ELECTROLOUNGE ARCHIVE L-N
NuJazz TripHop Ambient Dance

Founder of Tummy Touch Records, Tim "Love" Lee has two solo albums to his credit, both of which will appeal to beatheads and lounge lotharios.

Confessions of a Selector promises "a fin de siecle orgy of young girls, music and money." How selective can one get! The music itself touchs on trippy looping drones ("Incense"), throbbing electro funk ("Ruffbutt"), house ("One Word"), exotic nu jazz ("Everybody Loves the Jungle"), erotic electronica ("Love's Gonna Get You") and a suite of sampledelica ("This is a Story" "Super Spankin'" et al).

Just Call Me 'Lone' Lee marks the "continuing confessions of... the man who's been everywhere but in Love." Compared to Confessions, Just Call Me... is a more consistant work. It has a stronger lounge and soundtrack feel, touching on Morricone's Spaghetti Western style ("Exit 747"), Martin Denny exotica ("Twilight Reservation"), jet setter demonstration records ("First Base Bossa") and suave spy music ("Bed Sheet Shuffle"). Psychadelia also makes an appearance ("Sombre Hombre" "Go Down Dixie").

Both discs have a bit of aimless fodder, but both boast some brilliant tracks.

Lemon gets the dancefloor going with this cheeky, infectiously Up!beat set. Soulful organ vamps meet catchy guitar riffs, brash brass and flirty vocal snippets meet an onslaught of Latin percussion on this sampledelic offering. It's hard not to enjoy this fruity cocktail of a disc, but it goes down fast. Before you know it the bubbles have gone straight to your head. Great for the summer patio party.

Fans of Ursula 1000 will love it.

Lemon Jelly -- multi-instrumentalist Nick Franglin and DJ/graphic designer Fred Deakin -- deliver their first full length following the success of Lemon Jelly KY, a compilation of three EPs.

Lost Horizons is packaged without textual info and doesn't even include a track listing. While that may provide momentary confusion, the music itself is quite accessible, richly melodic and rhythmically entrancing. Stylistically, Lemon Jelly is right at home next to artists like Air. Each track offers bright engaging instrumentation, whimsical samples, memorable hooks and a flare for the cinematic -- all expertly assembled. In essence, the music is just as colorful as the cover art. Feel good music par excellance.

"I like the idea of doing imaginary soundtracks, but far too much of it is coffee-table crap. It pisses me off when every review one reads says something is ÔcinematicÕ."
-- Rory More of Les Hommes

To back up the claim the East London trio deliver an eponymous debut, which first appeared on Schema, but like Nicola Conte's Jet Sounds, was picked up by the Thievery Corporation's D.C.-based label, Eighteenth Street Lounge. Each bossa-tinged track is accompanied by a scene description. Here's a sample:

"Dreamy days. Your companion's head scarf flutters wildly in the rush of air as you turn into yet another hairpin bend -- almost at the top now -- Audrey shifts in her seat and opens her compact, applies a fresh layer of lipstick... the ocean comes into view; down on the beach the party is in full swing..."

or "2:05 a.m., somewhere in Berlin, it's 2 degrees below zero, and you still can't find that hip club listed on the flyer you picked up hours ago from your contact..."

It's all fairly evocative. Whether or not the description always complements the music is hard to say -- some tracks sound more cinematic than others, which merely offer a pleasing dance groove.

Cinematic or not, Les Hommes delivers a stunning set -- certainly in league with Conte's outstanding set or even Thievery's The Mirror Conspiracy.

See the Light is a Thievery Corporation-compiled set of tracks by Austrian nouveau dub collective Sofa Surfers. In fact, the album opener, Richard Dorfmeister's remix of "Sofa Rockers" sounds like a Thievery track, but not a particularly good one. The self-consciously sophisticated ultra-chilled production style is a tad too vanilla to be an effective opener. It's best to skip it for track two, "Long Bone," which is more in keeping with the group's smoky dub/hip hop hybrid aesthetic.

Balancing thick and juicy beats and bass with tense atmospherics and somewhat politically charged vocals, Sofa Surfers rarely create a truly outstanding track. However, taken as a CD-long listening experience See the Light is certainly absorbing. Like an hallucinogenic high the CD sounds hypnotic and seductive, but I challenge you to remember anything in particular the next morning.

