SOUNDLIBRARY

[ New Reviews ]
[ Electro Lounge ]
[ Electro Lounge Archive ]
[ Moog & Mood ]
[ Sound Library ]      
[ Retro Remixes ]
[ Imaginary Soundtracks ]
[ Swank Samples ]
[ License to Score ]
[ Found Wax ] 
[ Series Spotlight ]   
[ Coming Soon ]   
[ Links ]
[ For the Record ]
[ Interviews ]

REVIEW ARCHIVES: 
A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

"Shore of Sumatra"

"Enter the Ironman"

Chappell Recorded Music Library Works — Originals & Remixes
Jack Arel & Others
Vadim Music

Jack Arel, the French library music legend, is renown for his work on the Chappell label during the late '60s and early '70s. His collaborations with Jean-Claude Petit and Pierre Dutour can be heard on several compilations released over the years, but this Vadim 2CD set goes two steps further by digging deeper into the original catalogue and offering an exciting batch of remixes.

The Originals disc kicks off with "Shore of Sumatra," a groovy exotic dance number featuring a Middle Eastern wind instrument and big band brass over a perculating rhythm made modern by electric guitar and organ. The disc goes on to explore laidback moods ("Jungle Soul"), psycho-beat dance ("Strange Galaxy"), breezy jazz ("Walking Together") and cinematic-type themes ("Strange Valley").

While some of these tracks ("Ahmedabab Theme," "Sideral Rhythmic," "De Paris a Liverpool") have turned up on other comps, many others ("Bienvenue Mister Jones," "Riffs and Blues," "Visit to Florida") appear to be making their first appearance on CD. Perhaps half of the 25 originals are making their digital debut, which makes this set a must-have for library music collectors. Surprisingly one of Arel's best loved numbers "Psychedelic Portrait," which was used in TV's The Prisoner, is not included here.

The remix disc features 18 modern takes on both the familiar and rare tracks featured on the Originals disc. Naturally, there is some repetition of material — "Picture of Spring" is remixed four times — but there's plenty of creativity on display to keep the project interesting. The guest list is indeed impressive, with Shawn Lee, Mocean Worker, Swayzak, Luke Vibert, Marc Collin, Telepopmusik among the mashers. Instead of merely serving up a bunch of club-ready mixes, the remixers frequently push the envelope with imaginative, dynamic juxtapositions and beat constructions.

As was apparent on the Ennio Morricone remix projects, the quality of a remix can really depend on the quality of the original material. By working with Jack Arel's fantastic tracks, the remixers manage to create some of the most appealing electronica this reviewer has heard in quite a while.

Highly recommended.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"3M"

"Bobcat"

Lifestyle Marketing
Thes One & Herb Philhofer
Tres Records

Lifestyle Marketing is one of the early contenders for "remix project of the year" (another is Vadim Music's 2CD Jack Arel collection — see review). Like the Arel set, it presents a disc of vintage library music and a second disc of remixes. Unlike the Arel set, the originals are mostly radio jingles with vocals and there is only one remixer on this project.

The curiously named Thes One of L.A. hip-hop group People Under the Stairs is the mind behind Lifestyle Marketing. As the deejay explains in the liner notes he first discovered the jingles of Herb Pilhofer in 1994, and dreamed of remixing the music for many years, finally setting out to do so four years ago. At last, we can enjoy the fruits of Thes One's labor, and gain an appreciation for Pilhofer original and addictive music.

There is quite a lot of stylistic range in Pilhofer's work. Sometimes there is an experimental jazz-funk aggressiveness ("Sound 80 Theme"). At other times it's easy listening with sweeping strings, chirping flutes and and smooth brass swells ("Pan-Am Suite"). Things get Moogy on "Songs from Setzuan," abstract and exotic on "Hail Cesar," hillbilly on "Montage Cat," mellow and romantic on "Conwed Ceiling Tile," and groovy on "3M." And that's only half of it.

For his part, Thes One samples, filters, mashes up and drops beats on elements from Pilhofer's recordings. The deejay wisely decided not to add other, unrelated material. That means his remixes — while certainly creative — don't stray too far from their source; in other words, one can still hear Pilhofer at the heart of it. That makes Lifestyle Marketing a beautifully executed homage to an artist who is finally getting his moment in the sound library spotlight. Bravo, Thes One! We'll be listening to this all summer.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Quasars"

Solar Flares
Sven Libaek
Vadim Music

Sven Libaek's Solar Flares, one of the most coveted library music albums ever recorded, is finally getting released on CD thanks to Vadim Music. Like all library music albums, it was recorded for use in radio, TV and film productions and not released commercially. Because of its rarity, Solar Flares has been highly sought after by collectors of jazzy, experimental pop grooves who typically pay top dollar for vintage vinyl.

For this 1974 Peer International Library recording Libaek, a Norway-to-Australia transplant, assembled top shelf talent from the jazz scene Down Under (such as Johnny Sangster, Don Burrows and others).

As collectors know, library grooves are very much a thing of their time (usually a good thing!) and Solar Flares is no exception. Being from the late psychedelic era of funky fusion and progressive rock, the album has its fair share of wah guitar rhythms, Moog keyboards, bubbling bass lines, funky beats and groovy horn arrangements. Plus, Libaek has a legitimate gift for haunting melodies.

Some of these tracks (such as the proggy, energetic "Quasars" and the spacey, sophisticated title track) have turned up on library compilations in recent years, and rightly so. They are outstanding examples of Libaek's ability to juxtapose hard-edged sounds (fuzz-toned guitar) with softer sounds (vibes) in a surpremely cool and laid back sonic world.

It's easy listening for the psychedelic set.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Packing, Printing & Light Assembly"

"Destruction of the Flies"

Abstractions of the Industrial North / Music of the Future
Basil Kirchin / Desmond Leslie
Trunk

Two new releases from England's Trunk Records — Basil Kirchin's Abstractions of the Industrial North and Desmond Leslie's Music of the Future — offer fans of experimental library music a rare treat.

Ironically, Abstractions... is the more accessible of the two CDs. Imagine what a jazz drummer with a gift for melody might do in an avant-garde setting and you'll get a rough idea of what to expect on this CD. With arrangements that favor keyboards, vibes, penny whistle, flute and saxes, this pastoral jazz suite is a thing of great beauty. Unlike a lot of library music, which can have an impersonal off-the-rack quality, Abstractions... is clearly the work of inspiration and not just a made-to-order approximation of "dramatic music". Despite the title's suggestion of industrial abrasiveness, the music can be very pretty and delicate — imagine a combination of Robert Wyatt, Philip Glass and maybe Roland Kirk. However, on a track like "Heavy Machinery" the sound is much more aggressive, though still very melodic and not sonorously abrasive due to the mostly acoustic orchestration.

In addition to the 11 "industrial" tracks, Abstractions... also includes nine other Kirchin library cues of interest. These are often similiar in terms of instrumentation and are equally strong on melody and rhythm. There are even a couple of tracks that rock with a strong backbeat and raw intensity. One of the jazzier tracks, however, features a dual guitar workout between a pre-Zep Jimmy Page and Big Jim Sullivan suitably titled "Pageing Sullivan".

Overall, Abstractions... is one of the best library reissues this year.

A far more experimental work is Desmond Leslie's Music of the Future, which features music from the film The Day the Sky Fell In as well as suites titled Music of the Voids of Outer Space and Sacrifice, B.C. 5,000, and finally an "esoteric tone poem" called Death of Satan.

