The Sampler
The best on screen and to listen to
Alocal polymath has teamed up with a Detroit rapper to deliver LSD, the first full outing of The Leonard Simpson Duo. Guilty Simpson has been rhyming since the turn of the century and was a favourite go-to vocalist for iconic producer J Dilla.
Simpson was approached after an Auckland show by musical savant Leonard Charles, who thought they might have a lot in common and suggested they work together.
Carpe diem, my friends, seize the international collaboration.
It’s bold – and it works a treat. Far from formulaic hip-hop, these are wild, creative songs that span a musical spectrum, from psychedelia to jazz, with washed-out guitar solos and Marlon Williams samples. Hearing the Silver Scrollwinning Nobody Gets What They Want Anymore sampled and rapped over is oddly fulfilling.
Leonard Charles (aka Jeremy Toy) has a tremendous skillset, all of which he brings to bear on this record.
As the guitarist for the much-missed Opensouls, or as the production wizard for shoegaze sweethearts She’s So Rad, his breadth as a musician brings authenticity and integrity to every note.
Capable of switching directions on a dime, LSD mostly cruises in the laid-back lane, top down, oozing cool from its pimped-out sound system.
Simpson’s powerful baritone booms out the bottom end, while Charles never misses a chance to flourish a synth, or tickle the beat, a little to keep it interesting.
Meanwhile, elsewhere it’s a case of why change a recipe that’s sold one-hundred-million records? Fourteen albums deep and the Pet Shop Boys sound just like they always have. That isn’t meant to be derogatory, it’s nice to put on a record and immediately feel comfortable.
Hotspot doesn’t break new ground but rather builds on the legacy of the most successful British duo in music.
Always sincere, occasionally twee (there’s a song called Will-O-The-Wisp), it’s the club bangers that really pop. There’s nothing better than that familiar Pet Shop Boys spoken-word breakdown followed by a thumping house beat chorus, with pulsating synths raining down from a glitter ball ceiling.
Also indebted to British rave culture is Georgia, who plays all the instruments on her second album Seeking Thrills. The daughter of Neil Barnes (of legendary dance unit Leftfield), she has inherited her father’s excellent ear for beat production.
Peppy and upbeat, she flips from pop to electro and back in this fun, genuine album that is clever and complete.