DJ Alex Corton – Good Looking Records

Good Looking Records

Rantoul – System Sylence / The Ladder

1999

For today’s review we have our first review on single 12”, by Ian Rantoul. We did review his track ‘Magnetic’, on the Ascendant Grooves LP, on PHD’s Ascendant Moods label, back many moons ago. This was Ian’s first of about 7 or 8 releases under the Good Looking Records roof, and it most certainly put Rantoul’s name into the circles of the music. It was a big help having 3 Rantoul tracks on Progression Sessions Vol. 4 (both tracks from this plate included), mixed by the master of cosmic journeys, and label head honcho, LTJ Bukem, alongside the late lyrical lord, MC Conrad R.I.P.

  ‘System Sylence’ opened up Prog Sessions 4 and it’s the very swagger and funk that this tune delivers which expanded the vibes of Good Looking even more. Rantoul was always up for pulling each end of the atmospheric band with his work. There was a latch which you were happy to clip on to while the momentum of his work carries you like a monorail into a destination of complete contentment. With ‘System Sylence’ we have this diversity of an atmospheric Jump up tune in a way. It sounds odd to say that, but it pounds and bubbles, kicking up heat and just wants to get you moving. Then there’s the length of the tunes that Rantoul made. He didn’t cut corners or waste any moments when spanning the durations of the work. This in turn, penetrates your soul and leaves you happily saturated with the well wears. 

   For our track on Side an we have one of my top 5 of Rantoul’s, ‘The Ladder’, with an Eastern flavor flowing and then there is the build to the fierce fucking amens. The ‘Jacobs Ladder’ sample adds that chilling tone of the madness and ill judgement, while tears sting the aftermath hollowed by the craters of mankind in the rearview mirror. ‘The Ladder’ spins out that rolling break, bursting bass and all the elements that make the dancefloor move, or let the laid back gaze, up into the heavens that casts the mind off on a journey of its own. Rantoul really punched a double shift on his first day with this release. A stalwart of musical memories and one of the best fast trips, followed by the repercussions of sanity, wallowing within this musical class. 

Any stories behind this cover then, Nick? Nudge nudge wink wink…

    Ian had a release out recently on the Okbron album ‘Will of The Universe’ so we may hear more material from him again soon, including The Peasant which was the TP on Ascendent Grooves which didn’t make it to main release, so that’s in the pipeline too. Massive respects to Rantoul, and many more will be reviewed on GLR. 

Good Looking Records

Q Project – Space-link / Radar

1999

As we roll into another of these Good Looking reviews, the quality continues to show up and more artists join the label. More classy music from one of the best of the best.

   Today brings us to an artist who had already had a hair raising release on Looking Good Records back in 1995, with ‘Instrumental’ which we’ll review when we reach the label, and also (with Paul ‘Spinback’) the Total Science release on GLR 022. Jason Greenhalgh was a non-stop, studio machine in the 90s, and as this decade of music was coming to a close, he had to sneak in today’s production. Of all his work, this one fades a little in comparison, and I don’t mean that it’s not good, more a case of a mid set breather that bridges gaps that you may not realize. The output stands its ground magnificently. 

   ‘Space-link’ drops temptations on the plate of desires in a mellow, futuristic fashion which sums up the elegance that Q put out. We have here on Side A the mechanics and industrial qualities mixing with the transcending lure of the deepest realms of music. This tune doesn’t always leap out of the shelves much, which is now making me a little ashamed as there is a heap of quality in this floating air of heavenly, molecule doused sweetness. The art of the majestic made to look like a walk in the park by one of the best studio technicians of the drum and bass world. 

    On Side A is ‘Radar’ and the attention to the beats continues with a seriously impressive and thought evoking journey. The way this tune collects the layers of ideas and sounds surrounding that basic synth riff is a marvel. Then those warm pads that sit as a beacon from the core of the tune, signal the stray communications, vacuuming up the wayward vibrations and funneling everything perfectly into this ever-so clever piece of music. Hearing this tune again has made sure I leave the spine of the sleeve sticking out a little more, as it needs more rotations in my life. I’m sure yours too. 

