Louis Haiman, The Trash Company, Tim Maia

Been a while since I’ve posted about records I’ve been buying, and aside from Kenny’s efforts we’ve certainly become pretty slack in that department recently, I blame pipecock for dedicating more time to making music than just talking about it! Anyway, there’s been a few new releases and new reissues that have really impressed me lately. First up and fresh out of the shrinkwrap is the new Louis Haiman album, Soul Purpose. For us vinyl lovers it’s a real treat to get some Louis Haiman material on wax as most of his previous releases have only been available on limited CD or even just downloads. It’s a nice package too, heavyweight vinyl, gatefold cover with excellent artwork. And, more importantly, the music is top notch deep techno all the way. I haven’t listened to it enough to give it a proper review or pick out particular tracks, but I’ve listened to it a few times and it flows really well as an album, no real weak points at all. I believe at least 2 of the tracks have been previously released. The production is super clean, and it sounds quite modern and contemporary but still echoes the classic Detroit sound of Transmat and the likes with it’s beautiful ghostly melodies, the percussion is innovative and quite varied, with some moments leaning more towards ambient or IDM, but it still drives along nicely. I think this might be a limited release so probably best not to sleep on it, definitely a recommend from me.

Max Monroe, aka The Trash Company, suffers from a rare condition known as Synesthesia, which allows him to make music in another realm of reality, according to the blurb on PPU’s website that is. And when I first listened to his 7″ release, Pluto/For The Hook, it certainly made me sit up and take notice. Pluto is a dubbed out psychedelic electro-funk jam that wouldn’t sound out of place on Future Times and For The Hook on the flip is similar but almost leaning towards techno, kinda like a cross between Dam Funk and Ultradyne, really cool stuff. Since the intial 7″, PPU have also released a 12″ which includes both tracks from the 7″ along with 3 others. He’s been making music since the 70s, soul, funk, folk, experimental stuff, and there is due to be a compilation of some of his archive material in the near future.

Tim Maia revolutionised Brazilian popular music with his 1970 debut album, which spent 24 weeks in the charts. Having spent several years in the US, he returned to Brazil after being kicked out of the US by immigration authorities armed with a deep knowledge and love for black American music, especially soul and funk, and unleashed his Brazilian flavoured version of it on the nation. It made a major impact, not only on the Brazilian music buying public but also on contemporary musicians who had previously been much more influenced by rock music from England. In 1974 he joined the obscure UFO-obsessed religious Cult of Racional Energy, and would dress in all white and only play white instruments, and released 2 albums in dedication to this cult. His label Philips had no interest in releasing these so he started his own label, Seroma, the first independent music label in Brazil. He left the cult, disillusioned, after 2 years and soon after released the song Nobody Lives Forever, obviously a reaction to his experience with Racional. He died in 1998, aged 55. Luaka Bop have just released World Psychedelics 4, The Existential Soul Of Tim Maia –  Nobody Can Live Forever, a stunning compilation of some of his best 70’s output including some of his rare Racional material. It’s the shit, trust me!

PS, thanks to Dean for the heads up on the Tim Maia!