Bossa Brava Volume 2
(Instinct 345)
Strange coincidence. The day after Vik picked up the Soul Bossa Trio, he opened his mail to find this compilation from the always swell Instinct. A couple of years back, Instinct (at that time known for techno) started an Acid Jazz series. Then, they branched the Acid Jazz into the new bossa sound. The result is the Bossa Brava series featuring some of the coolest sounds this side of Quincy Jones. Bossa Brava Volume 2 is the latest, and in Vik's opinion best, of the series. An overview of the current state of the new bossa sound, it features tracks from Bossa Brava acts Reminiscence Quartet, Sergio Bore and Exodus Quartet, but also checks in with Paris jet set poster boy Dimitri From Paris' "Sacre Francais" and "Tin Tin Deo" from the Soul Bossa Trio. Other highlight include the bossa rap of Rad.'s "Homegirls Cha Cha Network," the late night cool of Free Flow's "A Deep Motion" and The Quiet Boys' electro tinged "Bosh Tres Bien." One of the best acid jazz/new bossa collections available. Do yourself a favor and get it.
Soundscape UK "Full Circle"
Dimitri From Paris "Sacre Francais"
Quintetto X "Esquema da Bossa"
Reminiscence Quartet "Batucada De Carioca pt. 2"
Diferenz "Shadowrun"
Sergio Bore "Voices of Percussion"
Free Flow "A Deep Motion"
The Quiet Boys "Bosh Tres Bien"
Martin Fuss "Samba dal Mugello"
Rad. "Homegirls Cha Cha Network"
Rowland Sutherland "Moving On"
Exodus Quartet "Oye Rene"
Soul Bossa Trio "Tin Tin Deo"
Orbital
"The Saint (CD Single)"
(ffrr 531 102)
There may be nothing better in this world than a really great spy theme. Hear it once and it sticks deep in your brain...looping over and over...all day long...until YOU are the spy and getting groceries is a mission impossible. Speaking of impossible missions, remember in 1996 when Tom Cruise decided he was worthy of filling the shoes of Peter Graves? Remeber the movie without a plot but some really faboo stunts and effects? Remember the way Larry Mullins and Adam Clayton mangled Lalo Schifrin's masterful theme?
Well, 1997 rolls around and now we get Val "Hey, I played Jim Morrison" Kilmer taking on the role of the ultimate hipster theif Simon Templar - The Saint. And once again, the studio has decided no one want to hear (or buy) the original Edwin T. Astley theme or soundtrack. So, we get a soundtrack with a lot of cutting edge new bands (heavy on rock and techno) and a re-work of the theme by Orbital. Vik's heard bits of the soundtrack and it probably works well with the movie, but the Orbital take on the theme...truly marvelous. Vik hated the Mullens/Clayton fiasco on M.I., but Orbital kept the heart of Astley's original and given it a little techno dancefloor bump. This single features the theme, an extended darker mix called "The Sinner" and a track from the band's In Sides album entitled "The Box." It's this additional track that demonstrates why Orbital succeeded where U2 failed. Taking the same spy-jazz tinged atmosphere, "the Box" even sports a "Danube Incident"-esque keyboard line. This single had now been included in a re-issue of the In Sides album (also recommended), but pick it up anyway...if only for the swell Saint logo on the cover.