All of these works can be described as musique concrete, which is certain to give avant-garde classical fans a quickening of the pulse while simply bewildering the uninitiated. What it really means is that Leslie used primitive tape recorder manipulations to warp recordings of various instruments and found sounds. In other words, if you need a hummable melody to hold your attention you'll be out to sea without a paddle listening to Music of the Future. But if one of your favorite tracks on The Beatles' White Album is "Revolution #9" you'll be happy as a clam.

The beauty of such an album is its otherworldliness. The dissonant, disconcerting sounds emitting from your speakers remove any temptation to dismiss Music of the Future as a space age composer's quaint idea of what a sci-fi tomorrow might sound like. Listen to it in the dark with the volume full blast, and you're likely to pray that the future described by Leslie's experiments never arrives! Still, with titles like "Destruction of the Flies" and "The Warhorns of Mars" what's not to love. Get it, if you dare.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Action Drive: KPM Music Library Compilation
Various Artists
FinderFinger

Action Passing
Various Artists
Finderfinger

"Sidetrack"

Aim High
Brian Bennett
RPM

This compilation of Brian Bennett's work at KPM from 1973 to '76 is a must have for sound library fans — not just for the excellent music, but also for the highly informative liner notes.

Described as a "televisual soundtrack... to a film that was never produced," Aim High is really just a compilation of session tracks for various KPM releases like Fusion, Amusement, Counterpoint in Rhythm, Chartbusters, Metropolis, Industry and others. The use of period movie stills in the liner notes and the montage cover art might lead one to think it's a legitimate soundtrack, but Bennett's comments regarding each track's history (a nice bonus) proves otherwise.

Bennett, the drummer on all of these tracks, shows his compositional chops as well. There are hard-driving chase themes, action funk, party rock and slick jet-setter loungecore. Way cool.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Retro
Syd Dale
Amphonic

Kitsch UK
Cocktail Lounge
Swinging '60s
Various Artists
Amphonic

Amphonic was founded by library legend Syd Dale. Sound library recordings made in Great Britain during the '60s and '70s have a breeziness not typically found in production music of Italy and France (which, along with the UK, have received the most exposure in recent years thanks to CD compilations from hip indie labels). Listening to the music of Syd Dale in particular, one can't help but feel seduced by the easy charm of his arrangements, which always emphasize the melody.

Barry 7's Connectors
Various Artists
Lo Recordings

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Barry 7's Connectors Vol. 2
Various Artists
Lo Recordings

Cinemaphonic Electro Soul
Various Artists
Emperor Norton

When Emperor Norton set out to present a collection of lost soundtrack or "library" music from the long defunct American label Major Records, they didn't fool around: They put a naked chick on the cover! Even if Cinemaphonic Electro Soul had a vacuum cleaner on the cover, it would still be worth non-stop rotation. Fact is, this disc is chuck full of solid vintage grooves -- tracks created for film, TV and radio by obscure musicmakers, a few of whom managed to score a hit or two along the way (like Walter Murphy, whose "A Fifth of Beethoven" was a Saturday Night Fever hit). Cinemaphonic is of special interest as a "library music" collection since most of the available re-issues of lost tracks have been European (Italian, in fact). This being an "all-American" selection is only part of its appeal, of course; the fact that it's a strong set just makes it that much more desirable.

jpegs/sonor1.jpg

Cinemaphonic Volume 2: Soul Punch
Various Artists
Motel

De Wolfe Sessions
Karl Jenkins' Soft Machine
Turning Point Music

Dingo!
Various Artists/DJ BNX
Pulp Flavor/Fantomas

"Happy Hour" by Gert Wilden

"Young Sound" by Heinz Kiessling

Dolce Far Niente / Holiday in Brazil
Various Artists
Brigade Mondaine

Get easy all over again! Zack Stingl, who compiled two previous Brillant Musik compilations for Royal Ear Force in 2001 (Days of Summer and Like a Breeze) has mined more jet-setter gems from the German library label for his new label, the Nuremberg-based Brigade Mondaine. Thankfully, there doesn't appear to be any overlap between the REF comps and the relatively recent Dolce Far Niente and Holiday in Brazil, despite the fact that many of the same artists are featured.

On Dolce Far Niente, one gets 27 "suave cocktail classics" by Charlie Steinmann, Syd Dale, Heinz Kiessling and many others (there are even cocktail recipes in the booklet). Most surprisingly, there are two tracks by Gert Wilden, whose Schoolgirl Report compilation was a major release during the original wave of sleazy listening reissues in the late '90s. Gert even provides some personal notes on Dolce, where he claims to not remember why or when he recorded "Happy Hour" and "How Nice," the big band numbers featured on this disc. He adds, enthusiastically, that "my colleagues, the sound engineers, who worked on this CD, are the the 'creme de la creme' of the beautiful easy listening and now sound time." It certainly sounds like it. Though a word of warning, nothing on Dolce Far Niente is as rock oriented as Schoolgirl Report. This is definitely cocktail lounge at its most sophisticated and polished, mostly from the mid to late '60s, and most of it has never been released before.

Holiday in Brazil offers 24 "bossa nova and jet set hymns" by such the Brillant Musik regulars such as Kiessling, Steinmann, Pete Jacques and several others — all Germans, of course. Breezing along with jazzy grooves (hardly hymns) like "Round Trip to Rio" and "Viva La Samba" one quickly forgets that non-Latin Europeans were behind the lilting rhythms and upbeat carnival moods. In a way, the comp is vaguely reminiscent of Les Baxter's Que Mango. In other words, it's a masterful blend of exotic grooves and highly polished musicianship. Most of these tracks were originally released on hard-to-find Brillant Muzik releases of the late '60s and early '70s.

Brigade Mondaine also released a collection of big band grooves by library session leader Ambros Seelos (see review below).

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Straight Ahead"

Days of Summer
Various Artists
Brigade Mondaine

Brigade Mondaine's latest collection of Brillant library music is a reissue of an identically titled Royal Ear Force compilation that is presumably out of print. It was hard to come by in the first place. So, this is a welcome repackaging.

Compiled by Zack Stingl, Days of Summer lives up to its cover description of "dreamy vocals and bossa nova pearls." Featuring the work of session pros like Addy Flor, Johnny Pearson, Pete Jacques and Heinz Kiessling (one of Brillant's co-founders), Days of Summer swings between the breezy and the brassy with style to spare.

A track like Kiessling's "Straight Ahead" inspires one to imagine cruising along the Autobahn for a holiday in Hamburg to scope out the flesh on display in the Reeperbahn. Yummy.

Charlie Steinmann's "Manatara" finds you cruising the cafes on a brilliant afternoon in sunny Portugal. You're making the scene and not even breaking a sweat. Don't look now, but that blonde on vacation from Munich is checking you out.

"Bonfa's Way" by Addy Flor catches up with you in Rio where your attractive new friends that you met on the beach have taken you to a hip lounge to hear some easy Latin grooves. They're putting you at ease about the flight you missed an hour ago. There will always be another, they tell you. So stay while.

Like Brigade Mondaine's other Brillant compilations, this one is solid from top to bottom. Stingl really knows how to pick 'em. If library music is a soundtrack for your imagination, Days of Summer is sure to have a happy ending and a lot of jetsetter romance along the way.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Russel Square"

Girls on the Rocks
Various Artists
Brigade Mondaine

Girls on the Rocks is Brigade Mondaine's latest and greatest collection of rare grooves and jazzy funk from Germany's Brillant Musik Library. This collection also features ultra rare tracks from the Quadriga archive. In short, it's a killer set of sleazy listening straight out of the Gert Wilden Schoolgirl Report mold with a bit of disco mixed in.

