- Whenever a new record drops on Mahogani Music, I'm always excited. But, at the same time, I'm also slightly cautious about purchasing a copy. As a label operated by Detroit house music don Kenny Dixon Jr., you can be sure the Motor City artists tapped for release have true talent. However, in the past, Mahogani has occasionally released tunes featuring some slightly glaring easy listening clichés: Pleasant house music your mother might describe as "jazzy."
The label's newest LP, however, doesn't disappoint. Andrés' Andrés II combines elements of soul, hip-hop, broken beat and house music. It's a sample-heavy record which gracefully floats between head-nodding break beats and foot-tapping 4/4 grooves. While there are some slightly trite moments such as the bossa-nova sampling "Sing About It," these are easily forgotten thanks to brilliant tracks such as "Change My Mind." The latter samples GQ's disco hit "Lies"—a song which Theo Parrish once (ugly) edited to create a dance floor burner. Still, Andrés' production one-ups Parrish's version by adding an inspired keyboard jam by Amp Fiddler as well as uplifting female vocal samples. The result is magical, and frustratingly short. Clocking in at less than three minutes, the track leaves the listener craving more.
Later in the mix Andrés flexes his substantial hip-hop credentials with the piano-looping "It's All in the Game" and heads-down, introspective jam "Few of Us." The music here is reminiscent of old, grimy Slum Village beats which isn't surprising considering Andrés was associated with the group under his DJ Dez alias. Unfortunately while the grooves are tight, the "tracks" are again annoyingly abrupt, lasting around a minute.
Herein lies this album's greatest strength and weakness: The majority of these pieces are less than four minutes long and some of them barely reach beyond intermission status. The result is an LP which urges repeated listens but which contains few tracks that can stand on their own or truly work a dance floor into a sweat. Still, as a full album played all the way through, Andrés II delivers a deeply satisfying listening experience. Just don't expect a collection of floor-ready deep house cuts.
Tracklist A1 Backhome
A2 Physical Bush
A3 Change My Mind
A4 Step Pattern
A5 Sing About It
A6 Wish You Were Here
B1 That What It Is!
B2 Learn to Love
B3 It's All in the Game
B4 Walk On Through
B5 Few of Us