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TheRainbowGazetteissue3.spring.2014.#10RBWwww.TheRainbowVenues.co.uk bonobo black sands Pioneers of late 60’s and early 70’s funk, Sly and The Family Stone defined the sound of a generation. It was music without boundaries, fusing infectious rhythm, joyous melody and psychedelia, a blend deemed desirably potent for sampling. Public Enemy, Fat Boy Slim, De La Soul and Tu-Pac are just a small selection of artists who mined the back catalogue for catchy hooks. In-fact the defining characteristic of the entire funk genre as we know it was thanks to their bassist Larry Graham. Without any knowledge of doing so he had invented slap bass, a technique that influenced the sound of disco and funk forever more. Their music has been the inspiration behind artists like Michael Jackson, Prince and Rick James and this was the album that started it all. Emerging from London’s underground 70’s psychedelia scene it wasn’t long before Pink Floyd became one of the biggest bands on the planet. Their otherworldly sound was forever evolving, their philosophical song-writing complimented their sonic experimentation and it featured masterful use of the modern equipment of the time, notably the EMS VCS 3 synth. They are one of the most musical influential bands in history and they have helped lay many of the foundations for electronic music, with acts like Kraftwerk replicating their sound. Often overshadowed due to the success of it’s 1973 predecessor Dark Side of The Moon, “Wish You Were Here” employ’s the same flawless narrative. Sophisticated, humble lyrical content partners a polished, coherent structure and tone that engages the listener from start to finish. ‘‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’’ is a true feat of instrumental suspense, it’s 13mins of momentum building musicality featuring three roaring guitar solos, a minimoog solo and a saxophone solo. For the albums entirety you are blessed with bluesy instrumentation, washed out guitar reverbs, space enhancing effects and warming synth pads. ‘‘Welcome To The Machine’’ produces an epic, eerie audio space, almost extra terrestrial feeling, whereas the industry baiting ‘‘Have A Cigar’’ reverts to a more typical rock-oriented sound using an additional guitar and electric piano. A real sense of fluidity is exercised throughout the album, with title track ‘‘Wish You Were Here’’ starting as the previous track finishes. Dedicated to former member Syd Barrett, it’s heart-wrenching, soul searching songwriting will touch even the strongest of hearts. Ending as it started, ‘‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond parts 6-9’’ is another 12min instrumental belter and is an emotional musical journey in itself, winding out with ‘’a slow 4/4 funeral march... the parting musical eulogy to Syd.’’ Simon Green has multiple accomplished works to date but nothing as stand-out and brilliant as Black Sands. Since his debut in 2000 his sound has matured and it now preaches a more natural, organic tone compared to his previous, heavily sampled works. A composer in his own right he orchestrates genius multi-layered soundscapes and atmospheres, rich in emotional musicality that truly resonate with the listener. It’s the abundance of tiny, delicate musical details that once compiled create a grand cinematic sound. Over the years Green has gradually introduced more and more live instrumentation into his work and it’s with good cause, it has added an extra dimension to his sound. Instrumentally the album features a beautifully diverse selection of sounds. Sounds that are so subtly glued together they blissfully dance amongst one from the vaults: albums to listen to before you die Aptly named ‘Dance To The Music’ makes you want to do exactly that, it’s an album that injects a fun, high spirited sound into your life with an honest down-to-earth message. The opening and title track is a record that everybody on the globe should know thanks to its playful breakdowns, killer solo’s, raw groove and catchy vocals, preaching a message that all music fans should adhere to; Dance to the music! Throughout the album the message is mirrored, making for joyful listening. The soulful tone to Sly’s voice weaves perfectly amongst the sun splashed psychedelic guitar qualities and it’s tightly glued together with fast, killer drum and bass rhythms. Instrumental solo’s appear frequently and showcase the individual talents of the group, adding bluesy flare into ‘Higher’ with a lively harmonica track. The band have an exuberant energy when they jam and it is perfectly reflected in their records, we have much to thank to the Sly Stone’s of this world, as it is artists like these that indirectly influenced the modern dance music of today. Sly and the Family Stone dance to the music. Pink Floyd wish you were here another, creating a mysterious and wonderful world of escapism. Whirling, symphonic notes dominate ‘‘Black Sands’’ and ‘‘Animals’’ to create an entrancing audio haven, whereas seismic bass, broken percussion and Asian strings enrich ‘‘Kiara’s’’ sound-space. The woeful vocals of Andreya Triana feature on three tracks, adding a serene, husky elegance to Green’s underlying, soothing composition. The mixing and mastering of each record is so finely tuned that the timbre can change in the gradual sweep and fade of a few instruments, a sign of his development as a producer and a musician. Black Sands is not only his masterpiece, it is also an album that demonstrates the intricate beauty that can be achieved when electronic music marries live instruments. words by: Mike Taylor