Apparently it’s mighty cold in British dance halls these days. You see, a "nu-chill" movement is currently frosting over every UK beat parlour from Brighton to Bristol. As it happens, London-based duo Lemon Jelly, alongside groups such as Bent, Alpinestars, Zero 7 and Blue States, are at the epicenter of this coldest of dancefloor movements. Lemonjelly.ky, which collects the duo’s first three out-of-print, vinyl-only EPs, blends the laid-back cool of '60s lounge and the retro-cheese of '70s funk with the disjointed beats of '80s new-wave and the sampledelic tendencies of '90s dance, all of which makes for one extremely frosty 21st century cocktail.
While they're one of the groups currently dodging the "British Air" tag (As in Air [French Band], not some sort of weird airline reference - Ed), Fred Deakin and Nick Franglin (a DJ and a graphic designer, respectively) have more in common with another pair of Frenchmen, Parisian dance pranksters Daft Punk. Neither group appears as themselves in any of their press photos, and both groups possess a decadently odd sense of humor that is immediately evident in their music. Furthermore, both groups have the synthesis of image and sound down to a tee.
But don’t be fooled. Even though Lemonjelly.ky's cover looks like something straight out of Wavy Gravy’s closet, its sound owes much more to the work of '60s luminaries like John Barry, Esquivel and Jean-Jacques Perrey. "His Majesty King Raam" and "In the Bath" are both prime examples of the Jellies at work -- or more aptly, at play. Both songs combine obvious sample savvy with low-key beats and glistening keyboards, creating a sound that is at once organic and futuristic. Elsewhere, the quirky "A Tune for Jack" samples jazz legend Ken Nordine, then proceeds to lead him by the hand through a neon-colored wilderness filled with slinky bossa nova beats and squelchy synth belches. "Kneel Before Your God" is dance music for people who like to keep their butts firmly planted in their seats, while album closer "Come"'s downbeat groove, heavenly sampled vocals and plucky guitar make it the most perfect make-out song ever.
Search out a copy of Lemonjelly.ky and you’ll soon discover that this is one lemon that won’t leave you puckering with distaste.
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