Artist: Rainer Weichhold
Title: Bamboo / Very Nice
Label: Great Stuff Recordings
By: Nick Williams | 27 November 2007
Tracklist:

• A1: Bamboo (Original Mix)
• A2: Very Nice (Original Mix)
• B1: Bamboo (Format B Mix)
• B2: Very Nice (Michocan Mix)

Rainer Weichhold "Bamboo / Very Nice"

For the 55th release on Great Stuff Recordings, label manager Rainer Weichhold brings two original tracks to the table that move in more of an organic, bouncy house inspired direction. Rainer has had a couple releases on the label in the past year, with licenses to Ministry of Sound for mixed CD compilations. To add some sparkle to the package, Rainer procured some real up and comers in the dance music world. First and foremost in the remix package is the duo of Format:B, two Germans that are creating their own niche of driving, funky minimal techno music. Format:B are no strangers to the production front, with releases on some of the best labels in the industry; Trenton records, Highgrade, Stil Vor Talent, Opossom, and now Great Stuff. Michoacan also brings a remix to the table as well, sporting releases dating back to 2002.

‘Bamboo’ gets going with a cowbell and a standard house rhythm takes no time to into a solid bouncy groove. Percussion reversals peppered in during the build introduce a fun, round bassline that carries itself throughout the song. The progression reveals a fun, funky feel, spiked with voice stabs and a large filtered bass tone that keeps rising and rising as the track continues. The breakdown trips the bassline out with effects and introduces another squirmy sound that intensifies and builds until it unleashes back into its original driving groove. This is a track that has proven to be very satisfying on the dancefloor.

Squeaky housey beats with organic drums lead off ‘Very Nice,’ followed with authority with a heavy square waved bass tone. A squishy melodic line is brought in that works off the bassline quite nicely, but overall the mix seems a little empty and a bit monotonous. Some subtle dub influenced stabs make their way in towards the end, but overall this song is lacking drive and ingenuity.

Techy beats are what Format:B bring and their remix of ‘Bamboo’ hits us with an impressive groove nearly from beat one. The way that these two work their sounds into the subtle intonations of their tracks really are impressive. The timbre of each individual sound is completely chiseled in the audio spectrum, and the way that they build their tracks always gets the job done. The bass tone from the original is incorporated with more funk and it fits the overall track much better. The drops in this song are effective and always get the crowd moving. Although the overall movement of the song is pretty simple and percussion oriented, this is a great track to keep the crowd dancing and also to get the wallflowers to shake it for a bit as well.

Icy cold industrial beats pave the way for Michoacan’s remix of ‘Very Nice,’ and features a bassline reminiscent of Daft Punk. The synth stabs and woodblock give the song a bit of funk while the melody from the original makes it way in with other bells complementing the melody. The way that Michoacan plays between the organic and digital sounds in his bassline make for a very interesting dynamic especially by being set off by those icy beats. The song as a whole sounds a bit busy and the energy seems pretty constant throughout, which is not necessarily bad, but it does lose interest pretty easily.

As a whole, the track of the EP is Format:B’s remix, with the original of ‘Bamboo” taking a close second. I would definitely recommend a solid listen to this release as the mass appeal is really high on this one. Upcoming for the label are Trick & Kubic’s ‘Doggie Dance’ album, along with ‘Great Carnival Stuff’, a compilation EP featuring some of the Great Stuff greats, with tracks by Oliver Koletzki, Namito, Lützenkirchen, Butch, and Fergie among others.