Ron Basejam – Deep & Meaningless Remixes review

Following Ron Basejam’s excellent Deep & Meaningless album comes this extra special remix package, crammed full of goodies from some of the most respected names in disco. As the production brains behind Crazy P, Jim Baron has crafted some sublime midtempo disco boogie beats in his day, and his new Ron Basejam project has been just as rewarding. For this set of mixes, ISM label boss Yam Who teams up with Ashley Beedle to smooth out “For The People, By The People” into a spacey slow-grooving jam, with drums that bring the old-school boogie flavour right up to date.

The Revenge gets the chance to string out the sublime and languid “No Jose” over nine epic minutes, building on a bedrock of shakers and the faintest taste of bass to give a masterclass in minimal arrangements. Crazy P’s own Chris Todd takes on “Spirit” and makes the popping bassline (similar to Harvey Mason’s “Groovin’ You”) the focus of the track – working perfectly with the laidback and sultry vocals. His Dubbed Out mix takes the track even deeper, adding superb congas and arranging the track to give it a strong and driving momentum. Killer Whale’s Italo mix of “Is The Word” rounds things up perfectly – yet again another perfect midtempo beat with some crackling sine-synths that sparkle over the top. A great companion release to an already much-loved album, the remixes really do justice to the material.

Review: Oliver Keens