(Image from The Bowery Boys)
Check out this incredible piece of writing about the Paradise Garage, which certainly brings into focus the relatively hostile atmospheres of some clubs operating today. I have to recommend the absolutely glorious Journey Into Paradise: The Larry Levan Story compilation, which was for me an eye-opening introduction to the type of music Levan was playing back before I’d been born. As for my favourite edit by him, it’s probably his edit of Jimmy Ross’ “First True Love Affair”, a tune for strolling down the street in summertime flashing grins at everyone walking past. Maybe even doing jazz hands. Here’s a funny robot video:
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Polder have made what promises to be one of my staple listens over the coming months, a rip-roaring collection of tracks called Poldermodel. I’ve mentioned their “Topdrop” track a couple of times recently simply because it’s one of the more memorable, fun tracks from the last few months. I’ve heard it out a couple of times and it has really ramped up the vibe both times, injecting that little extra energy that’s often needed to get me really into the dancefloor.
This album has some older tracks (”Strange Ways”, “Dirty”) alongside newer ones, but all of them are united by the same jumpy, excitable, almost hyperactive sense of rhythm. They trip and stumble along, irresistible in their immediacy. There’s something so satisfying about the way they build up layers of clattery hihats, ponderous bongos in the mid-range, beefy bass and those crafty cyclic beats that are somehow both regimented and trippy at the same time. “Ginger” is very much in the “Topdrop” vein, which keeps me happy, although its endlessly tweaked synth line adds a certain wonkiness to its otherwise singleminded drive.
“Frisky” is the track I would love DJs to use when they’re stuck in a deephouse rut - it’s got the wooshy synths so beloved of late, but they’re a lot stabbier, punctuated by leaden kicks and vicious snares. It’s the track that would signal the end of all that muddy noodling and lead to darker, more dangerous territory, i.e. towards the stuff that I would want to, you know, actually DANCE to, rather than waving my hands around vaguely trying to look like i’m having fun, which is the reaction that most deephouse tracks have got out of me on nights out so far.
I’m sure there’ll be some who say it’s all far too straightforward, far too clinical, not original enough, whatever. But to me the tracks are all distinctively ‘Polder’, they’ve all got that signature bounce and ping. This shines through on the 51 minute ‘Continuous Mix’ version of the album, the latest in a welcome trend of mixed albums accompanying their unmixed components. Here, Polder’s singular sonic statement is made explicit, as the tracks blend into one another around the central groove. Tracks like “Tofudog” which may have sounded awkward unmixed suddenly make perfect sense, briefly sending the mix into darker, grimier territory before the lighter, blippy “Strange Ways”. That track, out last year on Intacto (which is where you can get the album from), is like a younger brother to Mouse On Mars’ muscular “Doit”, after several packs of Smarties and a pack of bubblegum. And he’s got a piano from the Early Learning Centre. Try out the poor quality mp3 below if you like the sound of that.
What i’m saying, in a very roundabout fashion, is that Polder have carved a niche where many would say there was no longer any purchase, that is in lovely, direct, straightforward, danceworthy minimal techno. Their tracks burrow into my mind even as I hear them for the first few times. For all the references and connections you could make for each track, the album simply sounds like pure Polder.
Polder - “Strange Ways” [Intacto] (Buy it)
Finally, if you want even more good listening, then you could do far worse than giving this radio set from Alexi Delano a listen. Recorded for FM last month, it includes his monstrous new track for m_nus records amongst other, similarly sinister heavyweight tracks.
Alexi Delano @ FM, March 2008 (Link from OBC at Resident Advisor)
That’s all today - I’m hoping to be down at the Âme event this weekend at Café 1001, depending on if they’ll let me in or not.
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