So, Nick, is the image of solar panels on a roof? Or something linked to the title/s of the tunes? 

A big respects to Jason. Those tunes just never stop, and never will stop hitting the mark. 

Good Looking Records

PHD – Haze / Contrast

1999

We turn our attention today toward one of the producers who generally kept hidden among the plethora of artists and DJs of the scene. It was during our reviews of the Ascendant Grooves label, a subsidiary of Good Looking Records and also run by this first-class producer, that we plunged into the details of PHD. He is Patrick Henry, and to me, one of the most underrated and important figures within the deeper sounds of this music.  We covered plenty on his Ascendant Grooves label around three and a half years ago, and I am not sure if this release came out as Ascendant Grooves was fading out after the labels 10 releases (9 official and the LP)? I presume this was the case as he was probably going to release it on Ascendant, but this was the switch onto Good Looking, taking less lime light (and probably less hassle). Either way, it was his only solo venture on the main GLR label. 

   ‘Haze’ on Side A has a metronomic Deep Blue vibe running through those mechanical beats. We have warm pads, soft strings and the fuzed mosaic of wisps within the wind ensemble, while a flotilla of jazz clouds sprinkle a light rain of purity and life into the tune. PHD brought such depth, but in a minimal way. That is not an easy thing to accomplish. While this one plays you can’t help but sit back and let the river meander its brain cruise within the tropics, effortlessly drifting through the coves of your mind. 

  This track is mixed by Artemis, which adds that special ingredient into the recipe for this delightful parade of wonder. The thing that stands out about this is that it doesn’t have that Artemis sound, which shows how PHD put down his own ideas with more of a backseat from Olly. Not a bad wingman though. 

   ‘Contrast’ on Side AA packs the crates with the most succulent sounds. We get the hypnotic, metronomic flair once again, and the way the beats and bass work take a fucking mind exploding journey across the ghosted civilizations of the night. The work in this track deserves so much more recognition than I feel has occurred since it was released. 

   You even have the fact that ‘Contrast’ is mixed by Intense, which explains its superb combination of sound, creativity and overall full-package of musical standing. Big up to Beau and the crew. PHD really put a couple of killer tunes out on this plate. The amazing thing is, that while there are two, top engineers for both sides on the mixing desk, it’s his personal sound that remains within the tracks. A brilliant 12” which should be in anyone’s record box if you’re into the chilled out bliss of that deeper cosmic flow. 

The artwork has an interesting backstory to it, as per Nick Purser’s input. “ I took that shot in the Italian Alps. I was gutted because I’d shot 2 full rolls of film of all this amazing scenery and nothing came out at all except this blurred low quality image. There was something I liked about it so I used it but I couldn’t stop thinking about the images that didn’t work out.”

Thanks to Nick as always!

That’s another of Good Looking Records complete. A big respects out to Patrick Henry. One of the true backbones of the music. 

Good Looking Records

Big Bud – State Of Mind / Transmission

1999

While we work through the Good Looking Records label, there will be names that come and go and then names that bob up to the surface more often. Last week we arrived at Big Bud’s entrance into Good Looking Records and as if to say “the tank is still very full”, Robin returns with two more breath taking pieces of music. We were mearly scratching the surface to be honest, as there are so many more quality tracks coming up from him. Let’s rejoin the phenomenal world of Big Bud.

    Side A is ‘State Of Mind’ and if you could transform any state of mind, this tune will activate that motion. It’s a great tune to mix and is superbly produced as always, by Robin. In terms of the quality of this tune. For me, it’s on par with Intense’s work and even has that air of their huge resonating basslines, crystal clear beats and harmonious pads. Robin delivers a tune here that sends all the feels, pinching those thermals and rising higher than ever. When we level out at the breakdown, those vocals and synths stretch the imagination a little bit further still. I also love the way the stuttered, edited amen sits on top of those magical main beats. Take that second long sip of some of the highest quality atmospheric drum and bass from the challis of this great music. A true gem in the GLR vault. 

