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Beatconductor has been on quite a roll lately, covering every spectrum from funk and disco to Latin sounds. You can now add Caribbean rhythms to his roster. This new 12" off his Spicy label has a super-long edit of "Caribbean Path(1)," which...
expand review is the ultimate relaxer track, sure to have you fiending for some fancy cocktails, friendly locals and good food. The Caribbean chants will uplift your soul (Paul Simon would approve) and the steel drum melody will take you away. Flip the side for the Balearic disco sounds of "I Wouldn't Wanna Be Like You(2)." You'd think it would be spraying haterade from the title, but take a listen, it's quite the opposite. It's sooo relaxing. He ends it with a funk edit, "The Scatsong(3)," sure to have those springtime good vibes. I used to not be so into it, but a lot of the songs I play out now have a lot of scat singing. There's no words to slip up on, drunk people love it! Another good batch for the fans. Do I smell an LP on the way? -C'mish
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The Beatconductor flexes his versatile re-edit skills here giving you three new tracks on Spicy. The pressings are loud and clean, really doing justice to the quality of these edits. The first track "Jibaro(1)" re-works Elkin & Nelson's smooth Latin groove, turning...
expand review it into a super extended version with breaks and movements. The mood is simply undeniable. Flip it over for an almost housey re-vamp of Dance Reaction's classic "Disco Train" called "Dancing Trains(2)." He gives it the useful rework, keeping the integrity of the original with the perfect modern touch. For good measure, he ends it with some flavorful heavy dub in "Out Of Bondage(3)." -C'mish
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Beatconductor is increasingly being defined as Beat Fanatic's midtempo slash hip-hop alias. "Moodswings(1)" and "Rock To the Rhythm(2)" both feature unidentified hip-hop vocals, while "Never(3)" pulls out yet another strange Swedish reference, sampling Tevin Campbell vocals. Sleeper pick is the reggae instrumental...
expand review "Drop Of A Dime(4)." -the mgmnt
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Ah yes, more dancefloor breaks and beats from Sweden! Before working for the Lab, I had no idea cats out there were so damn funky - the output from that region is amazing. Nobody (especially B-Boys) can resist the sheer funkiness of...
expand review Dennis Coffey's "Theme From Blackbelt Jones," revisited here in "Blackbelt Funk(1)." "Mais New Guem(2)" has that feel-good EWF vibe that would just kill at a rooftop party in the summer. I can imagine Spinna playing this (though he'd probably play the original) and wrecking shop. Also features "Soundtable(3)," generously laid out across the entire flipside with more of that soulful, broken beat groove, plus vocal bits that sound like a close relative of "Brazillian Rhyme". Where you at T-Kat? -snackmaster
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What's up with Sweden? And how do they always come correct with the breakbeat-fusion styles?! (i.e. Beat Fanatic, Red Astaire, Tangoterje, GAMM, etc, etc...) Whatever it is, the guys up there know who to work with it and take that positive, dubby,...
expand review funky, earthy vibe to dancefloor perfection. Beat Fanatic's "Around The World In 80 Beats" is a well-rounded example of this. Take a listen to "Fridaynight Dubdisco Delite(1)" for a taste of what he's working with. Hear that subtle "Rock Creek Park" sample in the background? Those congas and keys? That funked-out bass? That's what I'm talkin 'bout. "Frosted Flakes(2)" is kind of on the same tip with the disco-rap drums and smooth vibe, but if you need to turn up the heat even more, check "One More Thing(3) and "Broken Descarga(4)." Just hope some people know how to samba, 'cause this shit rips hard on the latin tip. Beat Fanatic even does a proper afro-beat style on "Lagos Beatphreak(5)" - heavy on the drums and guitar funk. When it comes to this style, "Around The World..." got you covered with 8 tracks of goodness from your favorite beat chef outta Sweden. Fans of GAMM, WonderWheel, Freddie Crueger, etc. get with it. -snackmaster
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More latin flavors from the multi-talented Beatfanatic. "Broken Descarga(1)" is an extended Latin horn jam, complete with Cuban vocal chants. Quite convincing. He also offers up a new 2006 version(2) of his classic "Cookin," mixing broken percussion and breaks with Latin influences....
expand review "Let Us Pray(3)" strays from the other two tracks, instead delivering that soulful disco thing that BF also specializes in. -the mgmnt
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The mastermind from Raw Fusion hits us off with another 12" EP on his own Soundscape label. This one's jam-packed with quality tracks of varied vibe and tempo, and none disappoint. It seems with each release Beatfanatic's production gets tighter and the...
expand review sample-layering more complex. Here he cuts up the bass lines and drums so much that each track feels like it constantly changes for the better. The title track "Down(1)" is a lovely disco ho use excursion with some soulful, almost bluesy sounding vocals. "El Pito(2)" is a serious latin breakbeat stomper with a drum rolling snare beat that really is "crazy," as the sample keeps reminding you. "Disco Skank(3)" is a kinda like the Specials meets Salsoul Orchestra: ska rhythms and trumpet stabs over percussive disco whistles. With a female vocal telling you "work that body", I think this will make drunk folks go into a dance spasm. Solid EP number twenty something from this Scandinavian beat junkie who just keeps 'em coming. -SABO
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Amongst 12" buyers, Beatfanatic has become a brand name. Most every 12" this guy puts out is an automatic lock for 50-plus copies here at Lab, a pretty high standard for someone from Sweden. But his output is undeniable, mixing disco, afrobeat,...
