Favorite album of the moment: The modern sound of Harry Beckett

When I heard the composition “Something Special” on Mark Coles, “World of Music” on BBC World Service radio, I was mesmerized. Forgot what I was doing…sat in my chair transfixed. That’s musical magic I don’t come across too often. The key players are Harry Beckett, a legendary trumpet player who only just passed away a few months ago and the British reggae & dub producer Adrian Sherwood. Together they’ve created a sound that seems like a cross between Miles Davis “Kind of Blue” & “Bitches Brew.” Warm, melancholic, quite trippy and timeless. The atmosphere is hypnotic and meditative. But then the music also includes some edgy deep bass grooves which have great depth when played over proper speakers.. The only track to skip is “Ultimate Tribute” which has a "not so good" vocal performance that spoils the enchantment. When played at the right time in a set, tracks like “Fantastic Things” definitely work on the dancefloor. Highly reccomended!

Favourite album of the moment: Electro Swing 2

The first Electro Swing album was a great compilation which introduced me to a fusion I had not heard before. Old school swing with a subtle shot of electronic music. I was especially taken by the french band Caravan Palace. Not just samples from old records with beats, but an actual swing band, with a DJ adding a tasty electro edge. A perfectly balanced mix of old and new...
There are some cheesy tracks or less subtle ones on the compilation too, but most tracks I find fresh and exciting.

The same goes for "Electro Swing 2." More of the same in a good way, which means more new innovative sounds and sophisticated dance grooves. Highlights include a remix of Ella Fitzgeralds "Air Mail Special," the hiphop style "Et De Clarinette" by Palov & Miskhin and Parov Stellars "Catgroove" which is as powerful as a solid house track, but with so much more depth and detail then the bulk of boring stuff that gets made for the dancefloor today.
That's exactly whats so appealing about Electro Swing. It has the kick ass beats of modern dance music. But instead of the fast food emptiness that characterises a lot of this music, the space is filled up with the cheerful energy and intelligent melodies of classic swing.

What a treat, after Balkan Beats this could well be the next big thing!