Focused primarily on the work of Pete Jacques and Heinz Kiessling, Girls has hot horn vamps, tight beats, juicy bass lines, wah-wah guitars and cool liquid keyboard lines that attract library music fans and beat junkies alike. "Drift," "Porterhouse," "Neptune's Walk," "Spicy," "Love Cage," "Orbiter" and "Scotch & Soda" are just a few of the 22 collected here.

Compiler Zack Stingl has already earned accolades for releasing such solid platters as Dolce far Niente and Holiday in Brazil as well as Ambros Seelos Funky Songs for Private Eyes. With Girls, he's gifted us with the best library comp of the year.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Soul Train"

Dramatic Funk Themes Vol. 1
Various Artists
Showup Records

Okay, this is a no-brainer: Dramatic Funk Themes Vol. 1, a compendium of British Rare Grooves from the Themes International Music Library, 1973-76, is the most exciting library compilation of a young 2008. Will it be the best of the year? Only time will tell, but I'm putting it on the short list.

Themes International Music Library was started by KPM session aces Alan Parker (guitars), Mike Moran and Alan Hawkshaw (keys) and Barry Morgan (drums) as well as KPM producer Graham Walker. Library collectors know Themes for having eye-catching album cover art, which was unusual for library records at the time.

These 20 funky power rock tracks with titles like "Flashpoint," "High Diver" and "Speed Run" are all about action or getting some. They come from albums with titles such as Dramatic Action, Breath of Danger and The Rock Machine. There is a widescreen vitality in these tracks thanks to driving rhythms, vibrant horn sections and blazing guitar work.

If you don't feel quite like you're in a movie listening to this music then you'll at least feel like you're in a very cool '70s car commercial. You're behind the wheel of a powerful V8. You're rockin' the wide lapels, open collar and knotted scarf look with outsized shades and feathered hair, but you're also packing heat in a shoulder holster and the chick in the passenger seat thinks you're god's gift. Life is good — at least that's the vibe I'm getting from this sweet slab of library funk.

You'd better get it before it's too late.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Exotic Themes for Films, Radio & TV
I Gres
Plastic

I Gres' Exotic Themes for Films, Radio and TV is not as exotic as it is funky, but that's no slight. I Gres is one of the best acts that Plastic has to offer. And speaking of Plastic's offerings, check out the genre/style descriptions listed next to each cut (on this and other releases): "sentimental tension", "futurism, hypnosis", "juvenile atmosphere" and "fashion, erotism". Kind of gets your imagination cranked up.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Training Round"

Formula 1
Beltran Moner
Wah Wah

Originally recorded for use on a Spanish auto racing program, Beltran Moner's Formula 1 is the sort of library record that collectors covet the most. The concept is way cool and the execution is red hot. Luckily, this one has been reissued — though it's only available on limited edition vinyl (in a novelty circular sleeve).

Moner and his crew crank up a high octane blend of rumbling bass lines, crackling Latin percussion, brash brass and fuzz guitar stings on tracks like "Formula 1," "Aces of the Wheel," and "Training Round." Some cuts have a groovy pop feel while others are hard driving and dramatic as well as abstract and atmospheric.

Originally released in '73, Formula 1 will have library fans ready to put the pedal to the metal on their wheel of steel.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Locomotion / Cortex (Jazz Lab Collection)
Martial Solal / Cortex
Follow Me Records

"The Master Said"

"Guru"

Love That / The Master Said
Roland Kovac New Set
Selected Sound / Garden of Delights

Don't let the utilitarian covers on these Selected Sound library record reissues fool you into thinking this is run-of-the-mill music for hire. In fact, these platters by Roland Kovac New Set are anything but typical.

Having heard and enjoyed some of Kovac's groovy Selected Sound recordings on a Pop Boutique compilation I figured I knew what to expect. (By the way, the liner notes indicate that the Austrian musician's last name is of Slovenian origin and is pronounced "Kovatch".)

The real surprise, however, is the music. It's difficult imaging this psychedelic space rock being used as background filler on radio stations (as the liner notes suggest), but apparently some of it also turned up in movies of the period.

First came The Master Said in '71, with Kovac on keys, Charly Antolini on drums, Siegfried Schwab (of Vampyros Lesbos fame) on guitar and bassist Franz Loffler. The centerpiece is the 17-minute title track that fluctuates between funky grooves and spacy jamming. It's followed by the trippy 10-minute "Birth of a Saint" as well as the much shorter Procol Harum-esque "Eternal Dimension" and mellow closer "David's Dance." The longer tracks are definitely the attraction, but don't expect tightly constructed library compositions— these are sprawling, episodic, lysergic concoctions.

A year later Kovac recorded the equally trippy Love That, joined by Brian Auger on organ, Keith Forsey on drums, Peter Trunk on bass and Schwab again on guitar. The tracks are generally shorter, averaging a relatively tidy 5 minutes each, except for the 9-minute "Genesis." Regardless of duration, these numbers also sprawl out into spacy jamming. Like jazz tracks, they often start with an idea or riff, move out into improvisation and close with a reiteration of the "theme." The melodies never linger, but the contact buzz is fairly intense.

Big props to Garden of Delights for putting these albums on CD as the originals tend to sell for astronomical sums. Unfortunately the master tapes weren't available, so the label resorted to vinyl transfers, but the sound quality is certainly clean and acceptable.

The liner notes break down each track into subsections based on solos, etc., and there are decent pics of the band members. No surprise, the booklet also includes a full color catalog of other psychedelic releases on the Garden of Delights label. So, dig out that old bong yours — these "Kovatch" releases are dope!

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Luke Vibert's Further Nuggets
Various Artists
Lo Recordings

Luke Vibert and Lo are at it again -- presenting more than two dozen stunning tracks from sound libraries such as Chappell, Southern, iM, Bruton, Peer and Parry. Fans of the first collection -- Luke Vibert presents Nuggets -- and Barry 7's Connectors (also on Lo), will definitely want a few spoonfuls of the Further Nuggets set.

Originally conceived to accompany film, TV and radio productions, this music represents the missing link between soundtracks and diverse musics such as jazz, funk, rock, easy and electronic experimental.

Like any library music collection, this one offers helpful descriptions of each track. "Expansive light hearted orchestral funk." "Funky country moog stormer." "Ethereal choir and orchestra piece."

The artist list is far ranging, including some familiar players: Johnny Hawksworth, Roger Roger, Jack Arel and Pierre Dutour. Like contemporary electronica, little emphasis can be placed on the performers' personalities. Each track has it's own distinctive vibe. There in lies its essential appeal. Just get it already.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

The Future Sound of Lesiman
Lesiman
Easy Tempo

"Night Clipper"

German Funk Fieber
Various Artists
Show Up Records

Germans love American music — from swing to soul to rock and roll — and haven't been shy about performing and recording their own version of it. Just listen to German Funk Fieber (or "fever").

Its funky grooves often feature American-English lyrics (Messengers' "Gang Bang"). There are spot-on covers of American hits (Veit Marvos Red Point Orchestra's take of Sly Stone's "Family Affair"). And there are tracks that wouldn't sound out of place on some American rare groove compilation (Martin Philippi Blues Band's version of Muddy Waters' "I Got My Mojo Workin'").

It's easy to imagine James Brown busting a move to SWF Orchestra's library funk number "Gate One".

