- The Norwegian nonet Jaga Jazzist always fit as easily into the modernist European jazz tradition as they do into electronic music's frame. It's a different kind of sweet spot than the Scandi-house that's been so flavorful for a few years now, but it's similar. Not simply as in "frosty" or "twinkly," more in its relatively relaxed procedure. Even when they play fast, you don't suspect Lars Horntveth, who writes most of the material, is in a serious hurry.
Needless to say, the plangent guitar-led "Bananfleur Overalt," which manages to sound both tentative and strong, was pretty much begging for a Prins Thomas Diskomiks. For 11 minutes it slightly speeds up the guitar line, thereby making it sound even more yacht-rock. (Or Balearic, or whatever the byword for "sun-bleached" is these days.) The pitch-shifting alien-worm analog-synth work is like very good vanilla pudding.
Nevertheless, Thomas doesn't have the best disco mix here. That honor goes to Final—Oslo up-and-comer Magnus August Hoiberg, age 22—whose version of "220 v/Spektral" first pits a whorling, mesmeric loop against a hard, fast, handclap-accented Chicago straight-four thump, then settles into a series of mostly piano-led vignettes, often tongue-in-cheek, almost like a mid-'80s edit record. Also on tap: Sprutbass's mix of "One-Armed Bandit" highlight synths that cross electro and purple dubstep and Cuckoo's boardwalk-Esquivel tweak of "Touch of Evil."
Tracklist 01. Bananfluer Overalt
02. One-Armed Bandit (Sprutbass Mix)
03. 220 V / Spektral (FINAL Mix)
04. Touch Of Evil (Cuckoo Mix)
Digital 05. Bananfluer overalt (Prins Thomas Diskomiks)