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Recloose - Recloose 'Early Works' Album Review

10 Jan 2011 // A review by Miss_Jukebox

Recloose has revisited some of the works from earlier on his career, and put together his 'Early Works' album. It is a chance for the artist to look back along the musical path he has travelled. Far from nostalgic, this work showcases Recloose's feel for musical modernity. He has a phenomenal ability to take his electronic roots and acquiesce to a range of genres that create a flavourful blend of melodic goodness.

The album features releases from his work in the 1990's. 'Get There Tonight', 'Soul Clap', and 'Insomnia in Dub' featured in 1999's Spelunking. The album opener 'Get There Tonight' has an old school jazz beginning which suddenly spins out of control into a jungle-drum, dance frenzy. 'Soul Clap' is exactly that, formed on a foundation of clap articulations which are then laced with soulful electronic vibrations. 'Insomnia in Dub' wonderfully captures the frustrations of insomnia. Containing a beat that ticks like the hands of a clock, ambiguous sounds start to seethe away through the track. Within all this distortion, piano chords sway like a lullaby being lost amongst all of the agitation of 'Insomnia in Dub.'

From 2000's Can't Take It Recloose includes 'Absence of One' and 'Can't Take It.' 'Absence of One' enters self-reflexive realms by the use of ethnic strings and a brass melancholy that move into sonic cries. 'Can't Take It' charges through with a scuttling anticipation that leaves you wondering what direction this track will move onto.

'MYM230' is commanded by percussion-off beats and sharp step beats propel the Dub Version of 'First Off.' 'Maui's Lament (Original Demo Mix)' is a scenic tour of the intergalactic.

The album also contains several previously unreleased tracks. The earthly meets the otherworldly in the dub-electronica mix 'Lagan (Interlude).' The album then works its way into the electronic experimental clutches of 'Antares.' 'Land of the Lost' is a funk-esque, club filler. Hip hop rhythms morph into an exultant plugged-in melody in 'Flotsam (Interlude).' Further in the album 'Crosstown' features electronica at its most classic. 'Jetsam (Interlude)' swings into a hip beat, with eerie chimes dispersed within.

'Early Works' is a great album for Recloose followers, to delve into his past and unreleased work. It is also great to reinvest your time into the 90's electronic vibe, a pinnacle decade for the genre. Recloose has developed his art and skill into a prosperous catalogue of music, and 'Early Works' proves its value to belong alongside his newer projects.

-Janise.

 

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

Releases

Early Works
Year: 2010
Type: Album
Perfect Timing
Year: 2008
Type: Album
Backwards and Sideways
Year: 2006
Type: Album
Hiatus On The Horizon
Year: 2005
Type: Album
Cardiology
Year: 2002
Type: Album

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