It’s All Good claims to be Red Snapper’s final release, however, upon reading the extremely fine print it is apparent that this is in fact a compilation album constructed by the Red Snapper boys. Released as a companion to their DJs Take Control series, the It’s All Good compilations shift the emphasis away from slick and beat matched mixes toward a more eclectic and laid back musical result.
His Name Is Alive kick things off with “Some Day My Blues Will Cover The Earth” lazily pacing forward with auto-vocal harmonies drifting amongst double bass and simple electro percussion stabs. Not the most captivating choice of track to open a compilation, we are then treated to a Scott Herren (under his Prefuse 73 guise) piece in “Nuno” – a disjointed mess of cut up beats and R ‘n’ B vocals that merge silkily together as a whole.
Susumo Yokota’s “King Dragonfly” is a most unusual combination of simplistic breakbeats and hypnotic and layered synth washes paired with what appears to be a sampled piano melody.
As with Yokota’s other work this piece is both extremely subtle and gentle whilst still possessing a free flowing underlying groove.
Riton’s “Take Control” is a nifty electro lo-fi workout with staccato chord stabs and pure sine bassline goodness. Spacer brings us the overtly percussive “Houston” that strangely sounds like a world cup theme for very grumpy people, but still manages to get the arse wigglin.
A reviewer’s dream come true, Smokestack’s “Metallic Funk Appliance” is exactly that – sounding precisely like someone has forgotten to turn theirs off. Delicious analogue repetition and dynamic shifting filter effects make this track a definite stand out.
Thankfully we are also treated to some of Red Snapper’s own material in “Ultraviolet” and “Belladonna”, drawn from previously released albums. “Ultraviolet” wonderfully combines all the best elements of the Red Snapper sound, acoustic instrumentation skillfully intertwined with dancey beats. Belladonna succeeds in showcasing the other more reflective side of Red Snapper with hauntingly beautiful melodies wandering amongst soft throbbing percussion.
As a closing statement to Red Snapper’s recording career, this compiled audio statement of their collective musical taste works surprisingly well. Red Snapper may be gone, but they are definitely not forgotten.
