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Aqua Bassino | Beats 'n Bobs

Jason Robertson delivers a laidback, understated album.
CD, F-Communications/PIAS

Tekst: Christine Hsieh

Publicatiedatum: 08 oktober 2001

The good folks over at F-Communications sure are busy these days. Riding high ever since the release of St. Germain's sublime 'Boulevard', F-Com continue to champion the smooth, jazz-infused house that put them on the map. Jason Robertson, the Edinburgh-based mind behind Aqua Bassino, delivers a laidback, understated album which embodies the label's musical aesthetic. Though no new ground is broken here, 'Beat's N Bobs' is nevertheless a pleasant excursion. Robertson carefully arranges each song with almost a bare minimum of instrumentation, lending a spare, delicate feel to the album. He starts with a simple jazz house number reminiscent of label-mate Ludovic Llorca's work, combining lightly-strummed acoustic guitar, an unintrusive b-line, and a meandering saxophone to harmonic effect in 'Ola'. The beautiful 'Love is Here to Stay' featuring Nikki King follows, dropping light blobs of bass into smooth vocals and floaty strings. Other solid tracks include the DJ Deep-esque 'Baby C'mon' and another Nikki King-sung track 'Time...'. However, it's on the slower, loungier cuts that Robertson really excels. 'Moonlight' is an excellent example of this. Using whisper-light snares, ethereal chanting, ponderous piano chords, and a lonesome melodic line, Robertson crafts a fine, subdued song that hums with a somnambulant beauty. The closing track 'Na Na's Waltz' is also very nice, utilizing the resonant sounds of upright bass, bowed strings, and lightly-touched cymbals against staid piano chords and weightless brushes of sound. Overall, an admirable effort in a genre already rife with talent.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/aqua-bassino/beats-n-bobs/1144/
Meer Aqua Bassino op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/aqua-bassino