestra (tresor)
peru - maddslinky (tru thoughts)
grape donut - distal (soul jazz)
shotta - bonjay (no label)
fram - blawan (hessle audio)
fiesta de cumbia - pacho galan (no label)
la guarapera - pepe molina y su combo (sonolux)
a place called grace - saidah baba talibah (no label)