Recloose - Recloose- Perfect Timing
14 Apr 2008 // A review by johnsoncraigsbc
Recloose has been busy and after such previous success, the now internationally exalted producer and DJ has brought a new touch to living room and club dance with ‘Perfect Timing’, taking a few pages out of the eighties in the process.
Starting the album with Rachel Frasier and the mellow sophistication of ‘Catch A Leaf’ is the perfect way to precede the dismal post eighties revival that is ‘Robop’. The next refreshing track is ‘Solomon’s Alive’ which begins with the magnetic vocal repetition, which gives base to the rest of the track. A thumping bass clarinet and some obscure vocal breakdowns create one of the more memorable tracks on the album.
Although this music is hitting the dance flow buttons in house party living rooms everywhere right now, it would be interesting to see if this same music is what new found young adults are listening to in four years time. Where Recloose goes next will be the vital element in his next designed attack.
‘Red Road’ reminded me of playing waverace on Nintendo in the late nineties, it was a good game, but not good enough to put on your album.
Recloose is, and will remain to be, an inspiring and provocative live performer, and with the single ‘The Sanctuary’ getting air time nationally, catching them at their next show will be a treat. Horns and acclaimed female vocalists present, it should definitely be on a lot of peoples to do list.
Following up funkier beats with the sonorous melodies ‘Deeper Waters’ and ‘Daydream’ eases the album into a soporific close. Smooth, mellifluous vocals by Rachel Frasier will be ranking her highly amongst well-known female vocalists in New Zealand.
‘Perfect Timing’ is founded by some funky, wave forming, bright colour oriented arrangements, sure to please the needs of those who love to dance without the obligation of fifty minutes of bone cracking bass.
4/5
Craig Johnson
About Recloose
Over his 15-year career, Recloose has developed into a true standout of Detroit’s musical litter. To date he has released a number of ground-breaking 12”s for Planet E and Rush Hour, a host of remixes for the likes of Funkadelic, Herbert, Motor City Drum Ensemble, Tei Towa, Dennis Coffey, MJ Cole and Azymuth, a live album, and three full-length LPs debuting with Cardiology‚ on Planet E / !K7 in 2002.
Recloose relocated to New Zealand in 2001 to plant new roots and explore fresh musical horizons. 2005 saw the release of his second LP, Hiatus On The Horizon (Loop), an album that features a host of New Zealand’s finest musicians and vocalists (and spawned the dance floor stomper Dust featuring Fat Freddy Drop’s vocalist Joe Dukie). This was followed in 2006 by the Recloose Live Band’s funk compendium Backwards and Sideways, recorded live at the San Francisco Bathhouse and released on Recloose’s on-off imprint Fingertips in early 2007. Recloose’s 2008 international long player, Perfect Timing (Loop), features yet more stellar New Zealand talent (including Tyna Keelan, Rachel Fraser, Joe Dukie and Jonathan Crayford) and took out the prestigious Tui Award (aka NZ Music Award) for best Electronica/Dance album of 2008.
In 2010 Recloose teamed up with long time musical comrades Rush Hour records to release Early Works, a retrospective collection of standout and lost material from his days in Detroit. Since then he has been continued to release a number of ambitious 12?s on Rush Hour and Delusions of Grandeur.
Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for Recloose