For a completely different dub sound, check out Library Science's High Life Honey. Created by Mildred Pitt of The Bran Flakes and members of The Melody Unit, High Life Honey is rife with bizarre sonic wrinkles. The production is not as slick as Sofa Surfers and there's no hint of hip hop. It sticks closer to the classic dub template, but takes a sometimes humorous lo-fi approach, adding in instruments like harmonica, flanged fuzzy guitar lines and analog synth sounds. Like a different hallucinogen, the listening experience is giddy and eccentric, and the morning after is a woozy one. Who needs drugs when you have Library Science!

The Berlin DJ who compiled a couple volumes of the Get Easy series (the German and French compilations, naturally) finally has an album to call his own. Small Circle of Friends is aptly named, since it has a breezy laid back quality that's familiar without feeling stale.

Combining downtempo style with a bit of dub and a dash of soundtracky elegance, the album is likeable, but is by no means essential or classic. It's easy on the ears and might even shake your hips a bit, but it isn't likely to stay in your rotation for long.

That said, there are some cool tracks with a hint of retro charm: The opener "Treat Her Groovy," the jazzy "Follow My Riddim," the oh-so-French "From Mousy to Marvelous," and a Latin remix by Schema producer Nicola Conte. Plus, there's an animated music video track to play on your computer. It's all empty calories, but it is quite tasty.

Acid jazz's greatest trio, Medeski, Martin & Wood, have a new one out (don't they always -- talk about productive) and it grooves like a mutha.

Take one look at the credits on Uninvisible and you'll realize there's more to a MM&W than three guys on organ, bass and drums. Aside from the fact that Medeski plays a dozen different instruments alone, the album also features guest turntablists, horn players, guitarists and percussionists.

The individual performances all contribute to an ever-shifting atmosphere of intrigue, adventure and dread.

The core rhythm section is powerful as ever, with Chris Wood's basslines rumbling under "illy B's" floor shaking rhythms. Lay on John Medeski's impossibly varied sonic palette and you've got one wild listening experience. Get on with it.

Some months back loungecore dance DJ Ursula 1000 mentioned the name Mint Royale to me, but it wasn't until recently that the group's debut full length On the Ropes landed in my CD player. Give it a listen and you'll understand why Alex G. would mention it -- it's not unlike an Ursula 1000 album!

Taking its stylistic cues from funky disco, loungecore and big beat, the UK duo delivers high energy dance with a sense of cheeky style. The opening track "From Rusholme with Love" is an instantly likable for its '60s sitar sound. "Show Me," with guest vocal from De La Soul's Pos, is blissed out and addictive. "Because I'm Worth It" works its go-go boots into a modern dance frenzy. "Space Farm" manages to slow the tempo into exotica territory, thanks in part to a Hawaiian guitar loop.

On the Ropes gets a little generic as it goes on, but not so much as to get boring as the energy level remains high. It's, at the very least, a great party record.

Robert Conroy, former lead singer (or "chanteuse") of the N.Y.-based soundtrack cover band Morricone Youth, has just recorded a full length under the name Misty Roses, called Komodo Dragons.

Taking a strong cue from Goldfrapp's breakout record, Felt Mountain, Conroy and his collaborator DJ Jonny Perl create "glamorous easy listening music" by marrying Conroy's strong, distinctive singing with Perl's trippy, soaring pop arrangements. This is definitely different from Morricone Youth, which has a live band sound.

Tracks include the opener "Fathers and Sons", a Barbarella-flavored "Into the Sky", a richly episodic "Hurricane Lamp", a guitar-driven "Safe Word", the steamy exotica of "Komodo Dragons" and "Up in Flames", the melodramatic "Address Book", the Prefab Sprout/Danny Wilson-esque "Gertrude", the uplifting "Skyline" and the candy-colored "Jellypop Perky Jean". In addition, there are four remixes of album tracks by Lumen, San Serac, LuxuriaMusic and the reigning prince of electro lounge, Ursula 1000.

Misty Roses' debut is likely to appeal to fans of Goldfrapp and Portishead, as well as fans of Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra, which are probably -- in the best cases -- the same people.

The opener, "Chick a Boom Boom Boom" would've sounded at home on A&H. "Only the Shadow Knows" wouldn't have sounded out of place on MEF. And "Right Now" could have kicked it on HMB. And that's just scratching the surface.Plenty of electronica artists have dabbled with jazz, but few display real chops. Just judging from Enter the MoWo! one could make the case for Dorn's jazz mastery. The supporting cast -- including David "Fathead" Newman, Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Les McCann and Nina Simone among others -- should sway the skeptics. Regardless of the pedigree, the album is -- first and foremost -- scratchtastic sampledelic fun.