Hell, I think I've heard the opening vamp from Klaus Wunderlich's Hammond-fueled version of "Summertime" sampled by an American deejay.

Aside from the occasional German vocal you'll find yourself forgetting the origins of many of these tracks, and that's good, because great funk is a universal thing.

Of special interest to ScoreBaby readers are the library tracks "La Avispa" by The Rainbow Orchestra (Brillant), "Uptown" by Orchestra Heinz Kiessling (Brillant) and "Night Clipper" by Orchestra Gus Brendel (Golden Ring) and the aforementioned SWF track.

So, if you've never heard German big band funk before then this platter of "infectious rare grooves & krauty schlager wonders" from '69-'77 is a superb, satisfying introduction.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Give Peas a Chance
Various Artists
Crippled Dick Hot Wax

Dance & Mood Music
Jack Arel
Gravure Universelle

Ace session musician Jack Arel cut some amazing stuff for Chappell Recorded Music Library in the late '60s, early '70s. Funky, cinematic and psychedelic, tracks such as "The Man from Nowhere," Psychedelic Portrait" and "Strange Valley" will galvanize yo' groove thang. This essential collection of "dance & mood music" also features Arel's "picture series" (e.g. "Picture of Spring," "Picture of Summer," etc.)

"Freezing" (MP3 edit)

Funky Songs for Private Eyes
Ambros Seelos
Brigade Mondaine

Somewhere between Puppet Jazz and Dolce Far Niente is Ambros Seelos. In fact, the German jazzman appears on the former compilation, but he's a far too funky for the latter, which was also released by new German label Brigade Mondaine. This excellent "groove collection" of the versatile horn player's big band library work spans '71 to '81.

Associating these funky tracks with private eyes is perhaps a stretch, but the eye-catching cover photos want you to believe that this is an ersatz soundtrack for a caucasian John Shaft. In fact, Seelos covers the Isaac Hayes classic on this collection; thankfully it's an instrumental and not some cheesy German-language version.

There are 20 tracks in all, originally released by Agil, Eddyton, Euphon, Domo, Irving and Seelos Music (but mostly Agil). On the best tracks, like "Freezing" and "Brass Glitter," the groove is as funky as Gert Wilden on Schoolgirl Report. Some of the later stuff is more on the disco tip with female backing vocals and slick string arrangements.

Get yo' groove on.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Music for Film, Television & Radio Vol. 1
Harmonic 33
Warp Records

For Harmonic 33's first full length, Mark Pritchard and Dave Brinkworth depart from the hip-hop exotica charted on their two EPs (compiled on CD by Alphabet Zoo as Extraordinary People).

On Music for Film, Television & Radio Vol. 1, Harmonic 33 morphs into a sound library project that sounds convincingly vintage. Without resorting to easy breakbeat mood music, Pritch and Brink seek out the most authentic sounds for a time-warp trip back to the late '60s. Between the Moogs, Mellotrons and harpsichords (all probably digital samples), the listener would swear he's listening to some long lost Patchwork Orchestra release by Vladimir Cosma or Cecil Leuter.

Beyond the novelty, Pritch and Brink deliver gently pulsating and utterly entrancing melodies that, by turns, suggest unreleased tracks from John Barry's The Ipcress File or outtakes from Raymond Scott's Manhattan Research.

Very strange, and very satisfying. Can't wait for Vol. 2.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Kid Loco v/s Godchild
Godchild/Kid Loco
Royal Belleville

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Das Stundenhotel von St. Pauli"

The In-Kraut
Various Artists
Marina

Compiled by Stefan Kassel and Frank Jastfelder, the guys who brought us such groovy platters as The Mad, Mad World of Soundtracks as well as the Lalo Schifrin compilations Mission Impossible... and More and Most Wanted, The In-Kraut is only partially related to soundtracks but worth noting here all the same.

The one soundtrack recording included here is Erwin Halletz's rockin' big band number "Das Stundenhotel von St. Pauli." Another familiar artist of the genre is Peter Thomas whose Sound Orchestra delivers a fun cheesy version of the Rolling Stones' "Jumpin' Jack Flash."

The In-Kraut blends pop vocal tracks with instrumentals in the beat/now sound/soul vein — all from the groovy '60s and funky '70s. Many of these tracks are previously unreleased on CD, so if you have the German volume of the Get Easy series from a few years back fear not — there's no overlap. Artists range from Hildegard Knef to France Gall to Kuno & and the Marihuana Brass. In other words, there are quite a few unfamiliar artists mixed in with a handful of better known ones. It makes for a fresh listening experience and a kicking party platter.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Wildkatze"

The In-Kraut Vol. 2
Various Artists
Marina

The In-Kraut series — compiled by Stefan Kassel and Frank Jastfelder — is a treasure chest of now sound nuggets from Germany circa '60s and '70s. Volume Two measures up to the hip-shaking excellence of its predecessor with catchy tracks by James Last, Charly Antolini's Power Dozen, Ambros Seelos, Hazy Osterwald Jet Set and many others.

Volume Two differs from One by featuring more soundtrack rarities. There's a funky track by Christer Bladin from the movie Gina Wildkatze ('74). Rolf Wilhelm gets down with "Do It Yourself," a groovy number written for a German TV courtroom drama. The Inner Space (an early incarnation of Krautrockers Can) deliver the underground movie track "Kamera Song." Uli Roever delivers a sexploitation ditty from a flick called "Hot Sand on Sylt" from '68. Hase Casar performs "Eine Kleine Hasenmusik" from the the lat '60s/early '70s kids' show Schlager for Schlappohren. And The Dometown Gang plays Heinz Gietz's "Rock In," a b-side to the soundtrack-related single "The Killer of Soho."

Library fans will want to hear Tommy Haggard's "Pealed Tomato" from Bavaria's Raphaele Records (Tommy Haggard is a nom de plume for a group of session players including guitarist Pierre Cavalli).

If you're a fan of big band groove and beat lounge then you need to get in with The In-Kraut. Best of all, I don't think I've heard any of these tracks elsewhere. Kassel and Jastfelder have a knack for coming up with rare gems and this collection is no exception.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

jpegs/sonor1.jpg

Jazzissima
Enzo Scoppa & Cicci Santucci
Black Cat

Jungle Obsession /
Rotunde Musique No. 7
Nino Nardini & Roger Roger /
Nino Nardini
Dare Dare / Pulp Flavor

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Kaleidoscopica
Various Artists
Plastic

"Aerospatial" (MP3 edit)

Last Impressions
Janko Nilovic
Vadim

Within seconds of cuing up "Aerospatial" from this Janko Nilovic compilation I thought for a moment that I'd put Alessandro Alessandroni's Sangue Di Sbirro on by mistake — or was that Isaac Hayes' Shaft? Yes, it sounds like a blaxploitation Italian crime funk theme! So, what's not to love?

Janko Nilovic — for those new to the French library music collectors' club — is a tremendously versatile composer whose work from the late '60s and '70s is must-have stuff. Billed as "the definitive and essential selection," it's fair to say that Last Impressions will make a lasting impression on anyone who gives it a listen.

Born in Istanbul in 1941, Nilovic recorded more than 30 albums for library labels such as Montparnasse 2000, Neuilly, Telemusic and Crea Sound, demonstrating a flair for jazz, pop, funk, psychedelic, soul, exotica and beyond. Some of his library records, such as Soul Impressions and Chorus, have been reissued on CD.

