Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band 55 Vinyl 2016 2 LPs Free Digital Download NEW

$

20

Hailing from Hamburg, Germany, the intensely funky Bacao Rhythm & Steel Band (BRSB) has been making serious 45 rpm vinyl waves for the past couple years. After establishing an airtight rep in the record collecting underground.

Before recording the album, multi-instrumentalist and veteran bandleader Björn Wagner – founder of The Mighty Mocambos – spent several months in Trindad & Tobago, where he became fascinated with Steel “Pan” Drums. His initial intrigue with local steel pan music culture led him to learning the instrument, on his own and through the guidance of local experts.

After he became proficient on the pans, Wagner had his own instrument built from a used oil barrel by legendary pan man Louis C. Smith. Upon returning home to Germany, Bjorn set out to blend the Tropical Steel into his already sharply honed Funk, Soul, and Hip-Hop sensibilities. The outcome is an updated take on a classic format, a truly unique, ultra-funky and raw sound created by a group of more than a dozen expert instrumentalists.

The group’s first two recorded songs, going back to 2007, were Meters covers – “Look A-Py-Py” & “Ease Back” – which they self-released on 45. After very positive response by funk fans around the world, things heated up considerably when they released a cover of 50 Cent’s hit “P.I.M.P.” in 2014, taking the DJ and vinyl collecting communities by storm. It was so masterfully done, in fact, that many people thought the recording was used as the original song’s sample, and many probably still do. The original Mocambo pressing of the single sold out quickly and is now a collector’s item, fetching heavy prices when it changes hands.

It was this tune that led to an introduction between Wagner and Danny Akalepse of Big Crown. The two music fans and renowned record collectors immediately hit it off and starting making plans to do a full length project with the band. The group released the “Bacao Suave” 45 on Plane Jane as the full-length was readied.

Keeping in the tradition of classic Steel Drum records of the past, 55 – a reference to the 55 gallon steel drums used to make the group’s central instrument – is a journey through covers and re-interpolations, pushing Steel Pan music into uncharted territory. From the smoothed out reggae cover of John Holt’s “Police In Helicopter,” to a fascinating version of Cat Stevens’ slow electro classic “Was Dog A Doughnut?,” and a spot-on tribute to Faith Evans’ 1998 smash “Love Like This,” BRSB’s 55 reinvigorates tunes and helps to shed light on songs still largely undiscovered, except to hardcore vinyl collectors.

Beyond their expertise with covers, some of the strongest tunes on the album are original compositions, from spaced out disco vibes on “Beetham Highway Ride” and “Port Of Spain Hustle” to the percussion-centric “Laventille Road March.” Recorded to analog 8-Track tape at the group’s Mocambo Studios in Hamburg, 55 is a gritty, punchy journey in sound that draws on music from around the world, using production aesthetics from across multiple eras and genres, all coming together seamlessly.

Judging from the 45s that have already come out on Mocambo, Plane Jane, and Truth & Soul, this full length is sure to be a staple for both casual listeners and renowned, trend-leading DJs alike. It’s a new era for Steel Drum music, and Bacao is firmly leading the way into the hearts of music fans around the world.

CONDITION: NEW

A1 PIMP 3:15

A2 Laventille Road March 3:13

A3 Bacao Suave 3:32

A4 Tropical Heat 3:41

B1 Jungle Fever 2:50

B2 Scorpio 2:46

B3 Beetham Highway Ride 3:10

B4 Tender Trap 3:36

C1 Dog Was A Doughnut 3:23

C2 Police In Helicopter 3:45

C3 Queen Of Cheeba 4:03

C4 Love Like This 4:09

D1 Port of Spain Hustle 3:23

D2 Goodbye 3:35

D3 Round & Round 3:33

D4 PIMP (Version)

JPHBX21-2MM

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