SPACE GHOST レコード& CD

Review: Sultry street soul/R&B from two otherworldly underground names, intro'ing Vol. 1 of their 'Grown and Sexy Music' series. Sudi 'Space Ghost' Wachspress handles the production on these three swaying, sex-soul tidbits, while Teddy Bryant aka. Urbyne tops things off, adding melismatic croons to the affair. A-sider 'Heaven Sent' is a glistening, ecstatic exercise in digi-R&B moods, as Bryant sings of excited imaginations and loving fantasies. 'Little Bit Of Love' spices things up to a boom-bap flavour, with thoughts of neediness prevailing - of course, they just "need a little bit of your drug". 'Relax Your Mind', finally, ushers in a safe space / comedown after the high.

Review: Space Ghost has most recently been spotted dropping excellent albums "Aquarium Nightclub" and "Endless Light" on Tartelet, but now he's made a swerve for Funkineven's Apron Records to drop this sultry collection of jams that match bittersweet keys with rubbery bass and plenty of crooked funk that calls to mind broken beat and boogie as much as house music. From the swanging funk of "Prayer For U" to the slow jam New Jack Swing of "Mystery Angel", this is an album that champions some great eras of black music very much in the vein of Apron overall, but still says its own thing. Soulful at every turn and finished with an '80s digital veneer so slick you could trip on it.

Review: There's plenty to tingle the senses and move the feet on Dance Planet, Sudi Wachspress's third album as Space Ghost. In keeping with the Oakland native's career to date, much of the material showcases a colourful, retro-futurist sound that variously doffs a cap to Alton Miller, Larry Heard and Blaze. He begins in confident mood with 'Emotional Healer', a sun-soaked, piano-sporting treat, before giddily skipping between street soul influenced grooves (the gorgeous 'Deep (Vibes Mix)'), pitched-down ambient house ('UFO' and the beatless wonder that is 'After Glow'), heady downtempo numbers ('Dream Weaver') and Burrell Brothers style dancefloor lusciousness ('Back To The Source', Soul Shower'). Throughout, the album is atmospheric, warming and melodically rich. In other words, it's a triumph.