   On the other side we have ‘Transmission’, position its aerial toward the gaping night sky, the dial turning slowly, yearning to pick up the distant signals, erratically staggered within the concept of distance between light and sound. You can absorb the true sound of Big Bud within this tune, with its steady break, lined with those high hat taps, and the bass from the tool belt of catchy riffs. As the tide of the breakdown crawls up the sand, the chords and that angelic guitar string wake the inner emotions and spread out before you’re even aware. This one is a fucking incredible tune that has such a submerging, underlying coherence that you’ll take a few, to return to the land of the living after hearing it. Seductive, hypnotic and unbelievably produced by Big Bud. He really was at a cruising altitude that had the ultimate combination of ideas within this period of the music. 

   It is yet again, the work of Nick Purser on the cover design. What’s the story with this one? Who’s the person in image you used? Always good to hear your developments putting things together. 

    We have more Big Bud, in the not too distant future. Maximum respect Robin!

Good Looking Records

Cedar / Biowire – Equinox / Karizma

1999

For our next release on Good Looking Records, the pharmacy is fully stocked for the ultimate in chill pill handouts. Today’s release is the first on Good Looking to feature two separate artists claiming a side each. Let’s dive into the worlds of two producers who were ready to break out the eggs in the nest and claim a golden ticket to Good Looking. 

   We reviewed Jon Schorah, also known as Cedar, when we were on Deep Rooted Records on Facebook (later to be included in this blog). That was the deep house side of GLR which we covered some time back. He was also featured on Earth Volume 7. Before all those, he had today’s release leading up to the Millenium. If you have the series of Progression Sessions you will be very familiar with the track ‘Equinox’ on Side A as it was the opening tune on the very first Progression Sessions in the series. Once it begins you can’t help but recall 1000’s of memories on hearing it again, and if you can get through the whole tune without hearing those cutting chop-ins from Bukem with Intense – Eastern Promise, then well done. Ha ha! 

    ‘Equinox’ is one hell of a tune. The ultimate in tranquil anesthetics with a window to the heavens. The way the music melts the backbone and workings within you, conjures up a malleable and ever changing view of things. It is yet again the imagery that we get from Nick Purser on the main cover that hits the nail on the head with the flotation of plasmic amoeba forms transferring energy from fore to aft, while reflecting the lights and sounds through its translucent state. The music was capturing the most vivid and distant images at this stage, in parallel with the way the music was broadening its scope worldwide.

    Biowire is J. Crosse. Here, we have just a one off on Good Looking and I don’t really know much about his producing after this? He’s on Souncloud, as a ‘Breaks, Bass & Bleeps’ producer but don’t know any more. 

  This track ‘Karizma’ on Side AA is a superb little tune, and like the A Side, was featured on that first Prog Sessions volume from Bukem. There’s a great live energy in the track that reminds me a lot of some of the ILS (Axis) tunes with the busy and live percussion, details in the rhythms, and that essence of sunshine that descends across your day. 

This release will always hold a special place.

Good Looking Records

Alaska + Paradox – Planet³ / Space-age

1999

We reach the Thirtieth release today on Good Looking Records and turn the page onto the drumfunk king within our world of jungle and drum and bass, Mr. Dev Pandya. Having already established a very reputable history of work on Renegade Hardware, Reinforced, and then on a label we have already covered, Certificate 18, Dev was becoming a force to be reckoned with. The Benjamin Button of the scene, has here, his one and only release on Good Looking, and in typical fashion, resets how the game is played. 

