From Giles Ward Sent Sat, Feb 13th 1999, 14:11
From Giles Ward Sent Sat, Feb 13th 1999, 14:11
> Could someone please give me a quick revew of MDK: "Open Transport."
> Also, is this still available.
>
> J / Mc
here's a repost of a review I posted in October...
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Just got hold of the MDK CD on Spymania, 'Open Transport'. MDK is half of
WAFTA,and moonlights as Value Ape.. It's in usual Spymania regalia, with an
intriguing piccy on the back of the man himself.. looking like he's trying
to shift a particularly nasty curry!
It's a diverse album, and seems to follow the Spymania manifesto of value,
innovation and irreverence..
The album opener 'Caravan' is short but sweet, and leads into 'We keep it
tight', a hippety hoppety statement of intent for what's to come...with 31
tracks nothing has been allowed to drag. There's a real mix of influences
on here.. acid, thrash metal, jazz, ITV current affair telly themes..
Initial impressions are it's f'kin good.. current favourite tracks
include..
'Sound of Saturday (original)'
Yes, it's that WAFTA one with added old school drums
'World in action'
class piece of swinging break beat action.. jazzy plucks, tasty rides,
walking bass with a nod to the WIA theme, a corker..
'I don't know'
speedy bongo breaks combined with some warped vocals swiped from
somewhere.. very familiar..hmm..
'Sambaesque'
luverly track - one of the most organic things on the album
'Breaking down'
nice bit of sax over more hip hop breaks... this really is a top
tune...had me jigging around like a spare part from East 17
'Do you want to be murdered'
looks like it's Horse Opera's track from Spunk Jazz deconstructed by MDK..
by crikey it gets nasty in places!
'Dacne'
sounds like a vintage jazz trio.. piano led this time.. nice double bass
'The ultimate raver'
shit it's 1992 again! "raise da flava of da ultimate raver!"
'walking on commerciality'
boing boom tschak go the beats... or rather.. b-b b-bbbbboing b-boom
t-t-tts-ch-chak when MDK gets his hands on them, and glues them to a top
tune
The album closes with 'hood remix', which starts off with a tuneful Main
drone, then evolves into yet another funky lo-fi morsel..
This album certainly has the funk... even the thrash metal ones!
Recommended...