So the fact that the fourth mix album was a sequel came as a bit of a surprise but on the other that's what makes the Unabombers a bit special - most everything that they've ever done has always been a bit of a surprise. In any event, I'm not complaining - this mix stands proudly against its predecessors.

If anything, this is better than the first Electric Souls mix - the tracks are certainly a lot less easily available and it therefore has a much more underground feel to it. Some of the tracks are better known such as the Jigsaw favourite "Find a Way" (Yam Who mix) by Only Child and the killer "Rok wit U" (Yaruba Soul Dub) by Jazzy Jeff but there are some very fresh tracks on there such as the Calvin Harris feat Ayah "Let me know" (although it was maybe a shame that they didn't include the Unabombers mix of it - you'll have to get the 12" for that pleasure).

With a massively strong line up of some of the best futurist soul (as Luke Unabomber would say) producers, bands and remixers around at the moment inlcuding Carl Craig, NSM, D'Nell, Nubian Mindz and Foolish & Sly - this is the best soulful mix that I've heard this year. (RG)

Here he develops the sunny Latin sound (which I personally found a little overbearing) of his last album into a deeper, subtler appropriation of his Latin music roots and melds this with the electronic warmth and techno influence of his earlier work (check out his awesome “Ten Days Of Blue” on Peacefrog from 96), creating an album that works really well as a whole listening experience while having a more than reasonable allocation of dancefloor bombs.

The lovely, if slightly twee, ambient interludes compliment the more club orientated tracks perfectly. Particularly awesome are the singles released so far. “Candela”, the smash of the Puerto Rican festival from which it takes its name, with its party “Let’s all get round the mic and jazz it out a bit…” vibe and the Ayro vocalled “Kissed By The Sun”, a record which I’ve played out at every opportunity since it came out last year, both will surely be getting the dances jumping for time to come!!

Ayro and, Beltran’s fellow Detroit and Ubiquity artist, John Arnold contribute throughout the album with keys and guitar skills while many other artists join in to shade in the spaces on many of the albums tracks. Colonel Red supplies a killer vocal performance on the awesome “Your Colours”, while Andreas Saag and Elsa Hedberg (Stateless / Swell Session) join in on the deep techno – soul of “Starlight Memories” (check the “Candela” 12” for a heavy Kirk Degiorgio remix) and “She Is” has a wicked quirky rap hooking you over the percussion break although I’ve no idea who it is on the mic.

Beltran has taken shuffling, subtly shifting Latin rhythms packed with energy and a dose of co-op approved broken funk, and combined them with melancholic melodies and classy vocal performances for what looks likely to be a favourite album of this year. All in all, an awesome piece of work from one of electronic music’s hardest working, most consistent, but under exposed, artists.

Those who checked out either 2002’s “Basementality EP” or this years stunning Kenny Dixon Jnr co-produced “Love and War” will certainly not be disappointed. There’s no shortage of phat, bumping beats, p-funk basslines, those shimmering jazzy keys and the man’s amazing “soulful vocals” ( a much overused term, but thoroughly deserved in this case). All that tied up in some classic song writing.

So, what of the songs? Well every one will knock you out with it’s own individual charm. I haven’t got space to describe each, but from the super funky opener “I Believe In You” and the Raphael Saadiq co-written “Dreamin”, through the raw edged beauty of “Soul Divine” and the classic soul sound of “If You Can’t Get Me Off Your Mind, right up to the strutting psychedelic funk of the anthemic title track featuring Amp’s long time associate George Clinton on the mic, there is not a weak track here.

Soul, Hip Hop, Jazz, House, Funk….. put him in whichever category you like ‘cause Amp Fiddler has drawn on it all and created a future classic, an immediate classic…. Shit, just an all time classic. 2004 will be his year for sure!!
First published in Keep On Magazine Vol 1 Iss 2 by TL.

On the flipside, a smoothed out straight up 4x4 house mix from Freerange main man Jamie ‘Jimpster’ Odell which is all well and good but it’s the original that’s going to do the damage. Top tune!! (TL 03.12.03)

Here we get a dirty great throbbing bassline and skippy spaced out drums which drive the track along while a sax goes into freestyle overdrive and a Curtis Mayfield-esque falsetto vocal spreads positivity around,
“People: yellow, red, black and white, let’s all get together now and do what’s right”

It’s not going to suit all tastes for sure, but as an end of the night “sway and grin” number you won’t go far wrong.
On the flip, rising star Solid Groove (aka Dave Taylor, Switch and the man behind the Floorplay series) comes in with his distinctive style of tough, driving house. Cutting up segments of the vocal with a more restrained sax hook and giving the drums a nice phat boompty twist. Quality to look forward to from Classic next year. (TL 03.12.03)

As for the remix, this is the bugz in horizontal. Where as traditionally collective bugz remixes tended to be on the rougher side and the smoother stuff empirically released as individuals or pairs, this remix grooves along sublimely. Still containing trademark rolling basslines, and tough kicks however resting just the broken side of house, it’s generally a more subtler affair than past remixes such as Macy Gray, Jazzanova or Vikter Duplaix. The slinky soul vocals of Jenna G ( from Un Cut ) predictably sound custom built, sounding more at home on the remix than the original.

This single would have made waves in its own right, but since the midas touch of the bugz has been added the original may not get as much attention as it deserves.
Indeed this press is a reflection of its title, beautiful stuff, I look forward to hearing the album. (DG)

Leaping in to “copyright of bugz in the attic” rough stepping beats followed shortly with a gut punching booming bass kicks that would rock the Kangol hat off of Ice-T. By the time Alison’s vocals play in the track already has the signs of a classic stamped all over it. The chorus lifts the groove a notch higher as Mr.Walters lets rip with horns, trumpets hooks and whatever he can lay his hands on. With touches of crowd noises and tribal chants scattered around it sounds as if Orin Walters may have been listening to a few old Kenny Dixon Jnr cuts lately.
Heavy rotation from movers and shakers like Giles Peterson, Patrick Forge, Norman Jay and Danny Krivit mean this is shaping up to be a late Summer anthem within the broken fraternity. Tough stepping afronaughtness, expext to hear this lots, and rightly so. (DG)

On the flip Lakasha have officially taken Nana Mouskouri’s atmospheric vocal from Quincy Jones original 1970’s piece, ‘In love with you’, and updated it in a Nu Jazz fashion. Dreamy! (AA)

King Kooba shuffles up a nu bossa mix with a flute melody. Flying fish ups the tempo with a chunky bass line to a storming trumpet and herbiliser hit with a fat funk fueled feast!

Essential listening! (AA)