   We also have with this release, the first cover design by Nick Purser. This was to be the beginning of a very prosperous partnership which I personally feel enhanced the way the music merged both sound and art to the highest degree. Big shout to Nick Purser as always and please jump onto any of these many posts lined up, with recollections or stories and I’ll transfer them into the blog (link below). I know Earth Records & Cookin’ have provided many great insights! 

   If you were only blinkered to the deep, floaty expectations of Good Looking, that was about to be scrunched up into a ball, strapped to a rock and thrown out the nearest window. On Side A we have ‘Planet³’ which for those 5th graders that I attempt to teach, means ‘Planet Cubed’ (they have a Perimeter / Area / Volume confusion at times but the cubed meaning to the power of 3 – the third dimension, or multiplying Length, Width and Height to change your flat cartoon area house into the cube or rectangular prism it should be, you have a mini-lesson which I do indeed use. This music finds its way into my classroom at every opportunity! I’ll miss teaching this grade next year. Got the younger kids that need to gain some behavioral strategies. 

   As I sit here listening to ‘Planet³’ with the cover in my hands, the collosus of the aligned planets draws in a series of deep flowing images of the life below the swirling clouds. We cruise from the Alaska layered pads and then rinse a massive roll out that punishes the stragglers. This drum funk break session feeds off the amenities of aliens and pinches out the hotspots and ice caps that differ across the spherical masses within this fleeting discovery of distant galaxies. This track is still so unlike any other GLR track and still fires a mind bending voyage across the clarity and chaos of deep space. 

    ‘Space-age’ on the AA Side is a real personal top 5 of mine from Dev. As accustomed to his usual knack of ultimate drum funk fluidity, he soaks up a lot of those Alaskan style pads and synths in here, bringing a solitude and peace which lures you down to the surface. As we hit the atmosphere, the bass switches on the turbulence and places the pads to one side as the mission dives through the gases and rocks which protect the encased shell of the planet. As the strings reenter and the vocal moans,  drift from the warning panel, the ship stabilizes and we can breathe through the chambers of the outer tanks, before the first glimpses of a planet floor approach. Dev has such a high level of creating that balanced see-saw of perfect 180° sound with the textures and feelings splitting the rough and the smooth. This is a track that typifies how incredibly versatile and unique Dev is with his work. ‘Space-age’ is a trip you have to make again, and again. 

    That’s the only visit from him on GLR, but the Alaska + Paradox machine does hit Looking Good when we get to that sister label. 

Good Looking Records

Second Vision – The Italian Job / Running

1999

The year moves into 1999 to begin another first class trip through Good Looking Records’ extensive weight in the world of drum and bass. I hope everyone is enjoying the reviews and revisiting this music that reaches those areas of your life that nothing else quite can?

    For our artist today, we have one of the most prolific and inspiring music writers and remixers of the scene. Way before he had this release on Good Looking, he had served up some of the biggest tunes ever made on a barrage of first class labels; Absolute, Reinforced, Moving Shadow & Labello Blanco had all shown the pedigree of Gavin Chueng’s knack for the anthemic, showcasing the raw, killler dancefloor bites. It was now time for the atmospherics to receive his masterful way of redesigning the emotional roads within your head.  

   The Eastern Sun rises to the mists of the Wasen’s & Amibunes within the peace and stillness of the harbors tales and woes. When the main breaks lift off the anchors we pick up speed and raise the sails for this unknown drift into the blank horizon ahead. The bass is a thing of utter superiority in this track, as it really fills every patch of your mind with this infectious hum. It compacts everything together so elegantly and makes you look up from your navigational equipment to plot that reassigned course across the rapid currents, triggered by the unstable tectonic plates, submerged miles below the surface. ‘The Italian Job’ is a piece of gold from Gavin, (although I seemed to venture geographically further East for my personally scribed visual interpretation), and it opened up a vast number of releases from him, on GLR, LGR and across the Cookin’ and final Earth compilation. This release I feel is hidden a fair bit when it comes to Good Looking, which is a sacrilege as it’s a real slammer that picks up the crowds every time. 