Those who found Aural & Hearty a bit too light and Dorn's earlier albums a bit too dark will dig this one in a big, big way. It's a smart party platter.

Beastie Boys keyboard master Money Mark delivers one of the funkiest discs of the year in Change is Coming. Right from the get-go, the set lays down an infectious groove.

"Chocochip," the opening track, suggests cruisin' easy in a funky street machine. Everything is cool with the main man behind the wheel. But then "Information Contraband" kicks in with a tough beat, suggesting tension in the air -- sounds like the fuzz are tailin' our main man. "Caught without a Race" continues to tell the story. The cops have pulled the ghetto cruiser over. They search the vehicle as our main man grumbles to his homies at the side of the road. "Glitch in da System" picks up the pace. We've rejoined our main man after the fuzz has let him go, for lack of evidence. He's movin' fast on the expressway, taking him to another part of town. Judging from "Another Day to Love You," our main man has reached Latino town to meet up with one foxy chick. Later, our hero is back in his part of town, cruisin' for action on "Soul Drive Sixth Avenue." He finds some action at "People's Party (Red Alert)" where the mood is strident and funky. There, he gets into a passionate embrace with another girlfriend -- it's "Love Undisputed." On "Doo doo doo" our main man is enjoying some slow funky lovin'. The next day, we find our main man getting ready for his day on "Use Your Head." On "Pepe y Irene," our main man learns that one of his girls is shacking up with his best friend. Rather than becoming angry, he says "easy come, easy go." Finally, the "Rain (NYC)" comes along, leaving our main man mellow but melancholy.

It may not be a complete story, but considering the fact that Change is Coming is 100% instrumental, it's fair to say that MoneyMark's music is evocative as it is melodic and funky. His best stuff yet.

(Incidentally, I just watched a Barbara Walters special about the new Ocean's 11 movie. I heard at least three tracks from this disc in the TV show. I don't think they appear on the movie's soundtrack, at least not in their original form.)

Essentially a Montefiori Cocktail side project, Monsieur Blumenberg delivers a fun set of dance-oriented electro lounge.

Fourteen tracks strong, Musique et Couleurs offers an infectious rush of Latin rhythms and a dense collage of catchy loops and samples. Reverb guitar collides with operatic outbursts over a roiling boil of bass, drums and keys. This is truly a toe-tapping mix. I challenge you to contain a smile listening to it.

If this all sounds hopelessly retro then it isn't for you. If you're a fan of Tipsy, Pizzicato Five, Fantastic Plastic Machine and other upbeat electro lounge artists, than it's a sure thing. Catch it if you can.

Featuring such stellar talent as the Easy Access Orchestra, Fantastic Plastic Machine, Readymade, Nicola Conte, Le Hammond Inferno and Ursula 1000, it would be difficult to resist the pleasures of a Montefiori Cocktail remix project. So, we won't.

While it's true that such remix projects are often "hit or miss," this one is -- for the most part -- fun for the whole family (provided your family likes to get a groove on while sipping fruity cocktails while wearing sleek Italian lounge outfits).

Federico and Francesco Montefiori's Raccolta No. 1 and No. 2 are a perfect example of contemporary cocktail dance music from Italy. Sassy, flirty, melodic and upbeat, their music tends toward mischief (try the spaghetti western style cover of the Star Wars theme) or the kitsch take on TV's Star Trek theme). Taken in small doses, Montefiori Cocktail lends a twist to any occasion, but taken in excess can leave one feeling the bloat caused by too much cheese.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Master of the mutantrumpet, Ben Neill, recorded some cues for a Volkswagen TV ad campaign a little while back. Apparently, Neill produced more music than needed, enough in fact to fill an entire album. Opening with the familiar slo-mo trumpet melody, and complimented by intricate drum programming, Automotive is an precisely what you want to hear while driving. Instead of becoming a one-note concept album that outstays its welcome, Automotive carries on with an irrepressible urgency, without sacrificing mood for velocity.

Much of the mood depends up on the mutantrumpet, which translates notes into electrical impulses via computer. Neill claims to have invented it, though it's difficult to say if he deserves sole credit as "fourth world" ambient pioneer Jon Hassell has been fooling around with synthesized trumpet sounds for decades. And without the experimental spirit of Miles Davis' early '70s fusion period, Hassell may not have embarked down that path himself.

Innovation authorship aside, Neill's work has always been compelling, particularly on 1998's Gold Bug. On Automotive, he's crafted an enjoyable albeit safe soundtrack for the small screen.