Subwayz Selectionz 001:
Mantronix: Bassline (Sleeping Bag & 10 Records 1986)
Back in the 80's, I was listening to an assortment of music, and electro was one genre of music that really caught my imagination, and in 1985 Mantronix came along and turned my world upside down again with trax like Fresh is the word, Needle to the Groove, Ladies and then Bassline. In a way it was a transitional moment for me. I used to listen religiously to Mike Allen on a syndicated radio show called "UK Fresh" on Radio Wyvern, even though hip hop acts had been on TV shows like Top Of The Pops it was amazing to watch the video of Bassline on a credible BBC2 music show like The Old Grey Whistle Test.
The Mantronix sound was a logical progression from electro, and featured superior edits by their production collaborators The Latin Rascals, that made Mantronix sound vibrant and underground, yet sophisticated compared to other emerging hip hop acts at the time.
To me, Bassline, and Mantronix: The album are special moments in my music journey. Mantronix has stood the test of time and will always be in my mind as the definitive hip hop sound of the 80's.
No comments:
Post a Comment