Honestly, hardcore Nilovic fans will have most of the tracks featured on Last Impressions, but for newcomers this is the ideal way to discover his groovy, dynamic music.

Moreover, Vadim Music intends to release a remix selection featuring Kid Loco, Minimatic, Le Grand David and several other artists. So, get with the program.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Le Jazzbeat Vol. 1
Various Artists
Jazzman

Each track comes with a helpful description, sure to please sample-happy DJs. "Turbine" features "weird repetitive wah and electronic sounds." "Punching Ball" features "quirky organ thing with flip-top bongo." And so on.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Le Jazzbeat, Vol. Two
Various Artists
Jazzman

The Man and the City
Piero Umiliani
Easy Tempo/Right Tempo

Manhattan Research Inc.
Raymond Scott
Basta

"Mindbender" (MP3 edit)

Mindbender - Stringtronics
Various Artists
Vadim Music

This highly coveted sound library album from '72 is finally on CD. That's excellent news for sound library fanatics, as original copies have been known to fetch up to $900.

Featuring a six-track suite by Barry Forgie and exotic mood and cinematic funk workouts by such favorites as Roger Roger and Nino Nardini, the album's desirability is understandable.

The Forgie tracks are quite unusual even by the usually quirky French sound library standards. Combining a baroque chamber sound with psychedelic folk touchs, tracks like "Catharsis", "Dawn Mists" and "Hunted" are transfixing in their drama and atmosphere. Notably, none of the Forgie tracks feature a full drum arsenal -- only bongos and other percussion -- to drive the guitar, keyboard, bass guitar and string ensemble.

The second half (originally side two) features another six tracks split evenly between Anthony Mawer, Nardini and Roger. Mawer's work sounds dated next to the rest due to his use of Moog. His melodies are also too cheerful, sounding a lot like commercial jingles. The tracks by Nardini and those by Roger are reminiscent of the work the two did together on the Chappell library album Jungle Obsession. Naturally, it's exotica, and it's at least as evocative as the legendary work of Les Baxter and Martin Denny.

Thrilling & Thunder / Lightning
Mirageman
Irma La Douce

Mo'Hawk
Alan Hawkshaw
RPM

Montparnasse 2000 Classics
Various Artists
Dare-Dare/Pulp Flavor

Moonflowers & Mini-Skirts
Peter Thomas
Marina

[  to the top, baby!  ]

jpegs/sonor1.jpg

Morphine Mambo Jazz Club
Various Artists
Plastic

"P Walk"

Moods and Grooves
Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra
Ubiquity

Shawn Lee's first stab at sound library, 2004's Music and Rhythm, was a critical success and favorite of soundtrack fans and beatheads alike. Naturally, he's capitalizing on its success with the aptly titled follow-up Moods and Grooves.

Like the first album, there are 25 tracks of style-jacking splendor. "P Walk" (the opener) and "Igor's Revenge" are masterful mood pieces in search of a movie. "The Noose" edges toward spaghetti western without aping obvious conventions. "Cha Love," on the other hand, happily embraces kitsch, sounding like an Ursula 1000 track. Even when Lee takes on an obvious theme — like "The Chase" — he manages to bring something unusual to the mix, like the stuttering backward, downshifting drums in the final section of that powerful track.

It's quite obvious that Lee is an ace when it comes to capturing and combining the musical ingredients that make for great soundtrack and library music. Of course, fans of those genres will immediate recognize Lee's influences and maybe even specific elements from vintage tracks, but they should be aware that Lee does not rely on samples to capture the classic sound — he's a one-man Ping Pong Orchestra.

The only weakness here may be the sheer quantity of music. Some of the tracks seem more like sketches than fleshed out creations. While each track offers something distinctive — and all have fantastic rhythm sections — not all boast memorable hooks. Such tracks tend to pop up later in the disc.

For the most part, Moods and Grooves is the hippest new recording since... Harmonic 33's recent Music for Film, Television and Radio, Vol. 1. Like the first Ping Pong CD, this one contains evocative descriptions of each track for your reading pleasure.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Music and Rhythm
Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra
Ubiquity

Versatile indie producer Shawn Lee wears his influences on his sleeve for his latest offering, Music and Rhythm. Although he's worked with such diverse artists as Coldcut, St. Etienne and Jeff Buckley, none of his previous work would prepare a listener for the funky delights found here.

Music and Rhythm is a high octane tribute to the classic library records cut at Music de Wolfe and KPM during the late '60s and early '70s. Lee doesn't merely ape the "cosmic sounds and dope beats" found on those vintage recordings, he re-invents them, giving every electrifying second the attention it deserves.

Although the tracks -- with such evocative titles as "Sexy Beast," "Bongo Fury" and "Spytown" -- are certainly derivative, they are expertly crafted and nearly outshine the legitimate library and cinematic tracks that served as inspiration. Lee accomplishes this by avoiding some of the cheesier tendencies that sometimes compromise original sound library tracks resulting in that dreaded "dated" quality -- think hippy dippy moog melodies.

Lee also provides a brief note for each track, offering some insight into his creative imagination. For "Swamp Samba" he writes "Think 'The Price is Right' meets light-hearted blaxploitation chase -- and congratulations if you can, you're damaged goods."

Get it already!

"Seven, Eight"

Strings & Things
Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra
Ubiquity

For his third installment in the Ubiquity Studio Sessions, multi-instrumentalist Shawn Lee serves up 15 tracks of cinematic psychedelia. When it comes to reinventing the groovy, funky library/soundtrack style of the '60s and '70s Lee has few equals. Chris Joss (You've Been Spiked), David Holmes (Ocean's Eleven/Twelve) and Mark Pritchard (Harmonic 33) come to mind.

On Strings & Things, Lee — with the help of co-producer Andrew Hale and orchestrator Simon Hale — adds a new wrinkle to his sound: an emphasis on stringed instruments (violins, guitars, sitars) and a fuller orchestration on select tracks. Fans of his first two volumes (Music & Rhythm, Moods & Grooves) are likely to wonder if Lee's going soft with the strings, but one listen will put those suspicions to rest. Oh sure, there are quieter tracks here than on the previous volumes ("Ballade De Mela" and "Oslo Morning" come to mind), but they're absolute stunners — drop dead gorgeous cinematic gems. Most of the tracks seemlessly blend Lee's funky rhythms and exotic sonorities with a mind-boggling array of string sounds that take the best ideas of the great library session musicians of the past and put a fresh spin on them.

Like his first two efforts, Strings & Things really doesn't have a bum track. That's because Lee isn't prone to melodic redundancy or stale arrangement ideas. Each listen reveals something cool. Over the course of all three volumes Lee has gone from gifted apprentice to master of the sound library aesthetic. Someone, quick! Get this guy a movie to score.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Song for David"

Voices and Choices
Shawn Lee's Ping Pong Orchestra
Ubiquity

Listening to a Ping Pong Orchestra album is like wandering through a psychedelic fun house where cinematic intrigue awaits around every turn. And the latest is no exception.

Shawn Lee's fourth PPO album, Voices and Choices, is the first to feature lead vocals — notably not his, but those of three guests. The soulful "Kiss the Sky" (Nino Moschella), which is the "single of the week" on iTunes, along with the Gainsbourg-esque "Francoise Hardy" (Pierre D.) and The Herbaliser-like rap of "The Hour Glass Effect" (Ohmega Watts).

Each of the vocal tracks is sure to surprise fans who come to every PPO album expecting an exclusive blend of sound library and soundtrack-style instrumentals. One might even suspect that vocal tracks would compromise the evocative landscape of a PPO album, but these tracks blend well with the vocal-free compositions on Voices and Choices.

