Artist: Strand
Title: Slam Funk!
Cat: LOW011
Date: April 14th 2012
Format: Digital & Vinyl
Written & produced by: Miguel Gil Tertre
Mastered by: Miguel Gil Tertre
Artwork by: Olivier “Oli-B” Binamé
Our man Strand is something special for us. Before we met I already had his releases on City Centre Offices in my collection and we had been emailing a lot with each other on numerous occasions not the least the mastering of the Beatitude compiler for which he delivered Caetano, which is also featuring on this release. Ever since those days we’re close and we consider Strand as family. Strand is from Madrid and lived across the Madrid stadion his whole youth. After another career he moved with the family to Brussels from which he operates now for some time. He released this beautiful 7′ Dub! also with the artwork by Oli-B and some tracks on several compilers like the Beatitude and the Mad Hop vol. 4
Like Souleance, Debruit, Duke Slammer, Strand creates another continuum of electro-funk, skweee and futuristic retro happiness for like minded people. It all moves within our time frame but somehow it has the foot in a parallel universe where lycra, arcadian fire, bell bottoms and afrofuturism are still valid.
Some of these tracks are essential dancefloor tunes like Gris Marengo which has this demanding clap loop, digi-steeldrum and bubble choir. The Rhodes on Prince brings warmth to the digi-soul from Herbie’s synth heavens. Love that guitar lick. Ishi Gaki is the instrumental mash up dub version of some early 80ies hit single we vaguely remember. Strandelicious is this digi-pop a la Vince Clark, a bit dark, analog pounding bass line, digi cowbells with a hunch to Planet Rock. Slam Fun is extreme fun with a big skweee wink and an lingering out-of-tune synthline…. and then the synth bass takes over BIG TIME.