Frenchy’s Fracas

General Description
Artist/Band: Pete Philly & Perquisite ||
Album Title: Mystery Repeats
Year: 2007

Ambition, energy and quality.

How I Got Into This Music
Saw these guys on MTV (remember that?) and I didn’t realise they were Dutch. The strong presence of Pete Philly stuck with me and when Hieronymus Fox and me went to see them play live a while back, I saw a band that was entertaining, professional and ambitious. Their mix-up of rap and music styles works for me. Just read that this new album’s topping the Dutch charts, so I head to get me a listen.

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Tracks that got my attention:
Clap Kick Flow
Excellent intro track, the vocal setup is a pleasant surprise.

Womb To Womb
A genuine Floor-Filler, catchy hook, nice raps and subtle production.

Fish To Fry
This one’s a very intelligently produced track - almost single material, not sure if it’d work, hey, I like it a lot!

Q & A
A catchy chorus isn’t enough in this case..

Believer
Wow, old-school scat crooning (mind out of the gutter please..). A very catchy song, skillful performance, showing the diverse range of rapper and band.

Awake
There’s a Galliano and Jamiroquai vibe going on, not sure if it works for me. I can imagine many a teenager chanting this one.

Last Love Song
Another Jamiroquai thing and remember, Jamiroquai wasn’t the originator of that style either.. But this track’s also one you have to see live.

Freestyle
Intro’s just a bit too much Outkast for my taste. The rest is quite okay.

Empire
A very mature track, great airplay potential.

High Tide
Taking risks, nice! Less safe, more interesting..

Mystery Repeats
Smart song, great energy, nice string arrangement in the background and in the chorus.

Time Flies
Love this song, melancholy yet feel good. Catchy, great vocals.

Conclusion
Hmm.. Yet another impressively professional music production from the Lowlands. I love the energy these guys have especially live. There is nothing wrong with this album, it deserves the attention and success it’s having, because these guys work friggin’ hard to deliver the goods.
My review is a mix of pros and cons: not totally my taste, sometimes sounding a bit too much like other current artists, but.. They’re more than okay, I’m very curious how these guys evolve and there’s no friggin’ reason for this band not to become successful internationally.
In the meantime, go see this band perform live, their energy is worth it!!

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General Description
Artist/Band: Koop
Album Title: Koop Islands
Year: 2006

Laidback, low-brow and funfunfun!

How I Got Into This Music
Damn, can’t remember.. Must be last.fm again
Got the album from Hieronymus Fox, and well, I like their vibe!

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Tracks that got my attention:
Koop Island Blues ft. Ane Brun
What a way to start a track: the cheesiest of Mediterranean strings (I’m guessing) and harmonica; immediately setting the mood for a jazzy, French film noir kinda movie. And Miss Brun finishes it all off with that perfect hint of melancholy. Excellent flute and brass works at the end!

Come to Me ft. Yukimi Nagano
When I heard this one, early November last year, I thought it’d be the most excellent X-Mas Alternative Track. And guess what I saw during the festive season? Yep, the clip of this track.. With the incredibly stunning Miss Yukimi Nagano; a name and a face you’d simply not associate with this type of music (proving my own limited mindset of course). The track itself is such fantastic Nostalgia, love it!

Forces… Darling ft. Earl Zinger
The name Zinger doesn’t ring a bell? No? Really? Oh well.. Remember that UK band called Galliano (thanks for the heads up, HF!). Not a bad track.

I See a Different You ft. Yukimi Nagano
Second track with the sweet vocals of miss Nagano; a bit more up-tempo, a bit heavier on the string arrangements and very, very catchy!

Let’s Elope ft. Mikael Sundin
Tropical jazz with great vibes and breathy vocals.

The Moonbounce
Heh, I think this track could be defined as Classic Koop: smart, jazzy and entertaining. It always takes a bloody great amount of courage and skill to use a flute on a track without seriously pissing me off. Nice horns too.

Beyond the Son ft. Earl Zinger
This is why the combo of Koop and Earl Zinger is so bloody obvious. Great vibes and laidback keys accompanying the soft and whispery voice of Zinger, who’s telling us a weird and enchanting story. Takes me back to Galliano’s work.

Conclusion
Hmm.. While writing this review I realised that this album isn’t that good at all. Weirdly enough, if you pay too much attention to what’s being presented, you lose sight of it’s allure and the whole thing loses its attraction.
This album is excellent: these guys take classic easy-listening jazz and reboot the whole thing; and it works! Just don’t try to read too much into it; sit back, relax, dip your toe in the pool, have a sip of that tropical cocktail and enjoy the setting sun. What? You’re just sitting in your appartment on a rainy and gloomy day? This album takes away all your greys and replaces them with technicolor rainbows of mellowness. It’s not a great album, it’s a great experience!

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