Thursday, June 17, 2021

Jasper the Vinyl Junkie - Vinyl Junkie Thangs

Vinyl Junkie Thangs is a true delight, a bountiful collection of funk, jazz, soul and Latin music from BBE Music, curated by Jasper the Vinyl Junkie. It's along the lines of great crate-digger collections like The Funky 16 Corners - you know the type. This is Jasper's first curation for BBE since 1997, so fortunately he has pulled together 18 tracks, broken into four sides and a 7" (vinyl format, of course). Says Jasper: “Even all the digital interference hasn’t stopped vinyl being a fantastic way to get your groove on. When I put together compilations like this back in the day, there were just 3 formats: Vinyl, CDs and Cassette Tapes. Now there’s a whole heap of ways to get your favourite tunes: downloads, streaming, youtube etc. etc… Even so, when I put an album together, I always do it with the analogue in mind, so it has a certain feel to it.” 

 The stuff is all pretty funky, but runs the gamut from old school funk with horns (and screeches and growls), like The Ashantis' "Safari" to Basement Freaks' "Makes Me Wanna Scream", a drum-based rave-up remixed by Blend Miskin with lasers and synths, and falsetto wails throughout.

   
   
 There are several instrumentals and a number of Latin-tinged tracks, like "JB's Latin" by Spitting Image - well, it's almost an instrumental, but there are inspired scat-style shoutouts scattered between the flute and electric guitar breaks that keep the attention levels up where they belong:
 
 

This is tough stuff - fun, hardworking music. Play it at your next get-together and watch everybody start to move. They can't help it. It's out now on BBE Music.


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