DJ Alex Corton – Vinyl Reviews

Good Looking Records

Aquarius & Tayla – Bringing Me Down / Soul Searching

1995

To continue with another highly prolific release of music, we move onto our next review on the Good Looking Records label.

   We have reached number 13 in the catalogue and I’d take a guess at somewhere between February and April of 1995 for this next release. You also have to remember that at this point in the labels history, Looking Good Records had also become a sister label outlet for artists, signed to Danny’s label. We will reach that label extensively, at a later date. 

   Today we have a one off venture with Rupert Parkes & Russell Tayla. Aquarius & Tayla. Rupert (Photek) had been blazing a scorched path through the fields of music for about 3 years by now, while Tayla returned after a couple of years since ‘Bang The Drums’. To have been a fly on the wall of the studio with these two working in it, would have been quite the experience. If you have any stories or info, Russell, feel free to drop it in. These tracks have many tales to tell and I’m sure I speak for many of us when I say that the background behind the people making these tunes is as fascinating as the music. It’s so rich in history and one I find consistantly hungry to know more about. 

     I remember picking this up in Record Basement in Reading..surprise surprise, and it being ‘Soul Searching’ that grabbed me in a huge way. It’s the reason I bought the release and I really didn’t gravitate too much toward the A Side. My negligence and naivety once again, proving a problem with my judgement. Since my aging and maturity seems to have finally kicked in a little more, I am now a little more appreciative of this 12”. In fact, I have probably grown more in understanding and eureka moments than with any plate on GLR. It has a skin of simplicity covering a body of unbelievable production, highly toned skills and a vast knowledge of technical understanding. The music here will make you dance, dream, kick back and cry, all at the same time. Let’s move the disc to the platter  for the opinions that matter. 

    Side A brings me a slight scolding as mentioned earlier. I feel like I completed a very public walk of shame with this tune and only in the last 20 odd years have I been playing ‘Bringing Me Down’ and connecting with it in a big way. It’s a tune I didn’t hear out too much apart from Bukem, DJ Lee and I think Tayla played it at MOS when I went to a Progression Sessions there. The track always sounded amazing I just found that it was almost too sorrowful and with the vocals “Bringing me Dooown” it became this fight between spiritual bliss and a hint of depression. I’m probably in a minority here though. My life was very odd back then too and like I say, I’ve been that someone who can now crank this tune up and truly wallow in its beautiful tragedy. The beat work from the beginning, with the dolphin samples (left over from The Dolphin Tune maybe?), takes us into the sweetness of the layered synths and pads. The clarity of the beats in this tune is fucking ridiculously sharp. The bassline while being prominent, does sit back too. It accompanies the moving and flowing sounds perfectly. I’ve cranked this track up really loud and I can’t tell you how impressive this piece of music is. I’m furious at my old self, but also understand that this piece of music nurtures the blinkered and if you can’t see the magic in this one, the gaps will appear and you’ll be shrouded in a radiant light of wonder on hearing this tune again. It takes the pain away and elevates all the negativity that surrounds you. Two masters that you cannot fault. 

   Side B is ‘Soul Searching’ which I believe was the earliest Good Looking plate to feature on Bukem’s ‘95 Essential mix. I know ‘Horizons’ was played in it too but that was on Looking Good and he played four of the first 6 releases on that label, in the set.

  It’s a joy to mix with too. The tiny high hats and little high crash cymbal make it one you can really kneed into those journeys. Once the amens crash in, it’s like getting pushed suddenly, and without warning, in the back at the top of a giant, greased metal slide and everything becomes an exhilarating blur of excitement, adrenaline and hope that the prankster at the bottom will remove his Raleigh Grifter. The way ‘Soul Searching’ takes the soothing and brain numbing elegance of that breakdown and then screams into the bank of overhanging snow, creates a picturesque avalanche of roaring power, shifting beauty and unstoppable speed, before the stillness and silence returns. 

   This tune carries a very special place. Of all the first 15 GLR records, I’d say I played this out more than any other. At least, I remember playing it out a lot. It was my last tune in my warm up set at a Tazzmania event in Aldershot at The Rhythm Station which was a hub around our way. I remember at the time, coining the word “Intelligent” to DJ Gillis after me, as it was the term used during that time. I know it seemed derogatory to other music (which was not the case as my record box had everything from GLR to Hectic, Homegrown and everything in between). It just felt like you could listen to the sounds like ‘Soul Searching’ and leave the place you were for a while. It was mystical, cosmic, spiritual..call it what you like. At the end of the day it’s just fucking good music. Labels create ownership, whereas this music is for the energy that surrounds us. It fills the air with vibrations that seep through us, through everything, hitting the upper layers of our atmosphere, so when those distant aliens come calling, they can raise a glass to the ear, or however they receive sounds, place it on the exosphere and catch this communication from the gods of our time.