Another 33 RPM section which is to be our very our very last of the likes this year. Jazzy Jeff getting our faves with his latest comp for Defected (Album Of The Month) accompanied by… Blaze featuring Barbara Tucker on the single front ; this making quite a good week for our pals at Defected. Meanwhile German producer, head of GoGo Music label, Ralf Gum is the subject of our curiousity this week (interview).

By the way, you still have a couple of weeks to make your selction out of the best of 2004 by casting your votes on our polls page. Hurry up then, we really count on you folks (see forum).

33 RPM

We end up 2K4 the way it has been qualitywise with another selection of goodies to feed your appetites. Jazzy Jeff in full effect behind the decks for the latest Soulheaven comp on Defected is surrounded this month by a vaste majority of Europeans with works worth the check, bringing us from Italy to Switzerland, Holland and Germany most notoriously. This with the addiction of a couple of surprises…

No doubt, the Italian scene is far away from what it was to become soon after the success of Black Box and Double Dee at the beginning of the 90's ! God bless labels such as Irma and Schema Records whose creating teams have managed to stay true to their beliefs, welcoming a whole bunch of top quality musicians/arrangers such as Paulo Conte, the Dinning Rooms, Don Carlos, Belladonna and Sicania Soul to name but a few.

This 4th instalment of The Jazz House Independant series on Irma has been left care of Black Mighty Wax making the selection on the CD1 and Dino Angioletti of the Pasta Boys in the mix on the CD2. Although the latest makes a good job, I would tend to prefer the CD1 filled with gorgeous atmospheric sensuous beats blended with afro latin jazzy vibes as brilliantly demonstrated on the opening "Starlite" by Sicania Soul as finely re-edited by Danny Krivit. Elsewhere, Kaleidoscopio with "Vôce Me Aparacem" retouched by Maurizio Belladonna is another of those sweeties as Don Carlos's "Take Me Higher" featuring Michelle Weeks (a former IDMW.Com Single Of The Week and Nona's "The Sweetest Taboo" for the instrumental lovers. Not to mention that other work by Belladonna for Arcoiris on "Anno Zero".

We drive up North to Switzerland to have a valuable stop by at Straight Ahead label responsible of the One Step Ahead series, the # 3 of which is now fully available. God knows how those respected people have a developped sense of good taste, to be compared in Europe to labels such as the 2 Italian ones quoted earlier, Compost and INFRACom! in Germany and Kindred Spirits in Holland. Quite reassuring as those stables keep the groove alive while pushing it forward to a new dimension. An exemple as opposed to the usual kinds of formats here an there. As a matter of fact, most of the tunes on display on this collection are exquisite pieces of a dream as notoriously demonstrated by Magic Number, Alison Crockett with "UR" receiving the remix treatment of Yam Who? and Domenico Ferrari. Meanwhile UK outfit Reel People is also represented with the post acid-jazzy "Can't Stop". The funk fans may dig with "Giant In The House" by Dallas & Gustafson featuring Gary Bardouille sounding like a sort of update of D-Train., Bakura looking like a far cousin of Roy Ayers to a certain extend, not to mention a drop of enlighted ragga by the likes of KV5 featuring Lyric L and, by the way, yes we like this !

Nearly 10 years in the circuit make Minus 8 already a vet, from his very first offering on DJ Cam's label to his latest deliveries for Compost label. Quite a versatile man indeed in love with hip hop and jazz who would eventually be considered as the Swiss ambassador of drum & bass at some time, making his debut for Stereo Deluxe with the aptly called Selectica album. Could it be that our man has finally found his niche ? At least, this LP gives a good representation of what he's into : groovy stuff indeed with a blend of hip hop, R&B, old jazz and cinematic influences dubbed with an obvious search for harmonic combinations with a drop of light emphasis. Check out for instance his rendition of "Daylight", a cut written & composed by Roy Ayers. Let yo'self go on the funky "Pussycat" and go for some quicker beats on "Go:Disco" and "MKultra" then enjoy a drop of shiny and inspired hip hop/ragga on "Brave & Bold" then take a breathe on the ending Afro atmospheric "Quaylude Slumber".