As on his previous releases (see Imaginary Soundtracks) Lee delivers diverse moods and grooves that steer clear of easy categorization. These tracks aren't clichéd amateur versions of Morricone, Schifrin, Barry, or name your favorite screen legend. They're creative compositions that draw inspiration from cinematic and library greats while rarely resorting to direct imitation.

"Song for David" demonstrates Lee's talent for blending disparate elements (funky drumming, bass solo, 12-string and fuzz guitars, harpsichord, vibes, piano and sound effects) to create a constantly shifting soundscape even as the mood remains consistent.

Another highlight is "Fiendish Fifth," which features a funky bassline and fascinating sound elements such as cymbalom, minor key strings and what sounds like a toy piano. There's even a tasty break.

With its sound effects, sinister synth, vocalisms and rumbling bass line, "Glass Act" manages to sound like a mix of Dario Argento and Alfred Hitchcock film soundtracks where a lurker in the shadows threatens to strike at any moment.

But Voices and Choices isn't all dark. "Perculator" provides some uplift with a high soaring synth line, Latin percussion, vibrating guitar chords and an optimistic hook.

Although it has much to offer, the album has a few weak spots. "Changing Times" relies a bit too much on the hook based on Lalo Schifrin's "Mission: Impossible" theme. And the slower tracks "Mondo Mondo" and "Tired" are a bit too vague and sleepy.

Probably the most satisfying track for this reviewer is "JW," which flows beautifully from "The Hour Glass Effect." Here, "Spanish" and electric guitars and flute lines converge over a crackling beat and rumbling bass line. The piece conveys a potent mix of mood and emotion, and the "Spanish" guitar break is lovely.

Voices and Choices is the most diverse sounding PPO album yet, and while not every track is completely satisfying there is still ample evidence of Lee's unique talent as a multi-instrumentalist, arranger and composer of screen-worthy moods and grooves.

Read an interview with Shawn Lee.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Hard Hitter"

Music De Wolfe, Vol. 1
Various Artists
Megaphone Unlimited

Jason Willett — musician, record store owner and compiler of Music De Wolfe, Vol. 1 — first heard Keith Papworth's "Hard Hitter" — the track that kicks off this solid library funk collection — at a Sounds of Seduction happening in Australia several years ago. It was an ear-opening, mind-expanding moment for Willett, who is best known for his experimental work with Jad Fair and the American underground rock group Half Japanese. As Willett admits in an interview with Score, Baby! he's still trying to figure out what attracts him to library music. All he knows is it's music that needs to be experienced.

All of which brings us to Music De Wolfe, Vol. 1, a comp that concentrates on the funky big band power rock of such De Wolfe Library mainstays as Papworth, Nick Ingman, Peter Reno and Alan Parker, among others. In putting the set together, Willett dropped the needle on an estimated 1,000 De Wolfe tracks from the early '70s to pick 15 nuggets of Hammond- and horn-blasting go-go psych rock boasting fuzz guitar riffs and fatback drums. There's stuff here that makes hip-hop producers salivate, but Willett wants you to hear the tracks unadulterated.

These tracks are flawless gems from production music's most fertile period, and best of all there isn't much overlap with the other widely available De Wolfe comps, Bite Hard ("Hard Hitter") and Sound Book ("Down Home" and "Silver Thrust"). Let's hope Megaphone Unlimited sells out of this killer disc, justifying another volume in the near future.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Music for Dancefloors: The Cream of the Bosworth Library Sessions
Various Artists
Strut

KPM Music Green Label Sessions
Various Artists
Strut

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Music for Dancefloors: The Cream of the
Chappell Music Library Sessions
Various Artists
Strut

[  to the top, baby!  ]

A Musical Picture
Pierre Porte
Pulp Flavor/Dare-Dare

Nuggets - Luke Vibert's Selection
Various Artists
Lo Recordings

The Optical Sound
Barigozzi Group
Easy Tempo

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Troublemaker"

Off Centre
The John Cameron Quartet
Vocalion

KPM Library session ace ("Swamp Fever"), arranger (Donovan's "Sunshine Superman") and soundtrack composer (Psychomania) John Cameron rarely got a chance to stretch his jazz piano chops in a recording session and it's a damned shame. Off Centre is undeniable proof of Cameron's gifts as a pianist and composer in the hard-bop milieu.

Originally recorded and released in '69, Off Centre presents Cameron with players he'd gigged with at the time: Harold McNair on flute, alto and tenor sax, Danny Thompson on bass, and Tony Carr on percussion. Each player does a fair bit of trading solos in the classic jazz style. There isn't anything gimmicky about the recording or the performances — just solid musicianship and the sort of melodic hooks that linger in your mind afterward.

The title track is fast hard bop that wouldn't sound out of place on a Thelonious Monk meets John Coltrane session (not that Cameron and McNair are quite that brilliant, but the influence is definitely noticeable).

"Go Away, Come Back Another Day" is slow and lovely. "Dafina Querida," which was co-written with the bassist, has a cool lowdown African vibe. "Omah Cheyenne" is the most complex track here, showing the influence of the free jazz movement. "Wenceslas Square" is quiet and mysterious and a little bluesy. "Splat" displays a similar lively, playful energy as the title track. "Troublemaker" is a catchy blend of bluesy rock and African jazz. If there'd been a single released from the album, this would've been the cut.

As a straight jazz record played by a legendary British sessionman, Off Centre is on target.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Original Popcorn
Franz Auffray
Pulp Flavor/Dare-Dare

"Let's Go the Big O"

Our Man in Munich
Sam Spence
All Score Media

Sam Spence swings. Listen to this compilation of groovy TV and movie music from '69 to '84 and you'll hear a guy with an irrepressible gift for modern big band swing and funky grooves.

Spence's work has appeared in both German and American TV shows and commercials as well as a few German movies, but most notably in NFL films, which accounts for half of this disc. That's right. If you watched NFL programs (such as highlight shows or special segments) during the '70s or '80s then you've heard Spence's music. It's characterized by rocking rhythms, rumbling percussion, layers of blustery blaring brass, a little bit of wah guitar, occasional frenetic keyboards and strong melodic hooks. It's "manly" music with a capital M. He even cooks up a version of Elmer Bernstein's theme from The Magnificent Seven called "Magnificent Eleven" (for the number of men an NFL team can have on the field of play).

The non-NFL numbers are just as dynamic, hook-driven and energetic. But Spence also shows flexibility. His music for "Queen of Diamonds" shows an appreciation for '70s Bond soundtracks. And his '80s work is slick synth-driven disco funk.

Spence is one of those not-so-rare musical talents whose work is heard by millions and generally goes unrecognized. Our Man in Munich finally gives him the credit he deserves.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Pop Boutique Vol. 1, 2 & 3
Various Artists
Spinning Wheel

Billed as "a sophisticated selection of unreleased soundtrack tunes", Pop Boutique is guaranteed to satisfy fans of jazz funk. The source for most of the tracks are the defunct Munich labels Sonoton, Selected Sound and Edition Show Business, presented here by Spinning Wheel.

The sound quality is excellent -- though the levels seem to jump around -- and the range of sounds is pleasingly diverse. From the slow soul of Nancy Holloway on "Sand and Rain" to Racines Synthetiques's electro funk "Asteroide" to the psycho beat crime jazz of Alan Lewis, the ears behind Spinning Wheel show remarkably good taste.