expand review jazz, and breakbeats, all with an authentic 70s touch. This is the follow-up to the Lab-classic Adventures album, and features 15 new tracks. That's quite a bit of material, for a sampling checkout: "Mighty Love(1), Like a Sound(2), Origins of Hip Hop(3), Blow My Mind(4), Holdin Out(5), Doin' Fine(6)." As for some feel. here's what Sabo says: "You cannot go wrong with this album if you're a fan of disco, funk or soul. Every track is packed with both live sounding instrumentation and recognizable samples, all without sounding over done. You could mix these tracks right in and out of the classics and no one would ever know the difference. This is one that will be in my record bag for a long time, right next to this Swede's first album. Highly recommended to keep the crowd moving and smiling." -the mgmnt
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Another hot one from the always consistent Beatfanatic. "Jorden Skall Kalla(1)" starts off innocently as a broken downtempo track with an acoustic feel, but when the Brazilian female vocals come in, it gets real beautiful. About two-thirds in, he introduces Brazilian percussion,...
expand review and it's a saran-wrap over the channel. B-side starts off with the brokenbeat latin track "Not Enuff(2)," and finishes with the sublime "Cosmic Love(3)." It's a downtempo track that sounds like it was born in Mizell brothers' studio in the late 70s, marinated for a couple decades, and finally released on this 12". Another top notch release. -the mgmnt
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The disco alias of Raw Fusion's Beatfanatic returns with another convincing 4 tracker. It's convincing in that it sounds so original, that you'd think that this was a 70s 12" reissue. "Salvador(1)" sounds like something Greg Caz would unearth on one of...
expand review his excursions to Brazil (speaking of Mr. Caz, he's become the official record buyer for some millionaire record collector. he was last spotted in Tokyo pimping a 5 digit record buying budget!). The full lyrics come about a third-in and the awesome breakdown comes in the last third. "Same Old Feeling(2)" falls into the rare genre of rock-disco, flexing a badass break parts, Steppenwolf-esque vocals, and a powerful brass section. Heat! "Straight Down(3)" is the type of disco track that collectors are searching hard for. It's got that deep, even-keeled, minimal sound that's being championed by Lindstrom and Harvey. "What About Love(4)" is the most traditional disco track with Salsoul-style female vocals and a crisp hi-hat and percussion sound. -the mgmnt
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I like this Freddie Cruger guy: he keeps it simple and powerful. You might already know him from numerous releases on GAMM and Swedish Brandy, or his full length released earlier this year under the name "3 Foot People" all good things....
expand review This 12" is a first in a series of instrumental cuts of his most requested tracks. Ever since producers like Prefuse, Dabyre, and RJD2, it seems everyone is trying to out-sequence each other to form their signature sound. Not this dude. Picture smooth, jazzy beats, with insanely crisp snares and kicks, and warm bass. Basically, the type of shit MC's would kill to rhyme over. 4 tracks total, all playable and all good: "Keep On Moving(1)," "In The Jungle(2)," "Sunday Love Beat(3)," and "Live Tune(4)." -C'mish
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Third full length from Freddie Cruger aka Red Astaire. At this point in Lab history, you should know exactly what to expect from Freddie: throwback beathead productions and dj boogie jams, approached with Swedish cleanliness and efficiency (like that Ikea record...
expand review shelf you have at home). Checkout "Keep On Knockin(1), Psycho Cha Cha(2), Wind It Up(3), Jazzflow(4), What Ya Sayin(5)," and "I Got(6)." 13 tracks on double vinyl, recommended. -the mgmnt
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Freddie Cruger aka Red Astaire leads off with the soulful vocal track "Rainy Days(1)" featuring Adl and Linn. Reminds me of one those positive feeling, 90s-era album cuts (produced by Premier or Pete Rock). Cruger keeps that nostalgic vibe going with the...
expand review darker instrumental cut "Keep Striving(2)" and its CTI-type fusion feel. The b-side starts with another instrumental "We're Really Good(3)" a more uptempo, atmospheric broken beat track. It's real subtle stuff with an emphasis on bass, I'm really feeling it. The album ends with the "Rainy Days" instrumental(4) which sounds even better on its own. -the mgmnt
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This might be the coolest Red Astaire remix yet. On "Go Move(1)," a sinister as phuc beat (think "Tom Sawyer" meets Blade Runner) sets up the rebirth of Q-Tip and Busta's "For The Nasty." So much better than the original (engineered in...
expand review Stockholm, brotha). Red Astaire is relentless, offering an awesome b-boy horns track on the flip entitled "Feel The Horns Blow(2)," totally smoking. And for the DJs, he's also included an echoed out mix version of "Spread Love(3)" (not the Bozo Meko track), so ripe for blends. Recommended. -the mgmnt
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