/// 3 Of A Kind: Babycakes
Thought it was about time I took the bull by the horns on this one. I passed over "Babycakes" when it was out on white, it just seemed such a depressing step backwards. In terms of the routing of the white hot current of the London Underground sound it reminds me of Baby D's "Let me be your Fantasy" which was that moment when Jungle looked over it's shoulder and turned into a pillar of salt, or at least when the distinction between the hardcore revival hordes and jungle's main thrust became evident (Hixxy, Billy Bunter, Kniteforce, Sy choosing to, if not keep moving, then at least to stop flowing). Yeah "Let me be your Fantasy", great tune, fab production but definitely the end of something. It's mainly been down to Silver Dollar Circle's extremely evocative descriptions of "Babycakes" that I've even come back to it, obv it's blowing up on the radio, but it just doesn't really do it for this punter. Those chugging Todd Edwards-style drums, the plinky-plonk harmony that's straight off Tuff Jam's remix of Amira's "My Desire" (definitely ripped off something!), the nearly cloying sentiment recalls the dreamy Doollaly classics but this past is too recent. Hearing it is like being at a club where the DJ has panicked that he's cleared the dancefloor and just slams on a tune he KNOWS will keep the party going, that desperation audible, permeating through the gaps in the track. Not a bad song but I felt kind of cheesed off, coerced even, when I picked it up. So where are things headed?
/// Kano & Sadie: So Sure
/// Shola Ama feat. D Double E: So Contagious
Simon SDC is clearly right about the current sweetening/feminisation of the vibe. It's that same periodic problem that affects the 'nuum which Reynolds has identified time and time again, with the girls being driven away from the dance. The difficulty comes when producers throng back to pre-established modes and screw with the trajectory of the scene. Terrah Danjah, with these two productions, has found a way of bringing Wiley's futuristic innovations into play, creating a super-slinky Grime with nary a touch of 2step in sight. TD's productions have, queerly, the same glistening metallic yet abrasive textures that characterise Steve Albini's. If Wiley has got slightly lost in the cult of his own personality and has partially obscured his studio genius, see also Pharrell, (the latest Roll Deep 'Rollin Deep' EP is a bit wack, having said this the Eskimo Refix is excellent) then TD is making JUST the right moves. "So Sure" is the best thing I've heard in aeons, with a vocal like Brandy's over shards of chrome and "So Contagious" isn't too far behind. The trope is Shawwna and Ashanti's big beat ballads with Kano and D Double posing as Ja Rule and Ludacris (why are those two on every import twelve?) S'nice to see Shola Ama again; not since the days of Taboo and Glamma Kid, had a rough time on coke poor thing.
/// Gemma Fox & 2 Face: Gone
All this Da Vinche stuff is a bit off-putting. He's putting out more records than ESP. But this one is a corker! Totally boombastic salvo riff and (tellingly) the vocal sounds better pitched up to +4 for that quavery edge. You *know* we're stepping back in time! Again this succeeds where "Babycakes" stumbles for the same reasons outlined above. Relentless and pulverising bass tones. Mash up! And catchier than ANY of the American tunes I've heard recently.
/// Sunship: Almighty Father
Talk about throwbacks! What have this lot been up to?! Pimping 2-step presumably. I used to love their productions, particularly "Cheque, One, Two". Very Mantronik. And while this one, with a nasty Lady Saw-style vocal, sounds nothing like Grime ought to in 2004 (!), there's too much vertical drama, it's too funky, is still excellent. On the same label as Sovereign's "Ch-Ching". In the light of the potential commercial reincarnation that these more feminine tunes may bring to the scene it's interesting to notice that the long-dormant deuce magazine (which sprung to life on the Artful Dodger) looks like it might be re-emerging. So where's my subscriptions then geezers!
/// Jon E Cash/Black Ops: Champagne and Hoes
/// D.P.M. Feat Bruza, Napper and Shizzle: Ave Some of That
/// Dizzy Rascal: Stand Up
Couldn't resist the Black Ops number after it came in for serious scrutiny by SDC. The sex-ism is definitely there, but can't really find it in me to single it out for damnation. Not a great track mind, but I'm partial to their stuff. The brilliant D.P.M. tune is a sloppy cockernee knees up, with an unbeatable chorus "'Ave some of that, get me, get me, 'Ave some of that." The Dizzy record is rubbish! Reverse that Sepultura metal guitar pre-set riff and you'll hear the following words: "mumble mumble crossover mumble."Still no sight of the Ruff Squad releases!
Posted by Woebot at August 14, 2004 08:37 AM