Sub-titled "Selected Sounds for Hipsters," my expectations for the third installment in this growing Spinning Wheel series were high, and I wasn't disappointed. The packaging breaks with the mannequin design on the series' first two installments, sporting instead a minimalistic gold, black and white design.

The disc kicks off with an instrumental version of "Sex World" by Barry Lipman, though the track listing identifies it as "Highway Patrol". (This track has had a strange life, turning up as the theme to an American-made porn movie, on the soundtrack for the German-made sci-fi TV show Star Maidens, and now from a German sound library collection.) Oddly enough, another Lipman track heard on the Star Maidens soundtrack as "Akam on the Move" turns up here as "Hot Track" by Rex Brown Company. Very odd, indeed.

That's not to say that Pop Boutique 3 is of dubious worth. In fact, it's chuck full of very cool grooves culled from the Selected Sounds library in Hamburg. Not all of it will be new to listeners familiar with other compilations of this type. Still, it's at least as funky as Pop Boutique 1 & 2. And I highly recommend it, despite the aforementioned informational inconsistencies.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"Soho"

Pop Instrumental de France
Laurent Petitgirard
Vadim

Before he started a film career spanning more than 150 scores, French composer Laurent Petitgirard cut this cult instrumental record. With Andre Sitbon on drums, Etienne Peclard and Patrick Mondon on violins, Patrice Quentin on sax and flute, keyboardist Petitgirard blends jazz, funk, progressive rock and baroque pop for a distinctively French fusion sound.

Originally released in '71 on Vogue, Pop Instrumental de France is a library-like record with occasional cinematic moods and a high level of musicianship. Plus, the Vadim reissue contains an interview with Petitgirard and two bonus tracks that preceded the album's original release.

Pop Instrumental de France starts with a faithful cover of Frank Zappa's "Mr. Green Genes" (from Uncle Meat). From there, it's all Petitgirard originals, including the Mahavishnu-like "Albert Ayler in Memoriam," a vigorous, minute-long keyboard solo "Clavier Clafoullies," the intricate "Oedipe," and the groovy "Soho." Petitgirard flirts with a cinematic style at the beginning of "Dance des Squelettes" before settling into a jazz-rock groove. Later on, the bonus track "Injection" lays down an irresistable groove that fairly screams "sample me!"

All told, Pop Instrumental de France finds a keyboard virtuoso pushing the boundaries of modern music circa '71. It's easy to hear why its such a collectors' item.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

pop in... Devil's Train
Jacky Giordano
Pulp Flavor

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Pop-Shopping
Various Artists
Crippled Dick Hot Wax

Billed as "juicy music from German commercials 1960-1975," Pop-Shopping may seem an acquired taste, at first. But then, seeing Crippled Dick's logo I didn't hesitate to pick it up. Considering the label's consistant track record (Schoolgirl Report, Vampyros Lesbos, et al) for outstanding Euro-sleaze soundtracks, I knew it was no gamble.

Pop-Shopping features more than mere jingles. These commercial soundtracks are often fully-fledged pop songs, where the vocalist (German, with occasional English terms) sings the praises of a product rather than a person. Further more, these tracks aren't mere sound bites. They range from 30 seconds (an exception) to 4 1/2 minutes (with 2 to 2 1/2 minutes being the rule). The music styles range from sexy funk to hard-blowing rock'n'roll to cocktail kitsch, vocal and instrumental, and combinations there of. It's got classic CripDick shuffle written all over it.

There are tracks for Ford, Opel, Northwest Airlines, Salamander footwear, Nescafe and many others. There are also tracks which will mean little to anyone living outside of Europe. The surprising range of moods assures that product familiarity is irrelevent, since the music itself steals the show.

The artist list also features its share of unfamiliar names (outside of the German commercial music world). Gert Wilden (of Schoolgirl Report and I Told You Not to Cry) is the most recognizable name here. Wilden is joined by Johnny Teupen, Klaus Doldinger, Christian Bruhn and a host of others. As usual, the folks at Crippled Dick (particularily the compilers Sir d'Oeuvre and Senor 45) offer a well-documented, and stylishly illustrated package. Boasting 28 tracks in all, Pop-Shopping delivers the goods.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Paramaribo Classics
Berry Lipman
All Score Media

Paris Soul
Ben & the Platano Group
Pulp Flavor/Dare-Dare

[  to the top, baby!  ]

The Psych Jazzy Beat of I Marc 4
Marc 4
Black Cat

"Sax on the Rocks"

Puppet Jazz
Various Artists
Sonorama

Not sure what the term "puppet jazz" is meant to imply, but this compilation of rare German library music is the funky stuff that is sure to please rare groove fans and sample-hunting beatheads alike. Remastered from original tapes or library vinyl, these 14 tracks display the psycho beat and soul flourishes of their time.

Check out the fuzzy guitar and Moog riffs on Gerhard Narholz's "UFO Invasion" or phased horn blasts on Fred Rabold's "Intercity" for a strange taste of German library gold. Similar production can be heard on Ambros Seelos' now sound groover "Brass Glitter". Gus Brendel's "Sax on the Rocks" is the sexiest stripper funk you wish they still played in so-called "gentlemen's clubs" (just get a load of that nasty organ solo).

Other outstanding numbers come courtesy of guys who are also featured on another German library comp (actually a 3 CD series) Pop Boutique, including Berry Lipman of Star Maidens fame, Klaus Weiss and Bob Elger among others.

Killer stuff.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Scoctopus
Various Artists
Schema

Setting the Scene: From the Vaults of KPM
Various Artists
Groove Attack

jpegs/sonor1.jpg

Soho Lounge Heat
Various Artists
EMI

"Running from Danger" by Syd Dale

Soho Lounge Heat Vol. 2
Various Artists
EMI Records

When Soho Lounge Heat Vol. 1 came out a few years ago it was one of the best library compilations around (and still is). Finally Vol. 2 has arrived and it's no disappointment.

Like on Vol. 1, compiler and library music enthusiast Dickie Klenchblaize has assembled for Vol. 2 a sterling set of funky rock and groovy lounge instrumentals from the legendary Cavendish and Boosey & Hawkes labels. This time, however, he focuses on stuff from the Amphonic label, which was founded by library music giant Syd Dale. In fact, of the 25 tracks, 12 are by Dale; the other featured artists are Ray Davies, Alan Hawkshaw, Trevor Duncan, Steve Gray, Dominic Sands, Sam Fonteyn, Tony Kinsey and Dennis Farnon.

Amazingly, there doesn't seem to be much overlap between this set and other library sets, particulary Amphonic's own Syd Dale compilation, Retro.

The sound quality is crystal clear and the performances are super slick. Fans of the genre will love its cinematic moods and funky breaks.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

jpegs/sonor1.jpg

Sonorissima 1 & 2
Various Artists
Black Cat

Soul Impressions / Chorus
Janko Nilovic
Pulp Flavor/Dare-Dare

Sound Book
De Wolfe
Irma La Douce

"The Race"

Gluckskugel
Bruno Spoerri
Finders Keepers

Finders Keepers is at it again: Foisting rarified library delights on vintage beat freaks everywhere. This time, it will hold particular appeal for fans of analog electronics.

Imagine Stockhausen meets Perrey-Kingsley and you've got an idea of what Bruno Spoerri, a one-time Can collaborator, gets up to on Gluckskugel. It's a zany funhouse compilation featuring tracks originally used on industrial promotional platters, experimental art documentaries and Swiss TV quiz shows.

