Resense Records: Austrian Party Masters Reinvent the Bossa Nova
From Vienna, Austria hails one of the more exciting record labels to play with my ears in some time: Resense Records. If Bossa Nova fused with Drum & Bass is your thing, then this is a label you should definitely check out. With roster artist including Jazz.K.Lipa, The Bas Lexter Ensample, The Captain and Sono Rhizmo, just to name a few, Resense specializes in “latinizing” pop, funk & soul classics, infusing familiar material with fresh beats and attitude, while losing nothing of the original’s charm or essence. The Captain’s cover of “We Will Rock You” (Resense 007), for example, condenses the Queen classic down to its most basic elements (Freddy Mercury’s vocals, Brian May’s guitar solo), then sprinkles in bongoes, way-out Hammond organ, gypsy accordion, and even some finger snaps and crowd noise into the mix to create an instant party classic. That it doesn’t take itself too seriously is the whole point. Other Resense essentials include Vol. 010, The Latin Night Before (yes, The Beatles tune, sung in Español, no less) b/w Skaravan Treasure (a ska version of the lounge classic “Caravan”), Vol. 016, Company Store (drum & bass remake of Tennessee Ernie Ford’s “Sixteen Tons”), and 018, “Silver Flame”, featuring Tom Jones’ inimitable rendition of “Venus”, with appropriately over-the-top horns and Big Beat accompaniment.
All-in-all, there are so many good tunes to choose from throughout the 29-volume series that it’s hard to narrow the field down to even the best 14 or 15 tunes for a mix tape. I suggest you listen for yourself by googling Resense Records and letting these Austrian Party Masters light YOUR fire!
