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Norma Jean Bell | Come Into My Room

CD, Peacefrog/Lowlands

Tekst: Omar Muñoz-Cremers

Publicatiedatum: 24 september 2001

Norma Jean Bell is a mystery to me. The album 'Come Into My Room' comes in a rather anonymous sleeve, with minimal information. With a bit of knowledge you can immediately place it somewhere in Detroit, since Kenny Dixon Jr., also known as Moodymann, co-produces most of the tracks with Bell, while K. Hand and Theo Parrish also lend a hand on a couple of mixes. Yet let there be no doubt, although musically there are plenty of matches with Moodymann's stuff, Bell is perfectly capable of forcing her ideas on the record, as she not only sings but also plays saxophone, keyboards, and does the drum programming on most tracks. Still, if you're into Moodymann's addictive brand of warm tech-disco, you will adore 'Come Into My Room'. No ballads - this is strictly for the dance floor, every track built around a pleasurable rhythm. When Dixon is on board, the tracks have those characteristic tribal loops, faint percussive memories of Africa haunting, but always pushed forward with a nice fat bass drum and some spacey keyboard playing. Any diva alarms can be turned off in regard of the vocals. Bell has a warm and beautiful voice but never forces it to show off. Tracks also never resemble proper songs, most of the time Bell sings one phrase, say "One of those long, sexy nights," and starts to play with it, often bouncing it off some saxophone or wordless murmurs, creating a lovely trance-like intensity. Every track on the album is a winner and has its unique way of unwinding and segueing into the next one. The blackest shit I have heard in a while and probably the best album to come out of Detroit this year. Respect.

http://www.kindamuzik.net/recensie/norma-jean-bell/come-into-my-room/787/
Meer Norma Jean Bell op KindaMuzik: http://www.kindamuzik.net/artiest/norma-jean-bell