   ‘Runnin’ on the other side is more proof that Gavin turns the heat up by just walking into the studio. This is a beat work out that takes the fucking piss to be honest, as it’s so eclectic and rhythmically diverse that you don’t even notice the gradual building of all the essentials around it. By the time the bass arrives you’ve already gathered enough steam to plough through the rolling mountain ranges and set auto pilot for the duration. It’s funky, soulful and spills the bath of groove out onto the floor for everyone to absorb. Tracks like this deserve a reload and thrown into a shit load more mixes. Come on folks, put it into some mixes (or I might do soon). Gavin hit the GLR label running hard. That’s no surprise though as he’d pretty much sown up such a legendary status by 1999, it was only a matter of time until GLR pushed him a deal to canvas his artistry.

   Lots more from Gav coming up later in the label. Second Vision was his one off though under that name (I’m sure due to being signed as Nookie on other labels until 2000). Just go and rinse both sides and you’ll be kicking yourself you’ve not been rotating this one a lot, lot more. 

   Big props as always, Gav! 

Good Looking Records

Seba – Valley Of The Moomins / Car Crash

1998

Seba had already been snapped up by GLR following his collaboration with Stefan Soderman, Lotek, on LGR 005 in 1996, with ‘Sonic Winds / So Long’. Although Bukem mentions in one of his Kiss FM shows that they are “straight out of Germany”, they are of course Swedish. Seba went solo after that and had his 1997 release ‘Connected’ on LGR 014. Today’s release was Seba’s first on Good Looking Records, and while ‘Car Crash’ is his own work, he did join forces again with Lotek for the A Side, ‘Valley Of The Moomins’ and the technical brilliance of the work is soaring with both tracks. 

   I do not have the main release sleeve or a promo sleeve for this one. I’ve had a good cry about it though, and once you’ve heard the tunes, you don’t really care if it comes in a Poundstretcher bag covered in cabbage (don’t try that though). What I do have though, is the two inlay sheets that came with it, which I’d have thought would be with the promo. I put the pictures up (below), of the promotion sheet and the reaction sheet that came with it too. 

You may already have realized how much of a fan of Seba’s I am. His work has always been something that not only sounds impressive but can vary from the calming and dreamy to the downright nasty and explosive. The range of work is vast and his involvement with drum and bass (and of course his house/deep house, as Forme), is consistently being inspired by a range of people and places that he gains ideas and influences from. We did dive into his work earlier on 720, Arctic Music, Combination, Blu Mar Ten, and Beverage, with many more still to encounter. Seba is one of the most consistent and masterful producers over the last 30 years. A big respect goes out to him and long may the music keep flowing. 

   Side A lowers you into the mysterious world of the Finnish based characters called The Moomins. This track places you deep within the echoing valley where the strange and soothing sounds of the natural habitat of these creatures, has them communicating across the landscape where you are catching snippets of another world. ‘Valley Of The Moomins’ is a tune that turned GLR on its head with the sound, and this particular release from Seba & Lotek, contains something that opened a door, a gateway, onto the penthouse level of music. There’s suspense, calming, joy, and a hint of fear in this track, with its crystal beats, very strolling bass, and the layers of pads and springs of the voices that enter, fade and loop within earshot of your settlement in the cold northern territories of fermentation. Seba & Lotek deliver a luring, spiritual and nerve edged magic to us with this track. Hearing it loud right now it is so fucking incredibly creative. You cannot go wrong with this excellent piece of music. Brilliant!

