Description
Label Review.
2019 album. Jazz/disco/soul/reggae.
Our Overview.
The in-demand New Zealand native, producer and multi instrumentalist Lord Echo (aka Mike Fabulous) has been flexing his dual-mastery of 60's production techniques and modern dancefloor aesthetics for over a decade now, through a flowing blend of boogie-laced Funk, disco-primed Reggae, futuristic Soul, and timeless African rhythms. Originally released in 2013 ‘Curiosities’ is now available as a DJ friendly double LP for the first time. Soundway Records completes the Lord Echo album collection, finally reissuing the second album in the trilogy from Lord Echo.
A diverse, yet grounded LP chock full of head-turning sounds, ‘Curiosities’ further pushes Lord Echo's repertoire into the realm of the inimitable, and is sure to pique the interest of discerning music lovers from down-under to the big apple.
‘Curiosities’ picks up right where ‘Melodies’ 2010 left off, with the sun-drenched psychedelic dub sounds of tracks like "Bohemian Idol" (featuring vocals by Toby Laing of Fat Freddy's Drop), and the jerky funk vibes of cuts like "Digital Haircut" and "Street Knowledge". The album provides a wealth of DJ fodder, with forward thinking 70s-inspired disco tunes such as "Molten Lava" (featuring the soaring vocals of Leila Adu), as well as analog Afro-infused burners like "What Is That Feeling" and "Put It In My Head" (complemented by the golden-voiced Mara TK of Electric Wire Hustle fame). Down-home spiritual jazz/electronic meanderings ("Ghost Hands", "Arabesque") provide a counterpoint to Echo's driving cover-version of the Pharoah Sanders & Leon Thomas classic "The Creator Has a Master Plan". His inspiring take on the track is uplifted by the soulful singing of Lisa Tomlins (who's notable vocals on Echo's rendition of Sister Sledge's "Thinking Of You" made it a standout hit from his ‘Melodies’ album).
The finely-tuned collaborations throughout Curiosities underscore Lord Echo's pivotal position in the thriving New Zealand music scene. "I generally only work with people I know quite well personally", says Echo humbly. That personal and organic approach to creating his music is revealed as the album unfolds, layer by delectable layer. "I made this record primarily with DJs in mind," he continues. "They are generally people who really love music and are often obsessed with various aspects of it. I'm not making music for people for whom it's just some background noise in their lives, I'm making music for people for whom it IS their lives. And for better or worse, I guess I am one of those people."