DAVID HOLMES
David Holmes presents the free association
It’s a bit like a mirror image of Michael Jackson, David Holmes wants to be black. And if his last two records, soul DJ session “Come get it I got it” and “DH Presents the Free Association”, are anything to go by, he’s not far off the mark. He’s already shown his interest in recording music for cinema (“Ocean’s Eleven”) and, well, this time round he’s rounded up a bunch of singers to warble on his new songs. He’s certainly got a great eye for singers. On the one hand, we have old-school rap giant Sean Reveron. This guy can really make a rhythm out of a line. Then there’s the latest treasure that Holmes has dug up: Petra Jean Phillipson. Her vocals on the venomous electro-blues track “Wooden Heart” will give you the goose pimples you haven’t felt since Tricky’s first record. Although rap and trip-hop are not new on the scene, you very rarely come across songs as good as these ones. A wee word for those of you DJ fans out there, check out this guy’s idea of a song because when this restless Paddy is on form.
BETH GIBBONS & RUSTIN MAN
Out of Season
Talk Talk bass player Paul Webb is the man hiding behind the name Rustin Man. He accompanies Portishead lead singer on her new release. Beth Gibbons’ voice, or the emotional strength of her voice, was what stood out in Portishead, one of the most acclaimed trip-hop bands. Sometimes you got the impression she was in pain, it was her heat and not her vocal chords that were straining. But then you’d catch a glance of a smile halfway through the song which just made it all the more dramatic. This element of her singing is the best thing about “Out of Season” as well, although she’s missing the dark electronic back-up supplied by Geoff Barrow, so vital to the Portishead sound. You’ll find songs like “Mysteries”, slow, fragile and drenched in classical music as heard in the movies or the nicely rounded-off pop tunes like “Tom the Model”. But Beth Gibbons’ is the best thing about this record. She’s probably the only singer around that can match Shirley Bassey or Billie Holiday.
MS DYNAMITE
A little deeper
It seems that hip-hop laced with black R&B is the music that’s cutting most new ground these days, especially the lady vocalists. English artist Naomi McLean-Daley aka Ms Dynamite is a clear example of what I’m on about. The Brits are normally well behind the Yanks at this game, but you can safely say that McLean’s record is among the best ten records released last year. Ms Dynamite’s voice, very like Lauryn Hill’s, is smoked in tradition with a little bit of Jamaica thrown in (Kymari Marley guests on the record) for good measure. Add a touch of soul in big capital letters and mix it all together. Hats off to the producer who has managed to make this record fresh sounding. The same producer worked with the Fugees. All the same, most merit goes to Ms Dynamite, listen to her sing a capella on “Watch over them” or the sweetness she gives to the word “fucking”. Never heard anything like it before (“No U Want My Love”). I’d recommend the record for this song alone.
NIZA
Canciones de temporada
Do you remember Nosotrash and Los Fresones Rebeldes? Let’s dig a little deeper, remember Mecano? Well, the lot mentioned are probably the handiest reference points to suss out this debut record by Madrid-based Niza called “Canciones de Temporada”. The 12 track album conjures up the image of the very same year. The songs on the first side are bubbly pop-songs whilst those to be found on the other are brimful of Autumn emotion brought on by the use of cellos. Silvia’s vocal work really stand’s out on the record. She sings in a lovely crystal clear type voice that won’t sound unfamiliar too us. There are two instrumentals which mark the end of side one and two; “Solsticio de verano” and “Solsticio de invierno”. They are aptly named. The songs are filled with the candour of a recently split-up couple and there’s a nod of acknowledgement to Antonio Carlos Jobim and Cezanne. The warm Tropicalia-era chords make this a really pleasant record.