   Side AA will always spiral my mind back to MOS in what must have been 1998, to the Log Prog (Or Prog Sessions) where a group of us travelled up to London and we had the joy of hearing Bukem, Tayla, Seba and MC Conrad (R.I.P) laying down the real deal. This track came on and I remember there was this spark of life in the crowd that just lit when the beats in ‘Car Crash’ came in, and then when the bass dropped too. Holy fucking god. The sound system in Ministry Of Sound was always a seriously impressive rig and this tune filled the air with so much fury & intensity I felt like my rib cage was being sucked out my chest. This tune rattles along as a reminder that Seba can slide the amens and live sounding bass together with maximum effect. The subtle panning of the breaks, the eerie and dangerous sounds that encroach then retreat, all hurl this giant fireball of risk at you, where you get the burns of the fury but the cooling ice of stillness cementing things together. 

    That’s another GLR plate complete and a fantastic release to keep things moving along. More Good Looking Records coming your way, as we hit the next five in the catalogue.

Enjoy the tunes! 

Gold Looking Records

Voyager – Beatnik / Apollo 

1998

By the time Good Looking Records was creeping toward its Thirtieth release, the health and vibrancy of the atmospheric side of drum and bass was in a strong place. With the events, small clubs, and flag flying from this label,  it had now captured a following from all over the world. There were artists building their own hubs from which to venture further with the movement. However, the many lessons by the originators that had been laid down before, in the production and engineering of the music, still required these expert and knowledgeable founders. Today, we reach one of those founders. 

    When we reviewed Dee Jay Recordings on Facebook, this next guy was featured within the framework of a very large percent of them, as both engineer and producer. We also reviewed his release on Creative Source, and working with DJ Crystl on Freakout Recordings and Force Ten. There are so many more to come too. For today, let’s slide out the vinyl and revisit a release that, to me, connects the sounds of the mid 90’s with a spark of magic, leaning into the late 90s that goes beyond words. If I can do this plate justice, I’ll be very relieved. Here’s to the legendary, Pete Voyager Parsons. 

     Bukem had been championing nearly everything Pete had been involved with, and the link between the two of them may have had a little to do with Duncan Hutchinson, AKA Trace. Just a stab in the dark with a guess, which I’m sure Pete can elaborate on….         

     Trace and Bukem worked together way back and it was then, Trace at Dee Jay Recordings that had Pete working the desk with Trace. It was only a matter of time before Pete had a release on Good Looking, and holy shit, did he provide the label a couple of superb tunes. Let’s get the music on and catch this train on its spectacular journey. 

    As you can see, I have the main release but in a promo sleeve. How and why? Who only knows. The main sleeve must be hiding behind a tree in the woods somewhere. I’d actually like the original sleeve but I doubt there’s anyone stateside that wants to swap it for my Promo sleeve? Let us know if that lightning strikes. 

    ‘Beatnik’ on Side A warms the back of your neck as the red disc of a sun treads water on the horizon. We are treated here to some of the most elegantly dressed beats, a killer bass guitar and how can it be a Voyager production if it’s not got the fresh flowing synths and pads that carefully drain into your soul. I love the simple key work in here too that lures you toward a state of deeper thoughts and transfixed contentment. The saxophone spills out, providing that full flow of jazzy, late night conversation without words. You have here a true leviathan of musical composition. ‘Beatnik’ will always get the moods into place, focusing on that unique spirit level of true balance between electronic music and live jazz. 

   On Side AA is one of the top 3 Voyager tracks in my view. Everything about ‘Apollo’ is shining out brighter than light itself. From those soothing and heart breaking chords in the intro, letting the tears well and lump grow in the throat, Pete raises how far the bar can go by another few inches. ‘Apollo’ holds such a dear place too, as I remember hearing it out at MOS and losing it. There’s a tranquility and depth that is difficult to convey with words, and that’s why there’s times when you just have to drop the pen and drift. Let this tune be one that revisits your ears again very soon, as it’s truly one of the most poetic and memorable tracks on GLR. Pete Parsons kindly stated the following about ‘Apollo’

“Always had a soft spot for this one. The live break (which was recorded at the old Lucky Spin Studio on a single overhead mic) sounded perfect. I had the kit singing back then, as it was being used for all the live shows. The intro sample is from my namesake, Alan Parsons and created this zither-ish / jazzy vibe that set the whole track up on that live, jazzy vibe. Theis bass line was influenced by the Masters at Work track ‘To Be In Love’. I loved that groove and was looking to use a similar kind of thing, on one of my tracks. I’ve no idea where these sample came from, but it was like it was written for it, and it added a great hook line. I used to play this live and it always sounded awesome with a full band.” – Pete Parsons – big respects for that!

