Turntables on the Hudson presents a glimpse into the ongoing NYC parties that DJs Nickodemus and Mariano having been throwing since 1998. This, their fifth volume, is a collection of eclectic music that encompasses Hip-Hop, Funk, Big Beat, Afrobeat, House, and everything in-between. The past four volumes have usually been music created by the close-knit group of friends and family behind the party. This time, they have chosen to select the all time “party anthems” that consistently have moved their crowds. These Hudson
parities have always embraced the vibe of free-form eclecticism, and
maintain an overall theme of good times, quality non-commercial music and live elements. Last and certainly not least, all the music is soulful, funky and groovy.
Starting off with a stripped down groove featuring bassline, handclaps and soulful (almost doo-wop) male vocals, this first track, “Music Man,” exudes a fun and funky vibe. Things get deeper and more electronic with “Happy” by Max Sedgley. Falsetto vocals, a cool jazz riff, sinister whirling arpeggios and a massively tight and in the pocket horn section get this party truly high-steppin’. Breaking from the funky style the next track goes into a samba groove with soothing latin american vocals that bear a slight
resemblance to Sade. And then the funk drops again with Kraak & Smaak’s grooveout jam, “Keep On Searching.” The “Cutey Pie” sample is fun and they tweak it all around while cool female vocals, a funky clavinet and percussive rhythm guitar keep the bounce alive. Hot latin percussion and scat intro vocals take the journey back into a Carnival type vibe with the Boyz from Brazil and their track “O Nosso Amor.” Now that things have been properly warmed up, a big, energetic latin percussion-driven houser brings the energy up. All the sudden you’ll hear the chord progression from
Manilow’s “Copacabana” and wince- but no worries, a hot latin vocal drops instead, and it’s hard not to admire this clever tease.
More straight up house with a deep bassline and jazzed-out overtones keep the joint bumpin’ with Harlem Zip Codes’s “I Feel Music”. Next the house pulse is kept alive while dropping the 4-to-the-floor kick for a more percussive, syncopated latin rhythm with Trouble Man’s “Strike Hard.” You can imagine a funky jazz drummer grooving this one out in a live setting- it’s got that freestyle jazz flow goin’ on. Next the sitars get cookin’ with the arabic-flavored
trip-hop journey called “No Mercy” from The Pleb- as the tempos drops back down and we get set for the CD to wind up. The last track, “Sunday Paper,” by Farid leaves us with a reggae dancehall beat, accented by fierce female vocals, a jamaican-styled horn section and those tripped out delays characterizing a lot of jamaican dub music.
Overall a fun listen, especially for the folks out there that like something a little different, a little eclectic. The underground quality is high here, yet the music retains its fun and flow, making it a breeze for anyone with a heartbeat to feel the groove. It’s a cultural melting pot of music that gives an authentic snapshot into one of the most interesting and rewarding things about NYC- its diversity.