- Quite possibly the hardest music genres to classify and pin down are the broad nu-jazz, broken beat and electro jazz realms of dance music. Hard in the sense that the three genres are closely linked with chunky beats, percussive grooves all accompanied by jazzy instrumentations, melodies and chord structures. Already in it's ninth volume (the first being released back in 2000), Playground have invited Sweden's Swellsession and Ste Van B to give everyone a taste of how it's done in their part of the world.
The mix starts off with Solid Groove's Now We Got 2 Bump - a jazzy, sampladelic hip hop piece which cuts up a few recognisable lyrics. Loungey and laidback, it features funky keyboard melodies, percussive beats, cuts and scratches which make for a nice chill out session. Moonstarr & John Kong appear next with Yesterday's Beginning featuring the spoken word talents of CoolHandLuke. Deep basslines and dark moods make this song feel like it's been lifted out of a 1920's spy thriller.
Wesley Music by RSL takes the mix into gospel territory with a notable latin flavour that can be heard throughout. Good use of latin percussion, featuring some funky breakdowns and jazzy chords while the vocalists deliver an uplifting vocal workout. Albanek follow on with their soulful Walk Away featured on this mix in Boogie Voyage remix form done by none other than Swell Session. A soulful jazzy number, Swellsession takes it to nu-jazz territory with percussive beats, synth hooks and string arrangements.
Lake Of Perseverance by Dom Um Romau with its tribal beats and African vocal samples provides the mix with some energetic dancefloor vibes filled with conga and bongo drums and this continues on N.O.H.A's Balkan Step which shows off Latin and Arabian influences with it's horn melodies and vocal samples.
Freek by The Flaws give the mix a dirty dubby electro flavour featuring the vocals of who seems to be everybody's favourite MC, Chickaboo. Rumbly bass drops and funky synth hooks are the order of the day on this one before the mix goes back into funky nu-jazz rhythms on Bobby Hughes Combination's Kerma Elastica featured here in a remix done by Nicola Conte.
Usually associated with drum'n'bass are the artists on the closing tracks, the first being Cleveland Watkiss on Torch Of Freedom on a latin influenced soul jazz number and the mix closes off with London Elektricity's slow-plodding jazz influenced number Born To Synthesize - London Elektricity shed off their usual 175 bpm skin in favour for a more laidback number.
Playground Vol 9 is an eclectic mix, and I suppose that's a pretty common theme in nu-jazz and broken beat mixes - never ones to be pigeonholed into just one particular flavour of music. It's lush, it's colourful and has a very international feel about it. For those who like their beats full of texture, jazzy vocals with the occasional ethnic flavours thrown in, Playground vol 9 is highly recommended.