Spoerri has a genius for combining proto techno rhythm tracks with hooky keyboard textures and found sound. The more you listen, the more you lose yourself in the rogue machinary of his feverish constructions. In the liner notes Spoerri hints that more discoveries may be on the way. Let's keep our fingers crossed.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Stereo Ultra 1, 2 & 3
Various Artists
Sirocco

These collections of French soundtracks and library music of the 60s and 70s are tres' magnifique.

Stereo Ultra 1 collects fab French pop tracks from feature films, and the selection has been significantly duplicated by the recent Crippled Dick collection Shake Sauvage.

The tracks on Stereo Ultra 2 were produced by Tele Music for French TV, film and radio, by musicmakers who are little known outside of France. That's of little concern, however, since the selection itself is a satisfying blend of jazz funk and groove-laden easy listening. While names like Eddie Louiss, Mat Camison and Bernard Lubat don't ring many bells, the break beats, throbbing bass lines, wha-wha guitars, buzzing flutes, brash brass and jazzy vibes should be enough to attract fans of funky instrumental music.

Described as "another collection of fat & funky French Music Libary 1970-1982," it's hard not to like Stereo Ultra 3. The beats are truly fat and funky, with a strong soul tinge. The stylistic range includes psycho beat and jerk.

Compiled by Pascal Armand from the little known labels, this collection of music for TV, radio and movies (and a few remixes) is solid throughout. Tracks like "Soul Car" and "West Coast Drive" sound as if they are straight out of a Hollywood cop show circa '76.

There's loads of Latin percussion on tracks like "Kuzi-Kuza" and "Latin Leitmotiv." Wha-wha guitar and funky clavinet rule on "Electronic Mutation" and equally funky, phased out Fender Rhodes takes over the scene on tracks like "Red Medium."

Mixed into the set are remixes by the Waterdrop, Flower & Doctor L. and Knockheadz. The blend is remarkably seamless. The best of them is the Big Beat mix of "Aubergine Time," a track that shows up on Stereo Ultra 2. The sound is aggressive and the scratching is between original groove and hardcore techno is inspired. Fun disc.

Stroboscopica Vol. 1 & 2
Various Artists
Plastic

Stroboscopica Vol. 1 & 2 are two well-rounded comps of psycho beat lounge and jazz funk, much of which was used by Cinecitta movie studios in the 60s and 70s. The subtitle for volume two is typically bizarre: "70s psychofunk jazzy beats for erotic thrilling fiction". And the "genre/style" descriptions follow suit: "psychadelic reality", "whisky and baby doll", "action in the city", and "threatening hidden menace". The first volume favors psycho beat and the second favors funky crime themes. The featured artists include Franco Micalizzi, Marc 4, I Gres, Pulsar Music Ltd., Stefano Torrosi, even Ennio Morricone. All in all, very groovy stuff.

Stroboscopica 3 features "20 jazzy orchestral Latin strobo sounds from cinematic 70s filmworks." At least that's what the cover says -- and for the most part, that's true. While a couple of the tracks are familiar from other compilations, most of the set is unfamiliar sound library stuff from little known Roman labels such as Gemelli. The sound is alternately funky, jazzy and Latin-tinged. Sometimes its psychadelic, other times totally lounge. It's as good as the first two Stroboscopica collections, and may be the best.

Most of the featured composers are fairly obscure (V. Nadalin, Rino de Filippi), but anyone who has the other Stroboscopica CDs will recognize a few (G. Sorgini, A. Alessandroni). Stylistically, it remains consistant.

Each track comes with a style description, and like the other Strobo sets, they are colorful: "metropolis, sex, cars" -- "technological stress" -- "lunar sadness" -- "bizarre worlds" and so on.

DJs in search of fresh breaks, should definitely check it out. The track listing also provides tempo and instrument descriptions.

Plastic remains one of the best Italian labels for groovy soundtracks.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Suono Libero Vol. 1 & 2
Various Artists
Irma La Douce

Suoni Moderni
The Best of Marc 4
Irma La Douce

As a major player in the ‘library music’ scene in Italy during the ’60s and ’70s, the Marc 4 delivered stream-lined funk and bossa nova for use in a number of lost TV and movie productions. Listening to either one of these discs will delight fans of acid jazz, psycho beat and even trip hop. On tracks like "Trama Nella Metropoli", the sound is so hip and contemporary, one would think it was recorded in last couple of years, rather than 25 or 30 years ago. A track like "Sweat Beat", on the other hand, has a more distinctive period flavor in its use of jazz flute. "Beat Intenso", with its wah-wah guitar and stuttering rhythm, sounds like an outtake from a blaxploitation soundtrack. While all of the above-mentioned tracks can be found on the "best of" compilation from Irma La Douche, Plastic's re-issue of the group's debut -- featuring soundtrack maestro Armando Trovajoli -- is also chuck full of tight tracks, none of which turn up on the Irma disc, but do turn up on other Plastic comps. (There's another Marc 4 compilation on Black Cat Records, but I haven't heard it. — K.S.)

[  to the top, baby! 

The Super Sounds of Bosworth (two)
Various Artists
Trunk

To-Day's Sound
Piero Umiliani
Easy Tempo

As the title suggests, this Piero Umiliani disc isn't a soundtrack, but it's sure to be of interest to fans of his great film work, and to fans of groovy soundtracks in general. Originally released in '71, To-day's Sound is a tour through the imaginative musical landscape that is Umiliani. Some of his best funky work can be found here: the oft-remixed "Lady Magnolia", the rambling groover "Truck Driver", the psychadelic Latin reverie "Blue Lagoon", the charging "Open Space", the all-attitude title track, the rousing "Bus Stop", the mysterious "Nocturne", the acid-tinged "Exploration". It goes on and on. The sound quality is crisp. The beats are strong and the playing is polished. Top notch.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

"L'Enfant au Royaume des Mouches"

L'Enfant Assasin des Mouches
Jean-Claude Vannier's Insolitudes
Finders Keepers

Jean-Claude Vannier, the arranger on Serge Gainsbourg's finest album (Histoire de Melody Nelson, '71) , made this brilliantly deranged album L'Enfant Assasin des Mouches a year later. It may not be a soundtrack in the strict sense, but the all-instrumental concept album definitely casts a cinematic spell on the listener.

In fact, the "French David Axelrod" was no stranger to scoring having collaborated with Gainsbourg on a few of his cinematic commissions, including Cannabis. Performed by his avant rock collective, Insolitudes, this astonishing melange combines musique concrete with lushly orchestrated, quirky, hard-driving psychedelic jazz rock. For an album that must have sounded pretty trippy back in '72, it still amazes today. But don't take my word for it. There are endorsement blurbs on the packaging from none other than David Holmes, Tim Gane of Stereolab, Jim O'Rourke of Sonic Youth and Jarvis Cocker of Pulp.

The package includes informative liner notes, photos of the artist and the "short story" that Serge wrote after hearing the pre-release recording for the first time. This is a killer album. Get it already.

[  to the top, baby!  ]

Vroommm Funk Cinematique
Various Artists
Plastic

Vroommm Funk Cinematique boasts the subtitle "High Performance 70s Turbo Sounds for Sprint-Exotic Movie Scenes". Do I need to add more? Perhaps not, expect to say that it's a tight batch of tracks -- all very funky -- some of which have turned up on other compilations. If you're planning a car chase anytime soon, you may want to have this disc in your car stereo.

[  to the top, baby!  ]