<h2>VARIOUS ARTISTS</h2>
TRAFFIC
CD/2x12"
CORE 004
05/2001
Info:
Combination Traffic: Various Steps
With the fourth publication, we would like to introduce the first LP. Combination Traffic: various steps is on our souls. This compilation will carefully bundle the impression of (thank God!) not clearly organized and tucked away trax with statements and designs from the land of broken and straight beats. The famous lead, you will get when listening. And it will not lead you, but to the motto of Combination Records, colourful and free.As mentioned already, Combination Traffic: various steps is focussed on a selection of Drum&Bass-sounds which are open to other rhythms, sound-visions or Pop-relations. Call it various steps! Combination Records aim is not the reinvention of the wheel, but we`re illuminating it from all directions. Sometimes a magnifier or a microscope will be served, another time everything is being watched through a telescope. It can also be interesting to step away a little bit and to take a look at the whole "thing" or to observe the entire traffic.
The first track (new and xclsv), Fellmann & Louises "Oh, so dear" abandons the use of beats. That`s clever, because it even more stresses the importance of beats in modern dance music and they`re underlying their Pop-Appeal by using acoustic guitars and the lovely voice of Madame Selda. The kind of music that you love to listen to while you, re looking out of the window of a train.Metamatics & Clatterbox, the british Electronic-veterans on Clear-Label released a cooperation for the CD "Project unison" last year. "Allegro", a winter samba-bontempi-groove that gives no rise to 8-bit-associations or retro-romantic. And they`re refreshing once again.The same can be said about Hidden Agendas "Return". They transformed their clinical research of Drum&Bass into a post-clear-period open Electro-Boogie. They`re doing the same stuff they did in times of " Metalheadz", only different.
They seem to be saying: " Hey, it`s us, Hidden Agenda. We are still here, doing Drum&Bass. You just wouldn`t call call it that way." A headset-burner functioning in a strobo-haze, too. Tiny little shiftings inside of the track are polishing this compilation`s theme.
Taken from the second Phoneheads album "Second Sight", "Maracanenses" is flowing in a very relaxed and self-confident way into an unexpected climax, only to return to the warm home of harmony. It`s obviously important to step on the gas sometimes, but the return to the peace of mind is also necessary.
The Green Man, out of the Basswerk family, is the leading songwriter of Drum&Bass and "Philtry" is a blueprint of "Drum&Bass" in reduced velocity. We believe that this long forgotten approach is going to be taken up by many artists. No BigBeat, no TripHop but the courage to use popular effects. Melodies for the people.
Boards Of Canada are demonstrating in an impressive ( wise ) way, that power and intensity are not to be mixed up with speed and loudness. This track is taken from their recently published and wonderful 4-Track-EP "In A Beatiful Place Out In The Country"". They only borrowed us one of their sound-photographs.
Swimming Pool let in the fresh water. Antonelli electr. and Michael Scheibenreiter have recorded "Perhaps", a springtime lovesong in which the laws of music genres are permanently being broken. They`re cutting of the euphoria of 2-Step sounds and are ignoring the unwritten law of Rock music, which demands full power after a break. They`re exposing their concentrated little dub instead. And when you`re driving around you will discover that the Combination Traffic sounds are accompanying and making you feel relaxed.
"Mi Novela Biografica" is a 7" of the Spanish folkband Le Mans released on Spectrum works` compilation "folky". Kabuki (Precision) remixed this track and fullfilled all demands of a Combination Traffic piece of music. The master shows us how to dance around the straight Detroit-Beat without really using it and leads us, at the end of the day, to the one thing we all love: Rave.
Innocence just like in times of the soundsystems during the early nineties, when clubmusic was influenced by practically every kind of music. The innocence that Jungle and 2-Step also contained during the pre-album-era and that has now dissapeared. But that doesn`t matter. Kosmas "Magenta Flush" demonstrates how innocent and powerful can be dealt with club-music and produces high spirits everywhere, because he is not afraid of making a mistake.
Danny Breaks, vizier of breakbeat, interpretes the compilations` name with "Beat Biter - Martian Scratch Mix" in an intergalactic way and reminds us of old mother HipHop. He gives us the reason - sent down from mars- why crotches have to be broken and why scratching is still a proper funky track and not a solo-guitar-like expression of self love.
Hardfloors` "Frozen Spotlight" comes off as powerful as one of their earlier live-appearences. Engines on and up we go and even though everything grooves permanently, it is programmed very precisely. Sex-Phonk on the backseat of a lithesome bulldozer.
Fellmann & Louise`s "This is us" is the perfect track if you want to know how to fool your own beats. It`s funky and it`s reduced. Some kind of modern Rare-Groove hymn. You have to make up your own mind about theinterpretation of the vocal sample.What else can be said? Only tiny little moves renew everything. Just likethose our concealed Düsseldorf talent Thomas Jakob bashes at us with maximum speed. Its in a song of the band Kante from Hamburg: "Between the cities we feel electric." There is nothing to be added.
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