Jazz Vibes: Lounge Selection (Part 1)

Continuing where the 'Club Selection' left off, but taking things down a gear or two, here we take a further look at the influence 'Jazz Vibes' continue to have on credible producer, artists and labels alike. Although this one (as the name might suggest) does have more of a laidback, dark and smokey feel than its predecessor, don't let the 'lounge' tag mislead you too much, as this album still runs an impressively vibrant gauntlet between head nodding downtempo grooves, syncopated broken beats and evocatively cool deep house.

Coming up with such a prime, sophisticated selection (even if we do say so ourselves) is not as easy a task as some might suppose, when you consider the amount of bog standard 'smooth jazz blandness' we had to dig through to mine out these exquisite musical gems. But we promise you it was worth the effort, as you won't find any of the lazy filler or indulgent 'muso waffle' that many sub standard 'jazzy' comps can be guilty of here, oh no daddio!

What you will find, that certainly puts this cool, quietly confident album on a par with its more gregarious sibling, is of course outstanding musicianship, real depth and supremely high attention to detail. We're not talking about some naive slip of a girl shaking her ass for attention here, this is more like the musical equivalent of her older cooler, sexier, sister. A Woman of style and sophistication who oozes charisma and subtly sucks you into her lair with her indefinable charm.

So, onto the all important tracks. As ever, you'll find a wonderfully balanced mix of old, new, borrowed & blue here. Previously unreleased gems include a couple of cool new tracks from our Italian friends Mondeluxe and The Halftones. Manchester also takes a bow or two (naturally) introducing a cool little ditty from upcoming producer Jamie Finlay (a name to watch) and we're also proud to present a stunning new song from highly respected veterans Jersey Street, which is the first peek at material they are working on for a new album project, which truly makes the mouth water in anticipation. We also have two stunning downtempo tracks from Ian Preece (another name to watch) and Goknil Gokmen also has two tracks of sublime deepness here. And that's before we get to the tracks that have already had an outing, from such highly respected labels as; Deeplay, Ima, Adequat & Soundlab.

So, all that's left to do now is turn the lights down, light up, lay back & enjoy...!
o

MICHAEL REINBOTH (Compost): Yesss, appreciate it. Like it. Really nice comp with some sweet soulful bits.
OLI LAZARUS (Reel People): Another very cool compilation. Keep up the great work.
GARETH STEPHENS (Askew): Wicked selection. Jersey St track is beautiful.
BEN MITCHELL: Another quality must have album from Mettle Music.
ROCKY: Love it. Great summer music.
AARON MICHELSON (Ubiquity): Love it! Really enjoy what you're doing over there.
BEATFANATIC: Excellent, soulful comp!
CHRIS KNIGHT (Departure Lounge/Four Corners): Like the comp a lot, It's got a good consistency and works well as a journey from start to finish. The last 3 tracks in particular are tremendous.
NIK WESTON: Interesting selection of jazzy beats & nu jazz bizness.
SNC: This album shows a serious attempt to apply some creative quality control, which is pulled off with aplomb.. For some years now the jazz influence has been penetrating the more discerning dance-floors around the globe & it’s refreshing to see here that this trend is keeping up as this album gives dutiful nods to the jazz genre proper. The application of ‘real’ musicians playing ‘real’ instruments follows reverently in the Saint Germaine’s, electro-jazz groove. We are also served with a few previously unreleased tracks. So, lay back and enjoy...
DEEP HOUSE NETWORK: Music is always a good way to get the summer vibe going and here Mettle
Music do just that with some lazy, blissed-out anthems for you to melt away with. If you like chilled jazzy riffs, mellow chords & sweet, laid-back vocals then look no further. All-in-all this is a very solid, proper music package that deserves your attention right now, even if the sun's not shining!
UNIVERSAL VIBES: This is no lightweight coffee table selection. Despite the lounge subtitle, there's enough meat on these bones to allow for some decent club fodder among the more introspective downtempo moments and we ain't talking noodle jazz, these tracks have the spirit of jazz running right through them, with an unmistakeable warmth and style in each and every track. This series has provided some essential listening so far while successfully charting the respective influences on modern electronic music and are becoming essential releases...
AMBIENT MUSIC GUIDE: The improvisational nature of jazz is strong throughout with echoes of the jazzy French house of St Germain. Plenty to like on this album for fans of loungey contemporary jazz ("hmmmm...nice"), just don't play it in the background.
BEATZBASE: A cool mix of new, old and future tracks. Sit back, relax, dim the lights and enjoy...
BASEBOG: It's clear for anyone, the Vibes series now represents the vanguard of the finest house, nu-jazz & downbeat in the scene.
DISCOID: A very fine selection of tunes that get you wanting to relax, roll up (in both senses) and let yourself be washed over with some lovely music. This is a collection for those who seek relaxation in style!
F MAGAZINE: A fantastic mix of old and new, with a few previously unreleased gems. This well compiled and laid back selection features only the highest quality jazz-influenced tracks. A sophisticated selection which makes for a very sexy compilation indeed.