Canteen Records Welcome To The Canteen LP
To polish of 2007 in fine style, Canteen decided to give us a taste of the future with their first compilation. As always with Canteen, production & presentation of the record are of the highest quality. More importantly, the quality of the music is up there with the best.
I don't usually do this but the album is so varied I just have to do a track-by-track!
Giacomo starts the set with a lovely mix of laid back acoustic guitar and a big-bassed synth backing.
Lewis Parker's production comes next, and the man with the golden sound doesn't disappoint. A dope full-sounding track - nice horn hits & a piano-based musical backing to Brooklyn rapper River Nelson who I'm not really feeling - have to wait & see what his album gives (coming soon on Dusty Vinyl).
Head honcho Bias' track "Crooked Hotel" is another gem from the king of the laid back folky instrumental hip-hop. A slow-rolling high-flying track with orchestral strings and great vocals taken from Rodriguez - Bias has again crafted a great soulful song.
On to a slightly darker sounding Sam Sure & Giacomo with Danny Skilton on mic duty. Again I'm not particularly feeling the rapping - the flow more than the lyrics which fit nicely - maybe I'm in a difficult mood I don't know! Beat-wise there's a lot going on despite the sparse sound, with eerie bells setting the scene, a synth-based head-nodder & a brighter sounding bridge section that really brings some variety to the sound without breaking the mood.
The Benefits are the first of the groups I didn't previously know. They have that Canteen Records sound - the slightly melancholy backing, but with a male singer over the top bringing a different flavour - a successful break from the norm (which sums up the whole album now I think about it!).
Noon, from Poland, are again previous unknowns to me. Much more electro-based but with a clarinet over the top, they succeed in producing an original sound but one that fits with the general feel of this compilation and that makes you sit up and take notice.
The Adaptations are next up, in similar style to The Benefits - male vocals over a laid-back acoustic guitar driven backing, a bit more summery in style and a nice groove coming from the cracking bass-line, this is another group from the compilation that I'll be looking out for in future!
Jenome's track starts so much like an old Lewis Parker tune that I spent the whole track trying to remember the name of, that I had to listen to it again. Once I actually listened to this track I found a nice head-noddable groove to it, a bit of harmonica to top it off and spacey vocal samples that fit a treat.
Canteen are doing a round-the-world trip on us - next up is a funky Australian band Special Reserve. It's a light poppy track, but I couldn't get on with the vocals for some reason. She's got a nice voice, but there's something that just doesn't sound right.. Just sit back & let the summery vibes wash over you though & it's a pleasant enough experience!
Noon are back next - the only ones with two tracks. It's a similar style - atmospheric electro minimalism, the clarinet still there, this time also accompanied by a haunting female vocalist, creating an amazing spine-tingling track that leaves me entranced each time I listen to it. Definitely one of the compilation's high points.
Next, Small Town Big Man bring another sign of the broadening of Canteen's horizons, like The Benefits & The Adaptations they have a male vocalist over a vaguely poppy-sounding backing, but there's a depth and an atmosphere to the track that means it doesn't just stop there, with it's strings & flute-led chorus that lingers in the mind.
To close the album there's Magic Arm, with a gentle and harmonious track that builds gradually as more layers are added to the sound before stripping them down again for the ending, one that leaves me wanting to start all over again.
So to sum it up, what we have here is a real variety in styles & sounds, from one of the most consistent, creative and varied labels around. Go get it!
what we have here is a real variety in styles & sounds, from one of the most consistent, creative and varied labels around
- Flat 4
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