DJ Alex Corton – Vinyl Reviews

Good Looking Records

L.T.J Bukem – Demons Theme / A Couple Of Beats

1992

The wait is finally over, as the day has arrived following huge anticipation right from day one of this project. We’ve got some big labels over the last few years, including Basement, Certificate 18, Creative Source, Creative Wax, Dee Jay, and Formation to name a handful. Today though, we reach THE biggest label of my life, my existence, translated into a vast amount of vinyl and some of the best music you could ever wish for.

I present to you, Good Looking Records.
My body is buzzing, sweat beads forming on my brow, (not from the heat over here), as the power of the tunes we are about to embark on, await us. Even when you look at the first few records on this label, you have not just music that sounds as good as it did back when it was made, but you also have the birth of a movement within the rave scene. The creator, visionary and basically determined as fuck legend behind it all, is the god of all things atmospheric, Danny Williamson.LTJ Bukem.
This label is a deep passion, however I know that all things attached to Good Looking may not be known. I had the honor of being asked by some guys to help run the Good Looking page when it was operating in the ‘White Label’ era (2012-2014). Answering questions and general info.. on that note I do want to add to this, Paul Bendall (tagged) who I know is someone with plenty of expertise on GLR. I’ll also be gathering info from Luke Créateur and Nick Purser along the way, I’m sure. There’s also all the artists that are connected too. I’ll tag those I can as we journey along. All of you guys have some incredible stories and details, so the floor is open as we venture along.

As the story goes, Bukem wanted to steer things toward a deeper, enduring and fulfilling style of music, than the breakbeat hardcore sounds of 1991 and 1992. He had dabbled with tracks like Deliteful, Teach Me To Fly and Logical Progression, along the more blissful sounds, but it was all under the management of others that seemed to restrict his real passion for the epic expanses of ideas within him. It was at this point that Danny made it his mission to do things his way. I was tempted to review Who Knows Vol. 1 to begin this journey, as it was really the springboard into GLR. It’s waiting for us at another time though.

The first Good Looking Records is regarded as a prolific gateway to the music we worship as atmospheric, drum and bass and jungle. It was probably the boldest move in the history of drum and bass, based on all the other music around at the time. Taking ravers away from the high energy of manic breaks, piano’s, chipmunk vocals and rave Hoovers, into Bukem’s world of majestic waves of pads, jet streams of hypnotic bass and beats, along with doubling the length of tracks, all changed the mindset of dance floors and opened up the doors for DJ’s to nurture journeys that embedded themselves into your mind. Bukem picked up the diversion sign and said “this is a new road, let your mond wonder and absorb the sound”. It was less instant gratification, it was a full on dream of beauty, designed to assemble within you, bit by bit. Good Looking had landed and I’m sure I speak for many when I say, “Thank god GLR became operational”

Bukem has probably provided more memorable journeys than any DJ I’ve heard. They are constantly played at my home, my work and wherever I go. Danny, you are the true don of the decks.

We should start the review now. I could fill a hundred pages talking about Bukem, but we should get the tunes rolling. Over the next few months, get ready to dive into the best of the best.

Side A is where we start this voyage through the heavens, with ‘Demons Theme’. I feel like waking up on the morning of a long awaited holiday right now. The pure happiness is flooding me. From the moment the needle moves its way into the intro, it’s not just a page turning, it’s another library with the new section of a new book. This is the Bukem sound that blows us away. From the silky pads, the loon bird, that massive hypnotic bass and a perfect rolling break, the scene is slowly constructed on Bukem’s religious canvas of music. Once the second break sits on top, we kick the heat up. If you had to define a classic sound for this music, look no further. The panpipes send shivers of desire out and then we hit that breakdown. Nothing can explain just how impactful and meaningful this tune is. There is music and then there are sounds that go beyond the realms of understanding. Bukem made ‘Demons Theme’ and the our sacred world changed. Art in the highest order.

I think I’m going to combust with feelings during this labels output. Words sometimes do nothing to translate the music. We flip this 12” over for ‘A Couple Of Beats’. With its barreling intro of drums, on an almost old techno foundation and high hat break, this throws us into the tribal delights of Bukem’s world before the killer bass and breakdown that sedates the body and mind. The vocal wails and subtle bell chimes cloak the mystery of the future and fittingly the risk that Bukem took in pursuing his beliefs. Nowadays, no one steps into the flowing river without checking for the stones we cross with. He just took one step and fucking flew. The point being, he took the step. As we near the end of this side, that choral synth lifts things up and into another orbit of passion. Utterly mind blowing. For the gadgetry of today, you don’t get the sense of nourishment and basic needs like you did when this arrived. This plate will probably be buried with me.

I included in the photo’s the slipmatts I have on my decks 24/7 and my lanyard for work each day, (with the Good Looking logo on the strap). I did have a T-Shirt but the logo disintegrated over time. No tattoos yet though.

The clock is now ticking, and we move on tomorrow to another classic. I think I might as well copy and paste this last paragraph every day for the next few weeks though…