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(Hospital/Inertia)
It was about five years ago when a friend first played me London Elektricity’s ‘Pull the Plug’. An exciting introduction to drum and bass, it was soulful and sexy… and the producers’ jazz sensibilities shone through. Two albums later, Tony Colman has done it again with ‘Power Ballads,’ refining these strengths to perfection. From the lavish production and live drums down to the seriously soulful vocal performances, this is their strongest release yet... and about as accessible as d’n’b gets to the uninitiated.
The album opens with a flurry of horns and drums, that makes no mistake about gaining your attention. Tony described the opener ‘Out of This World’ himself as a ‘rock opera’ in complexity, and he’s right there. The whole album is ambitious in that sense, with tasteful changes occurring frequently enough to satisfy both active and passive listeners, in headphones and nightclubs alike.
When I first heard ‘Pull the Plug’ years ago I imagined I was riding on a bullet train, hurtling forward at incredible speed and unsure of my destination. Power Ballads’ ‘Hanging Rock’ is a beautiful return to this sensation. The vocals slip into the middle-ground, becoming another texture in the passing sonic scenery. Even in the vocal heavy tracks, plenty of space is left for the beat to punch through, and the subtle nuances of the arrangement to tease the senses. As in previous releases, strings and horns make an appearance, along with some nice pulsing synth basslines… and a full gamut of incidental electronica and effects. ‘The Mustard Song’ has a broad range of passing elements, and an arrangement that sounds strangely like UK progressive tour-de-force Way Out West’s work. ‘Vapour Trails’ continues the theme of transcendental transportation, and is another superbly underspoken instrumental groove.
Vocals and melodies also feature prominently throughout the album, from the tuneful MC driven ‘Watching You, Watching Me’ (featuring MC Wrec) to the soulful screams of diva Liane Carol on ‘I Don’t Understand’. The latter is an isolated down tempo track that draws from funk, but retains it’s contemporary edge with its sophisticated arrangement and a dark synthetic bass line. Juxtapositions of synthesis and soul abound on this release, and the precision and clarity of the production creates a beautiful ambience for the human voices to reside in. The lyrics are never throw-away or cliched, and Tony has managed to pen consistently fresh sounding melodies, with a standout in ‘Remember the Future’. In the vein of ‘Songs in the Key of Knife’ it’s upbeat, soulful and uplifting… a beautiful break in the weather for a style of music often overrun with darkness and discord.
Other melodic ideas are explored as the beats roll on, ‘The Will to Love’ even drawing from the choral ‘round’ and setting the mood with the piano virtuosity of Hospital label-mate Landslide. In other tracks the melody is present, but remains instrumental. The title track ‘Power Ballads’ passes this duty onto the strings, which soar over a relentlessly driving bass line. ‘The Strangest Secret in the World’ does it with a range of instrumental voices, and also brings another old friend to the forefront, the acoustic double bass.
Since forming the live band around the time of their previous effort ‘Billion Dollar Gravy,’ the energy of London Elektricity’s recordings is more intense than ever. The relentless drummer and passionate vocalists are largely responsible, and Tony’s skill as an arranger and producer goes without question. This is soulful, intelligent and uplifting drum ‘n’ bass, deserving of the accolades it will surely attract. After hearing rave reviews of their live DVD release a few years ago, I hope Tony brings the live band down here soon, and brings his ‘Power Ballads’ with him.
