DJ Alex Corton – Good Looking Records

Good Looking Records

Source Direct – Secret Liaison / Complexities

1996

If you remember the end of yesterday’s review, we mentioned how much further this label could go in terms of the level of music. I think today we will hit a mark that finds an extra few feet on top of the highest summit. Not only that, it still stands (in many peoples view), as an unbeaten height within the world of jungle and drum and bass. 

   When the people of the underground look at ‘the best Jungle / drum and bass tune of all time’ it’s usually ‘Secret Liaison’ that features in the top three at least. I’m not saying it’s everyone’s vote, just that it quite rightly sits in a unique league of its own. The thing for me that makes this deserve a place in the higher levels of recognition is also ‘Complexities’ on the other side, which is criminally overlooked by many. Now, ‘Secret Liaison’ probably ranks in my own ranking of Source Direct, as number 4 or 5. However as a 12” on the whole it’s up there with the very best. 

  I picked this up at Record Basement (no surprises), and from that day on, this plate has been battered in as many sets as I could. It’s in great condition still, which comes down to my snooker referee handling of the necessary, as I do care about the vinyl I have. I was also extremely glad thot both inlay sheets were included with this promo, so the photos of those you can see posted here. Funnily enough it has (GLR 0015) on the inlay sheet. They had visions of reaching a large number of releases there didn’t they? Ha ha! 

   Jim Baker and Phil Aslett (the latter departed the collaboration later), had been gifting us tracks like ‘Shimmer, Approach & Identify, Snake Style, A Made Up Sound and then their Oblivion tracks, among many other mind blowing pieces of music, leading up to this crème de la crème of a release in 1996. It seemed to take all the skills, the production and the creativity and patch it together for the ultimate Source Direct experience. 

     Secret Liasion’ on Side A defibrillates us from the moment the needle hits the valley of the vinyl groove and hits those cinematic tensions of the intro. You are locked into a state of fright and flight simultaneously, because you can’t move, but want to tell the world what you are experiencing, at the same time. The chimes, the tapping high hat, and that constant, high pitched spine chilling chord that slices across your brain has you gripping the arms of your sweat soaked chair, grinding muscles and twisting ligaments in one of the most resonating intros to any tune. Once the tune glides onto the bar prior to the breaks it’s just enough to make you close your eyes, breathe in and prepare to encounter a moment that stops your lungs functioning and then all hell breaks mushroom clouds into your face. 

Fucking…

WHAM!

   Source Direct had already proved their mastery of beat editing in a number of their tracks, however when this hits you, the full force of those beats and how microscopically manufactured and attentive each fucking sound is placed, you feel like you have a crown on your head hearing it. ‘Secret Liaison’ has the power and finesse to supply electricity to people in distant galaxies, while commanding a PhD in electronic engineering with music. It really is the Rolls Royce of jungle, and while it may not grab you with a catchy riff, or have vocals (well apart from someone seemingly saying “hello?”) or dolphin noises, this is designed to showcase the Source Direct boys and how fucking light years they were ahead of the game. Many techniques of theirs began with Rupert ‘Photek’ Parkes back in the Cert 18 days, but once they harnessed the tools, and then started releasing on their own label, the tricks, mastery and creativity flourished. They really were the two back wheels of the Reliant Robin (Rolls Royce powered, or rather it was BMW M3s for them two), following Photek. 

    The number of times that ‘Secret Liaison’ gets posted will never dampen the mammoth reaction this tune gets. In polls of the best ever, some just say “not including ‘Secret Liaison’” as it’s always going to bribe the judges to victory, and there’s not much that can stop it. As if the hurricane of beats and sonic booms of cranial smashing bass weren’t enough, the piano cascade and the subtle way the breakdown injects an IV of classic horror into play is pure genius. Remember the breakdown extends into the beats for that half bar silence prior to the beats returning, so cue up at the silence (if needed). Or, wait and just leave the headphones off, take the next record off too, turn it up louder and then listen to the rest of the tune. Following on with the next track after this is like taking the perfect painting and adding more to it. It’s not designed to be changed. It designed to be adored, honored and worshipped as one of the finest pieces of jungle, or drum and bass ever made. The true Junglists choice. Flame grilled, but forever leaking the raw flavors of true taste bud overload. 

    Side AA took a back seat for many when this was released. Like many tunes though, it seems to have made the tree rings of time vanish and ‘Complexities’ for me stands as a Medal of Honor in the catalogue of Source Direct. It has not only the darker, thriller compacted elements, but also that jazz burst and dynamic thrust of platinum detailed beats, simple effective bass and again, harnesses the climax of their work through the years so far. It was an also an amazing thing for the label, to have tunes that sat as a little out of orbit with the previous releases, opening doors to the labels mission for thoughtful, but also broadened spectrum of possibilities. ‘Complexities’ is a fucking killer track, that holds more and more admiration and respect the older it gets. It sounds incredible, and full of life which places this tune, on this release, with Side A as the ultimate in sound, in the glass case for all those ahead of us who need to study this plate. The history books have always taught us about a past. This one is permanently in our present and forever in our future too. 

   This release seemed to be one that finalized a period of Source Direct before they turned their attention to a really dark and nerve cutting edge with their Hokusai, Exorcise The Demon age. It marked a stage where they’d gone to the edge of the capabilities and now they could focus on other projects, which continued excellence but led eventually to the dead end and split in the partnership. 

   Jim ‘Source Direct’ is back in the studio, so hopefully we’ll have something new from him soon. Plenty more Source Direct coming up too, however this is their only release on Good Looking. It’s onward with the Good Looking label, so tomorrow we start the conveyer belt up again and find a suitcase we recognize for a third time on this magnificent label.