New John B Studio Mix

[Juan Love]

The Mad Professor does it again...

[1] John B - 'Diversify Remix'
[2] Greg Packer - 'What Am I Supposed To Do?'
[3] Greg Packer - 'Be-Bop'
[4] Mars - 'Road-Runner'
[5] Gref Packer - 'You're The One'
[6] Exile ft. Breakmaus - Arrested
[7] John B - 'Half Now, Half Later'
[8] John B ft. Natauralis - 'Mirror Of Thought'
[9] John B - '5 Times In 1 Night'
[10] John B - 'Rendez Vous'
[11] John B - 'Skullsmasher v2'
[12] John B - 'When I'm Close To U (Remix)'
[13] John B - 'Up All Night (Epic Mix)'
[14] John B - 'Dream On (Boutique Electrique')
[15] John B - Forever (Hard 12" Mix)
[16] John B & Libby Picken - 'Electrofreek'

This one is nice...for real, like red beans and rice...from start to finish. Things really pick up with '5 Times In 1 Night' and are so-solid from then on...and if you've haven't had the pleasure of hearing the Up All Night Epic Mix here's your chance:

http://www.breakbeat.co.uk/listen/listen-djmixes.html

Enjoint!

 

[feisty boy]

plugging in right now.
the up all night epic mix (if it's the one i'm thinking of) kicks major ass.

 

[evil homer]

I found track [11] or so on to be unbearably cheesy and i'm usually into this kind of DnB. It just reeks of bad 80's muic and club trance.

I found the first half to be great, looking forward to the next few tangent releases very much

Greg packer is australian?

 

[AVE]

^^Yes, he's Australian.

 

[Juan Love]

Originally posted by evil homer
I found track [11] or so on to be unbearably cheesy and i'm usually into this kind of DnB. It just reeks of bad 80's muic and club trance.

I know...it's borderline rediculous and yet refreshingly unconventional. You can almost taste the Tangerine Dream when listening to it, and I can honestly say that I have never heard anyone manage to pull off that type of flex...

As cheesy and Miami Vice reminiscent as this one and a few others in the mix are, Juan B's is definately comming thru with a rather unique, bold and interesting flavor, that much is certain and at least commendable.

 

[AVE]

^^agreed. senoir B has always done things his way. He can make it hard, slow, jazzy, vocal, atmo, trancey, cheesey, etc....

Thats definitely one of the things I respect him for most, not getting stuck in a sub-genre

that and his haircut

 

[Vise]

Well, that's one way to look at it. On the other hand, it seems a bit odd to me that he always has to be involved in every new style and subgenre that seems to come about. I can't remember who said it (some UK guy), but the line was something like 'You know a new style of dnb has reached its height of popularity when John B makes a contribution to the genre'. All you have to do is look at his back catalogue... 'Secrets' on Prototype came at the peak of techstep around 97/98, and although it was a good tune didn't show much in the way of innovative ideas. Same with 'Up All Night' for the old school revival, and most of his recent stuff (particularly the Tangent releases) as part of the soulful/vocal uprising. Sure he's a competent producer, but for me it seems as if he makes up for his lack of innovative ideas by covering all the bases.

He does seem to be on to something interesting with the new wave sound he is pushing, but personally I'm not really feeling it. I still respect him for his production skills ('Starburst' on his Visions LP was wicked), and the fact that he's a mad player (see WMC pics), but I think he is missing that certain something that sets him apart from the norm.

My 2 cents.

 

[feisty boy]

Originally posted by Vise
and most of his recent stuff (particularly the Tangent releases) as part of the soulful/vocal uprising. Sure he's a competent producer, but for me it seems as if he makes up for his lack of innovative ideas by covering all the bases.

except for the fact that he was doing soulful / vocal long before the 'uprising' - catalyst anyone??? vocals, live jazz instrumentation - i think it's quite fair to see he's not a trend follower - if anything, the mainstream plays catchup with him.

 

[T]

I have to agree with feisty boy on this
Up all Night paved the way for all sorts of oldskool influenced tunes.

and where was marky and patife when el juano B was doin the salsa tequila poppers?

 

[Vise]

Hey, I didn't say everyone has to agree with me... it's just my opinion. I don't play many John B tunes cause I think there are more interesting and relevant tracks coming out these days, end of story. To me he seems to be the epitomy of the producer that makes tracks in the style of the moment, although I think that is finally starting to change a bit. Time will tell.