   This is the only Voyager track on GLR which, while surprising, is in sync with some other ‘one-drop’ projects that Pete did for other labels. The definition of quality over quantity. 

   Maximum respect to Pete as always!

Good Looking Records

Big Bud – Emotionography / Alzir

1998

Robin O’Reilly is the one and only Big Bud. We reviewed three of his works during the posts on Creative Source (which one day I’ll transfer onto a blog of some sorts..patience…). It was only a matter of time, therefore along with Bukem’s matter of opinion…see what I did there?, that Big Bud would be scooped up by the GLR label.      

    Robin’s output on the label has been one of the most extensive by any artist, with work across Earth, Cookin’ GLR & LGR, along with the two albums ‘Infinity + Infinity’ & ‘Late Night Blues’. He also had his one off project on Blue Vinyl which was that 7” we covered way back, called ‘Runaway’. Whatever was going on with him between 1995 and 2000, the work and high standards just poured out, providing a torrent of music which never faltered and stands as some of the most beautiful and inspiring music ever produced. 

   On Side A, we have the special something that awakens a gaggle of hidden feelings which rise up and erupt through this piece of pure brilliance from Big Bud. ‘Emotionography’ clutches the pulsing strands that connect the distant galaxies and stars through a seasoned break, along with that infamous Big Bud bass that always carried its own tune, and your simmering conscious state. 

If you crank this one up (which I presume comes naturally anyway), you can hear this distant scream in the track saying, I think? “Yes..fuck you”? There’s also the spoken sample in here which I’m not entirely sure of, origin wise. Any takers? 

   You can also catch a remix of this track on Big Bud’s ‘Pure EP’ (GLREP006V). It’s a slightly extended version. I love this original though, as the main characteristics define how the essential components sit scaled along the wall of majestic reason. This tune was a big gateway for Big Bud, onto a label that not only flourished with his work, but provided us with a deluge of wonderful pieces of music. The studio he was in was about to become a hotspot of creativity. Saying that, he’d already delivered so many golden tunes. 

    For our track on Side AA we have ‘Alzir’. Now I can’t vouch for the title as to whether it’s based on the Algerian use of the name or (knowing Robin), it being ‘Rizla’ spelled backward. I’m sure Robin, you can confirm more on this one though (as you did with Blueberry Muffins, ha ha ha). When I bought this plate, I found that both sides measured up in quality. This side has that waft of the desert sands spinning off the dunes and launching into the chaotic whirlwinds of the sky. The beats hit clearly, the bass does the usual Big Bud riff which carries everything so perfectly, and then we get the real wizardry with its breakdown and key change. There’s a flowing energy and thoughtful tenderness within this tune. If that’s not enough we get that piano chord striking in. What a fucking incredible jam going on with this tune. It goes from an atmospheric joy into this lively freestyle development. Classy music from the maestro. 

This 12” is a real gem. A gleaming jewel of the label and a very poignant and pivotal release for Big Bud. The door would remain open for many more to follow. 

   We will have plenty more incredible pieces of music from Big Bud on Good Looking Records, so for now we’ll soak up the divine sounds on the is 12” and then place the ‘Do Not Disturb’  sign back on his door until the next one. Big respects as always to one of the strongest pillars within Good Looking and the romantic, flavorful sounds of one if the best to deliver those jazz tinged atmospheric works. 

   I also want to acknowledge Miles Showell on the mastering for this release, at Metropolis. His background and experience shines through with his rich history of work.