Out of the Netherlands comes this absolute peach of a record, chilled, funky and full of heart. Released on Marcel Vogel´s ´other`label Intimate Friends (he is also head honcho of leftfield disco/house imprint Lumberjacks From Hell), ´Come Into Knowledge`sits in the same sunset as acts like Bonobo, Steve Cobby, Nightmares On Wax and any other artists who paint their musical pictures with a deep emotional range and thought.
Bobby Van Putten has put his heart and soul into this record. The oldest track on the album ´Back Into The Night`was started eight years ago and is a family affair with local friends adding vocal and musical chops to his intricately woven tunes. As Bobby says "the oldest track on this album is about 8 years old, but it went through quite some phases of finalizing, like most tracks on this record. It took quite some time for me to see the big picture and glue it all together in a way that makes sense and keeps the momentum going."
Bobby has been making music for 16 years and has had releases on New York´s Razor´N`Tape and UK label Wax On as well as producing some outstanding Beattape action as ´The Planty Herbs´ (see bottom of page) but with this album, he has really hit it.
The twelve songs on ´Come Into Knowledge`come across like slow-food, textures melting into each other, the flavours rich and the chef stirring and seasoning gently till something close to perfection is achieved. If it takes eight years to make an album so fully realised then take your time I say. Immaculately produced, all the tracks contain remarkable depth, the lightest of sounds becoming more audible with repeated listens, an idiosyncratic clarity amongst the boom bap drums and jazzed´not-jazz keys and synth washes. There are also some great vocal turns from Bobby´s mates Marlon Penn, Eveline Vroonland and Nienke Lohuis as well as some únannounced´ MC business on the cooking ´Downgrade`.
I kind of hate the term ´Balearic`as it makes me think of vapid, empty beats that go nowhere but somehow sound good when you´re off your chips outside a beachside bar BUT I sort of want to go and do just that right now with this record as the soundtrack (I´m looking outside at snow so there may be a link there!). Moving between ambient textures, lush Hip Hop Soul, crackling midtempo Disco-ish bumpers, cinematic slowmo and even a taste of Pop at times, ´Come Into Knowledge`is a fine musical statement from someone in no rush to get it right.
Out today on Intimate Friends!
The Planty Herbs beattape - Free Download
Words by Ex-Friendly