Daft Punk: "Homework"
Virgin CDV 2821 (74 mins)
Dial a track code: 1201
Here they come, walking down the street, getting the funniest looks from everyone they meet... Daft Punk are two juvenile French techno types with a bewildering grasp on complex rhythms which ooze mass dancefloor appeal and some weirdbeard video ideas. This is their debut album, a collection perfectly in tune with its time. A riot of dayglo sounds and monster concrete beats (without the bland clang of some big beat merchants), Homework has 16 extra large loud reasons to be cheerful for the rise and rise of Gallic bop.
In essence, what Thomas Bangalter and Guy Manuel De Homem Christo do is quite simple, a mix and match of disparate dance genres in pursuit of the ultimate blast. It's both daft and punk. Many have tried this recipe for size in the past but few have succeeded in quite such exacting fashion. Each of Da Funk, Around The World and Rollin & Scratchin contains an arch breakbeat, a fulsome melody and a joyful hook for maximum impact. Sometimes it's the sheer simplicity which enthralls (Da Funk's sexy opening beat), sometimes it's the combination. Every home should have one.
NuYorican Soul: "NuYorican Soul"
Talkin' Loud 534 460-2 (74 mins)
Dial-a-track code: 1311
Arriving with a brace of mighty Cuban cigars, NuYorican Soul is an odyssey to the heart of modern dance. Two years in the making, legendary house producers Masters At Work put Latin, soul, jazz and funk to work with some seminal voices and create a consummate collection of seasoned tracks in the process. As albums go, this one is near faultless.
Besides Lil Louie Vega and Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez, there's a heavy weight cast to steer this album into inspirational territory - Roy Ayers, George Benson, Jocelyn Brown, Tito Puente, Dave Valentine, India.
Shoshana is something of a jazz dance classic, the sound of fusion working it out in style when jazz meant more than just the soundtrack for a Kentucky Fried Chicken ad. RQV's Scat and Sweet Tears, meanwhile, allow vocalists to take the stand and testify. A million miles from Daft Punk in style but nonetheless possessing a similar innovative spark.
DJ Kool: "Lot Me Clear My Throat" American 74321 4211 2 (34 mins)
Dial a track code: 1421
Back in the mid 1980s the city of Washington DC spawned a musical movement called go go where acts specialising in low slung repetitive percussion workouts and call andresponse chants initiated a particularly tribal form of modern funk. The scene came and went, leaving a handful of memorable tracks and one memorable show (Trouble Funk at London's Town & Country Club). The arrival of DJ Kool is a reminder of those "Drops The Bomb" chants, wild parties and mad, bad noises.
Getting a "let me clear my throat" chant to Mark the 45 King's evergreen, 900 Number sample, the title track has become something of a party hip hop anthem, finding space in all manner of playlists. This live album, however, falls between two stools. Kool is an excellent MC but the musical backing lacks the fluid flow of the go go pioneers. Perfect perhaps for rocking a sweaty East Coast joint, not so attractive in your front room. Right now, DJ Kool is something of a one hit wonder, a go go White Town if you like. Get the Funkmaster Flex mix CD instead for a proper look ate the state of hip-hop 1997 style.
Various Artists
Anokha - Sounds of the Asian Underground
Mango 524 341-2 (72 mins) Dial-a-track code: 1531
As in Talvin Singh's groundbreaking Monday night club at London's Blue Note. Occasional Bjork collaborator, Singh is the lynchpin off his particular scene, making sure the Asian underground is properly represented in the mainstream. This collection of idiosyncratic and diverse tracks is a captivating pleasure, showing off the cross cultural references which are part and parcel of the new Anglo Asian sound. From the Bollywood riffs of State Of Bengal to Lelonek's polished jungle light beats, Anokha is proof positive that modern Asian music has much to offer the discerning consumer without ever having to mention the "bhangra" word.
