Most compilations these days use big name tracks and overcommercialized stuff. Pork Recordings is an exception to that because they use tracks that few have heard of but they are always quality. What do you mean by it? Read on to find out!

April 2004 Chillout/Ambient/Downtempo Album of the month

Pork Recordings presents Dubplates from the Lamp 03

This is one of the unique albums out there today because they have picked no big name tracks, all the tracks on this album are from lesser known producers and artists from around the world. So every song on here will sound new to you and that is the point of Pork Recordings, no corporation hype, just quality music. They pride themselves in just releasing quality stuff without all the hoopla that the music industry gives some releases. This is well thought out and well put together with some amazing gems.

1.Skyway 7 – Brightsun

We start with a filtered organ playing notes. This effect comes in with a vocal word sample but you cannot understand it and then a female voice sings “Brightsun”. They add a drumline and the filtered organ is combined with it to give it a incredibly lush melody. The effect with the vocal comes back in again, singing the same thing as earlier. This is a great downtempo song to start off a CD.

2.Vano – OK Orbiter

We start with a some drums and snares that are more in the background and a vocal comes in saying “OK, you will win”. This makes excellent use of percussion and uses a subtle riff to drive the song. The vocal appears every so often, but the subtle riff works well with this song.

3.Braces Tower – Valedicity

This starts with percussion that is altered and you have some sweeping riffs enter and they surround the percussion very nicely. About a minute and thirty seconds later, you have a female vocal singing very sensually “It could be love”. Every so often a flute part is added and this continues until three and half minutes in, when a longer vocal is added. The same female comes back in but she sings a few verses this time and after she is done singing, the track reverts back to the same way as it started till the very end.

4.Chromium – Embelish

“Embelish” starts with some percussion taps and then adds a building backbeat. Shortly afterwards, it moves into a funky groove, which drives this song. An English male vocal is added and he sings softly through out. The song is not one that hits you hard, it just builds and builds but the vocal is a bit annoying at times but a solid track nevertheless.

5.Unforscene – The World Is

This uses drums and a piano to start the song off and it stays more in the background for the duration of the song. The main part that drives the song is the vocal, which uses a female spoken vocal talking about “The World is a beautiful place to be born into, if you don’t mind” to start then different verses are added at the end of the “if you don’t mind”. It is a rambling speech and it gets confusing what the person is trying to get across.

6.Blende – Daffodil

Blende could be possibly the new Thievery Corporation, if this song is any indication of their talents. This is the best song on the CD bar none. We start with some bass and a few snare hits. About half a minute later, it adds a female vocal and she chants the entire time that her vocal is used. An incredibly addictive hook is added and that is the part that makes the song so enjoyable and so addictive and that coupled with the riff that is introduced soon after, makes such an incredible tune. The riff is near the background for some of the song then it moves more to the front. When the song breaks down, you just hear the riff and the instrumentation that is backing it and it is the best part of the CD because you enjoy the riff so much that you are usually dancing. This is a sonic masterpiece and just a great track to add to a compilation.

7. Mere Mortals – Blessed (Proceed with Caution)

Track number seven drops the pace a bit after the glorious “Daffodil”. At the very beginning, a steady groove drives this song and some drums are added. A little bit after the drums are introduced, we have a filtered riff that gets going and a female vocal is added shortly after but it is sung almost ballad like. The song gives you warm textures and it is great to take the pace down a bit after song six.

8.Moscow Groove Institute – Voyage

The pace goes back up again after dropping the pace with song seven. For those who don’t know, Voyage is a French word that means journey or trip. Song number eight begins almost pop like but it quickly ditches that feel and goes into a happy African feel song. We have French male singers who are singing in French and the only clear word is Voyage at the end. The song uses a bass guitar to back the vocal and introduces a warm feel with the vocals and the instrumentation. About a minute and half later, the song breaks down and when it does, it uses a female vocal for a bit then quickly reverts back to the chorus. A truly enjoyable song.

9.Rekhmire – H-Tus

This begins with an orchestral type start then some bass element that drives the song is added shortly thereafter. The bass gets heavier very quickly and it has this groove to it. A flute is used a bit later and it appears every so often in this song. The bass elements drive the song and this should be classified as “Driving Downtempo”. It ends with the same orchestral feel as the start. A true winner in my book.

10.Vano – Re-Entry Zone

We start with a filtered vocal that sounds like a space conversation with the people who are working on the mission. It uses a laidback riff and a nice drumline but you get this spaced out feel and that is intentional and deliberate. This leads in the direction of Ambient in places. An altered guitar is added in places but you still get the Spaced out feel in this song. It takes the tempo again after the last two songs took the pace up.

11.Galaxian – Star Picnic

The tempo is brought down again in song number eleven. This begins very laidback with some sequencer effects. It is very quiet for a short while some bass riffs are added and some drums follow in quick succession. This is another “Driving Downtempo” song and it works very well as the first song. It uses some guitar riffs in places as well and it leads to give you a warm texture.

12. Moscow Groove Institute – Tanzi

“Tanzi” takes the pace back up very quickly again and this begins with some quick snares and the main riff enters. It gives you an almost hiphop feel in places but this is downtempo. Some drum riffs and bass guitars are added but they are groovy and funky and they drive this song. An unknown language vocal is brought in later but the key to this track is the bass guitar that really makes this track work.

13.Banabila – Vloeivoiz

The very last track begins with an old style sample and some very weird effects that are added and some weird samples. It goes into a jazzy feel where a trumpet drives this track but the effects are simply too weird. It is a calmer track to end with but it is too weird for my liking.

Tracklist1.Skyway 7 – Brightsun
2.Vano – OK Orbiter
3.Braces Tower – Valedicity
4.Chromium – Embelish
5.Unforscene – The World Is
6.Blende – Daffodil
7.Mere Mortals – Blessed (Proceed with Caution)
8.Moscow Groove Institute – Voyage
9.Rekhmire – H-Tus
10.Vano – Re-Entry Zone
11.Galaxian – Star Picnic
12.Moscow Groove Institute – Tanzi
13.Banabila – Vloeivoiz

Conclusion:
This is a solid compilation of unheard gems. The best track is Blende – Daffodil and they could possibly be the next Thievery Corporation if they continue to make music like this. The compilation balances out laidback and uptempo songs very well and it is a joy to listen to. The only thing that I did not like was the last song but the good outweighs the bad in this compilation. So if you are a downtempo fan, this is an essential purchase. Pork Recordings does it again with quality tunes without the music industry hype. I cannot wait for the next dub plates from the lamp series.