Another short ride to the North and we cross the German boarder for a quick listen to the new Trüby Trio LP or shall I say their "Retreated" album. Home of what they tend to call computer jazz, Compost keeps on pushing the boundaries while having a whole bunch of electroaholic people on board and I somehow have to say that their (re)works are far more interesting and dynamic than those provided by Louie Vega and Yam Who? A bit too predictable for my humble opinion. The best pieces including Guillaume Boulard remix of "Make A Move", "Alegre 2004" as relifted by Una Bombers and "Staisfaction" by Salzmann Und Zech. This with the addiction of a CD mix by Rainer Trüby himself including some x-tra remixes.

Always further up North and here we are in Holland. Although this country looks like mainly into European techno/trance beats, some people proudly stand as the defenders of the alternative. They brilliantly showed us what they're into last month at the Amsterdam Dance Event welcoming people such as the Rude Movements DJ's Karl Injex, Tyler Askew and Gamall, Lady Alma, Philly rapper Jneiro Jarel, The Platinum Pied Pipers and many others during 3 nites of memorable groove X-travaganza. I mean Kindred Spirits label releasing their 1st comp, Witness Future Vintage, the title of which really speaking for itself on what's on offer. Liquid Spirits, Kid Sublime, Jneiro Jarel whose debut LP is awaited next month, Build An Ark, Peven Everett, Rednose Distrikt, Kirk Degiorgio and Jimi Tenor to name but a… phew. Absolute jewels, meanwhile Swedish born singer Natalie Gardiner picks up the pieces, opening a new path while seing her nu soul style interpretations melted with minimal harmonic and rythmic elements by the likes of producer Ramjac on her eponym debut LP for Rotterdam-based label 4lux.

In search of some cool abstract atmospheres, Monte Larue who's to the North what Jose Padilla used to be in the South in terms of lazy contemplative music, drops another collection of sweeties on his Deluxe 2 comp for United Recordings and it definitely has its moments.

You may not expect to see Laurent Garnier's name on these pages. A feeling that is about the same as listening to his new album called The Cloud Machine Smoking. So what ? Isn't that the sign of free spirits to go wherever they want as long as they feel it. Well, the French ambassador of techno has much more on offer, having a listen to almost everything as long as there is emotion on it and why getting rid of such a pleasure at the end of the day ? His latest offering seing him working with oud player/singer Dhafer Yousef and experimental electro jazzist Bugge Wesseltoft is a piece of intriguing dark urban lo-fi at its very best (F-Com). And in the same state of mind, although on a more minimal and softer tip, I would suggest you to check A Guy Called Gerald's new LP called. All The Things They Need. What are they and who has he got in mind ? This, I dunno as the introspective side of this looks like developped to an extreme to the sole exceptions of his collabs with singers Ursula Rucker and Finley Quaye. This said, those in love with the memorable "Pacific State" that he wrote without being credited during his short period with 808 State, may find some reminder of the aforementioned while listening to "First Try" (!K7).

Long time no heard about consistant work from UK hip hop scene. Well

Estelle could well take the world by storm with her debut offering – The 18th Day – on V2 performing as well if not better as her US sisters.This without the usual vulagarity and the help of a very harmonic environment.

Nuff said so far except the fact that I've just got the new Elements Of Life's Extensions album set for a release next month and it's absolute dope but this is a story that we're gonna develop a little bit later on if you don't mind. Peace, MFSB

33 RPM TENNERZ

LAURENT GARNIER Act 1 Minotaure X – album version (F-Com)

BOOKER T & THE MG's Melting pot - from Soulheaven presents Jazzy Jeff In The House (Defected)

TRUBY TRIO Alegre 2004 (Guillaume Boulard Remix) - album version (Compost)

MAX SEDGLEY Happy (Soul Mekanik Remix) – from The Jazz House Independant # 4 (Irma Unlimited)

MINUS 8 Quaylude Slumber - album version (Stereo Deluxe)

ESTELLE 1980 - Album version (V2)

KV5 featuring LYRIC L You Know This - from One Step Ahead 3 (Straight Ahead)

KID SUBLIME Turn Off The Lights - from Witness Future Vintage (Kindred Spirits)

NATALIE GARDINER Once I Thought Your Love Was Good - album version (4lux)

A GUY CALLED GERALD First Try – album version (!K7)