'Up All Night' came at the peak of the old school revival, John B even said it to me himself when I interviewed him last year. The TS remix of 'Champion Sound' was the one that really paved the way for this movement IMO... I agree it was a huge tune that busted up dancefloors, but I don't think it provided anything new and interesting to the (now played out) old school movement.

As for Marky and Patife... that's kinda funny to me, cause they were in Brazil absorbing their native latin culture (reflected in their tunes) while John B was making cartoonish knock-offs of their music. But the Brazilian guys don't seem to mind, which is cool I guess.

 

[AVE]

Well, John's supposed "salsa" tunes are horrible(yet fun). They all sound exactly the same, and are pretty laughable IMO. I wonder if he really takes them seriously or not.

But, i definitely don't think he is a follower of trends. If he is, than so is everyone else(except the first person to do a certain 'sound') Look at "Visions". Live flute, sax, trumpet? Who else was doing this at the time? Not many. I think its more that he enjoys what he does. If he's feeling a certain something, he'll go with it, no matter of what people 'expect' him to put out. And the man is quite musically talented. I read somewhere that his first composition was a piece for 12 piano's!

I'm not sure how much respect he gets from within the producers circle, but I'll give him mad props from outside it.

 

[Juan Love]

I can see what you mean Vise...in this regard I guess it is fair assessment to call the John B the Pat Boone of Jungle music.

In my opinion, John B's influence, as the man who's always in on the next "big" thing as you were referring to, was instrumental in the "brazillian" sound being accepted within the dancefloor scene.

I can say with absolute certainty that a few years ago in the height of the techstep era where tunes like "Nitrous", "All Aboard" and "The Nine" were the standard, tunes like "LK" and "Sambassim" would simply have been laughed at not reloaded...

Indeed a hella lot has changed in the dancefloor scene but had it not been for Juan B and tunes like "Ole" and "Brazil/Salsa" I can't see cats like Marky and Patife getting the same break.

 

[Nebu kad]

Vise, you interviewed him? for who?

 

[Juan Love]

So I was on DOA a while ago ago and noticed a thread about "80's Electro d&b" (Check it...) and how John B seems to be once again at the forefront of this sub-genre flavor. I couldn't help but recall how well Vise argued the point that it would seem that the he seems to be making up for his lack of innovative ideas by covering all the bases...

So to play devils advocate and offset the usual ass kissing that the thread turned into, I bit his thesis and posted this:

---------------------------
"You know a new style of dnb has reached its height of popularity when John B makes a contribution to the genre" - Jessum Dood

For real yo, it would seem that a style really isn't good enough for the heads to take notice of until the Juan like B steps up...
Take 'Secrets' on Prototype...dropped that at the peak of techstep around 97/98, same with 'Up All Night' for the Total Science/old school revival, 'Aye Carumba' and 'Brazil' reppin' the whole Latin vibology and most of his recent stuff (particularly the Tangent releases) he's on point to champion the soulful/vocal uprising.

Say what you will...but it's never too alarming to see John B's name associated with the "next big thing"in DnB. Some cats call him a visionary...some say he's just got a great ear for picking up on a trend but it can also be argued that although he's a hella competent producer, it would seem that the Mad Professor's just making up for his lack of innovative ideas by covering all the bases...


And here's what John B had to say in response:
---------------------------

MioW. mr stylewaKk

*****
I wasn't aware there was a trend of 80s synthpop d&b right now - if you can reccommend any tunes fitting that description I'd be very appriciative. I'm doing my best to make a trend, but somehow i think i'll find myself being the only one doing this for a while... (don't worry i play lots of acceptable records too)

*****
Re: Latin influences - Name me any decent latin influenced D&B that came before 'Salsa' and indeed 'Ay Caramba' - which bear in mind was made a year b4 it came out.) and I'll buy u a drink.

*****
""it would seem that the Mad Professor's just making up for his lack of innovative ideas by covering all the bases..."""

I take offence to that Yo.
I do my best to try as much new things out as possible. I'd rather take a few risks than sit on my ass churning conformist clones out all day long - which is much more of a crime against d&b than any of this trend following rubbish your accusing me of... I do my best to avoid that.

I make lots of different styles, and go thru phases, just because I'd get bored sticking to one particular subgenre. I got into D&B because there's so much you can do with it, lots of potential different drections, and it's ace. So stop haTiNg. (You can still come to my John B hater garden party though, if you mend your ways)