Electro Throwdown: Sci-Fi Inter-Planetary Electro Attack on Planet Earth 1982-89

Soul Jazz Records Electro Throwdown: Sci-Fi Inter-Planetary Electro Attack on Planet Earth 1982-89 is a deep dive into the classic electro-funk sound, reaching far beyond oft-compiled favorites by the likes of Hashim, Twilight 22, and Newcleus in order to uncover lesser-heard gems that are just as strange, funny, and creative. Bostons Jonzun Crew and Miami freestyle pioneer Pretty Tony are the biggest names here, while the one-off Planet Detroit featured James McCauley, driving force of cult Miami electro-bass eccentrics Maggotron. Otherwise, the collection focuses on obscure acts and private-press rarities, most of which likely spent decades languishing in flea markets and used record bins before the Internet made it easier to find out about and purchase them. In addition to the vocoders and crisp 808 beats that are central to the genres sound, most of the tracks focus on futuristic or space-related themes, with just as much of an emphasis on infiltrating the dancefloor and making bodies move. Gleefully pitched-up vocals are inescapable, with warped P-Funk-style characters and group chants appearing throughout the Rickie Clark Companys "Time to Throw Down," and "Invasion from the Planet Detroit" indulging in chipmunked voices. There are also the requisite nods to the prevailing pop culture trends of the era -- "Im the Packman" is one of the better odes to the iconic video game character, and "E.T. Boogie" by Extra Ts is the rare example of a song about E.T. that isnt awful. The more overtly Kraftwerk-referencing tracks, like Ozone Layers "Planetary Deterioration (Electro Mix)" and Professor Xs "Professor X (Saga)," are all good fun, and Pretty Tonys "Fix It in the Mix" thrills with its hard-charging beats and rapid-fire spaceship talk. ~ Paul Simpson

奥深い80sエレクトロ宇宙から"Planet Rock"系の王道SF曲を拾い集めたコンピ。初期トミー・ボーイを象徴するジョンズン・クルーやプロフェッサーX(アラビアン・プリンス)ら常連(?)を筆頭に、パックマン"I'm The Packman"(82年)やプリティ・トニー"Fix It In The Mix"(83年)、DJヘルに愛されたオゾン・レイヤー"Planetary Deterioration"(89年)などの徒花が咲き乱れる。ヘンリー・ストーンの仕掛けたエクストラT'sの"E.T. Boogie"(82年)やマゴットロンのプラネット・デトロイト名義曲"Invasion From The Planet Detroit"(84年)など正規初CD化っぽい曲も多く、好事家ならマストでしょう。
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