DJ Alex Corton – Vinyl Reviews

Good Looking Records

Greg Packer / Drumsound & Simon Bassline Smith – Feelin’ / Planet Saturn

2003

Today’s review features my last picture/image sleeve on Good Looking’s 12” singles. From now on it’s white labels, the black and white series and then the white label series, taking us up to the final vinyl pressing days of GLR. Who knows whether it’ll ever resurface? I doubt it to be honest. Regardless, it has left a major beacon for many many years to follow. 

     Today’s release has two tracks from Progression Sessions 9, mixed by Makoto, live from Japan. It’s not one I listen to much to be honest. At least these two tunes are half decent, as are a couple of others. It did lack a big punch without the Bukem and Conrad effect, which will forever be the ultimate in partnerships and thought provoking story telling. 

    Greg Packer is an Australian producer and DJ who released tunes from 2000 onwards. He is a major pioneer in Australia for drum and bass. Having previously established output on Tangent and Hardleaders labels leading up to Bukem’s Looking Good label in 2002 with ‘Secret Doors’, he now has his first release on the father label, Good Looking. He has not  released new music for a bit under his name, but still tours as a DJ. Big shout goes out to Greg! 

   Side A provides ‘Feelin’’ carving out a weathered channel of naturally flowing musical oil to lubricate the senses. Greg Packer rolls out a track that kept some of those breaks in check within the liquid format and how can you not feel every fibre shake with that bass line. Absolutely huge! “Where am I at”.. there’s a fluid, bouncing energy in this one. The music was bubbling along, and 2003 was about to close its doors, leading to a pace and style that was soon to be the main format of labels in the atmospheric scene, for many years to come. 

    Simon Bassline Smith is a truly monumental figure in the world of drum and bass. When we ventured through the Absolute 2 Records way back in the early reviews, it was his mission from those early days of industrial, raw and resonating sounds that had the hardcore ravers experiencing this heavy hitting, brutal heavyweight of music, pushing out tunes that tore holes on the earths crust. For the release today, he is joined by Andy Wright who is Drumsound. ‘Planet Saturn’ has a very dramatic intro, holding the suspense with a cinematic and emotional launch pad. Side AA for me is a real l killer tune on GLR, as it maintains something old school within its DNA. That piano in the intro really spices shit up. Drop this now and fucking watch it kick off. As with so many tunes with Simon Bassline involved, that bass (Bassline by name and nature), is just explosive. Deep, thunderous and core tremblingly beautiful. Also, check the beats carefully and you can hear that familiar ‘Who Knows’ “yeah, come on” lift. A very impressive tune indeed this. Big shout to Simon. 

   Watch the ride with this beast! 

   Here’s your bonus question: What was the other Good Looking release that Simon Bassline Smith was associated with? Mmmmm..ponder at your leisure and no cheating. 50 points and a packet of melted Revels to the winner.

   Tomorrow we go into another white label. Until then…

Oh, and if it’s the blog you feel like perusing, covering each Good Looking Record up to now, check back on the blog and enjoy!