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Reviews Soul and Jazz
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Saturday, 22 July 2006 |
 Run by Acid Jazz’s Smoove and label mate Ryan Green, Wack is a new label with a no-nonsense policy of motown, rap, jazz and Northern Soul-flavoured party bangers, or, “cheeky, monster dancefloor shakers” as Smoove himself would have it. Testament to that ethos is opening track Big Love, which is the sonic equivalent of the illegitimate bastard offspring of Big L and disco diva Diana Ross. As with all bootlegs, this isn’t ground-breaking stuff but it’s the kind of track that DJs keep in the if-all-else-fails section of their bag – certain to induce some shapes at even the dullest of dancefloors. A nice dubby breakdown makes for a nice change in pace, which elsewhere is pretty upbeat.
Picking up where the first track left off is an equally feisty but less cheese-riddled number. It’s a re-rub of Colonel Abraham’s classic Trapped in a style that’s certain to leave nu-jazz and broken beat fans smiling by the bassbins. The continual tinkling of a ride cymbal adds a soft edge to what would otherwise be a fairly brash bassline and the vocal completes the picture, providing the fairer of the species with the uplifting sing-a-long vibe that they crave so badly. The final track on the EP, Kool Blues, is a far more laidback affair, not dissimilar in style to the likes of early Rae and Christian or Nightmares on Wax material. The bassline chugs along contently whilst harps and strings make for an atmospheric sound that suits afterhours listening. The lyrical flow, delivered confidently but calmly by Kool G, is both witty and insightful and builds wonderfully on the foundations laid by the beats beneath him.
Listen to tracks from the EP here.
Rating: 4/5
Label: Wack Records
Words by: Sarah Chapman
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