Various Artists – Vibe 3
Here’s a question for you to mull over: how did Future Times become one of the coolest record labels currently operating? It’s not through being prolific with fewer than 30 releases over the eight years the DC label has been active – though the Future Times quality control has remained constant throughout. For me it’s the unfettered enthusiasm for their craft displayed by Future Time founders Andrew Field-Pickering and Mike Petillo that’s proved integral to this rise. That and their endeavours to ensure things will be better in future times.
The intermittent Vibe series has become a good barometer of this growth into one of the finest labels currently operating. The first edition, a four-track 12”, consisted largely of productions from core label projects, whilst 2011’s Vibe 2 was a wonderful double pack that saw Future Times include a wider cast of talent like Juju & Jordash, Hunee, Tom Noble and others. Alexis Le Tan’s sweatily camp contribution “Marathon Man” remains a track I’ll always reach for in the club.
Issued as three separate 12”s, as well as one satisfying digital compilation, Vibe 3 can be viewed as the most ambitious Future Times release yet and ample proof of their current status. So how does it shape up as a whole? To paraphrase a classic Phife Dog line, ‘it’s all that and then some!’ In their endeavours to capture the vibe, Future Times have successfully drawn from various stylistic angles. There are still tracks on Vibe 2 that have only just swung into favour with my ears, and it feels like this third volume will have as much, if not more, longevity.
In a climate where the role of female artists within contemporary electronic music is the subject of constant and often negative debate, two highlights of Vibe 3 come from Chloe ‘Raica’ Harris and Shanti Celeste. The presence of the former is most welcome, and may hopefully lead unwitting listeners to delve deeper into the Further co-founder’s catalogue as Raica. Though mercilessly short at four minutes, “Makmba” hooks you right away and can best be compared to Bee Mask reworking the opening track from Geinoh Yamashirogumi’s masterful Akira soundtrack.
Shanti Celeste meanwhile offers up a fine ode to Detroit electro in “Strung Up”, my favourite production yet from the Bristol-based producer and DJ, which captures just the right amount of heat-treated emotion you want to wash over you on the dancefloor. The presence of Shanti Celeste on Vibe 3 also represents a strengthening bond between Future Times and the UK scene, with further material by her planned on the label before the year is out.
The exciting talents of Dublin pairing Morgan Buckley & Olmo Devin also feature, doffing the amusing Grapes & Isle O’ Man alias to contribute one of the more meditative moments in the swirling, digi-dub mists of “Up The Dubs (It Can’t Rain Forever)”. Like everything else this young Irish duo have put their name to, the track is exquisitely produced.
Much of the extended Future Times family is well represented here, but it seems quite redundant to forensically detail the various sounds explored throughout Vibe 3 and spoil the journey. Inquisitive minds will enjoy the elasticated Protect-U cut “Krums”, Jack Jutson’s closing jazz funk noodles or the deranged Dolo & Dawit collaboration more without too many verbal preconceptions jamming up their heads.
A recent interview with FT main man Andrew Field-Pickering on RA had him proclaiming a lot of his contemporaries are actively trying to widen the parameters of what it means to be part of underground music. Vibe 3 demonstrates Future Times are continuing to lead that charge.
Tony Poland
Tracklisting:
A1. OV – Junk Funk
A2. Juju & Jordash – Soggy Bottom
B1. Max D – Octopus
B2. Grapes & Isle O’ Man – Up The Dubs (It Can’t Rain Forever) feat. The Wino Boys
B3. Raica – Makmba
C1. Beautiful Swimmers – Primo
C2. Edy Alta – First Sign Of Artifice
D1. Protect-U – Krums
D2. Jeremy Hyman – Machine Stops
E1. Shanti Celeste – Strung Up
E2. Dawit & Dolo – Knowledge Body
F1. Steve Summers – Shimmer
F2. DSR.MR – Crystal Jungle
F3. C’est Life – New Years Eve 2013