Description
What leads an individual to walk the often obsessive path of the crate digger? Raiding filthy basements and accumulating back-breaking stacks of wax on a tantalising search for the unearthed groove, Kon cites early exposure as the source of his calling: “One of the first physical records I fell in love with was Electric Light Orchestra’s El Dorado. The music on that LP is incredible, climatic strings, and full of amazing songwriting. To digest and absorb music with such depth is the best thing for a 4 year old. Get ’em going young! I know this is part of the reason why later in life I searched further than what was just on the radio.” Kon’s father was a drummer, and his love of the break not only inspired the quest for the funkiest rarities that birthed the iconic On Track and Off Track compilations but also informed his approach to the edit. Check the ‘Nite Time Remix’ of ‘Hooked’ as the perfect introduction to his style: breaking things down to the bare essentials, the rhythm section takes on a life of its own in what has fast become the definitive version of an already classic disco workout. Kon’s output has given new life to this art form, and on the road to mastery, he studied the golden touch of editing and remix masters Walter Gibbons and BBE label-mate John Morales.
The natural next step for this beat-juggling heavyweight was a return to the crafting of his own original productions. Bringing together a close-knit team of musician friends, Kon has revived a longstanding partnership with BBE and recorded his debut album titled On My Way. The one constant throughout the eight tracks that comprise On My Way though is the funk, a term Kon breaks down with his trademark wit: “Funk. A word often used for many different things. There are more terms that can get confusing too, like boogie, modern soul and disco. I don’t know what they mean, really. I just know that I either like it or I don’t. I guess we need these words to define sounds and genres though. Some would even argue that P-funk just isn’t funk. Even if you think it’s not funk, it’s still funky. Sheeeeeeet… what would Dr. Dre, Snoop and The Chronic be without it? Exactly!”
Upon this bed of funk-laced rhythms straddling house, disco and boogie drift the soulful keys of Yuki Kanesaka, a friend who was first introduced to Kon via Boston’s aforementioned Floor Lords crew. “I was told I needed to link with this amazing player and Yuki is brilliant. He comes from a DJ background, so not only can he play, but he ‘gets it’ as well. The chops are there, and working with him is a breeze because I can reference a style of playing, or specific sound and era, and he knows exactly what I mean.”
We are also treated to the unmistakable vocals of UK talent Ben Westbeech, who Kon first met at the Southport Weekender. “I was with Amir leaving to catch the car service back to our hotel when I heard a guy yelling our names. Turns out it was Ben, and I had no idea he knew about our On Track compilations. And in turn, he seemed to be shocked that I knew who he was! I’ve always liked Ben’s work and I was staying in London with him when we first cut this tune. It was originally recorded to a totally different track that was all samples.”
The musical arrangement of On My Way reflects a deep understanding of dance floor dynamics, and Kon honed his craft as a DJ playing at house parties in the 80s, coming from a party rock background where all styles were thrown into the mix.
In On My Way, a rich cultural heritage has been distilled into an upfront album of burning dance floor action, showing us why the BBE-crowned ‘King of Digging’ has for so long remained a formidable, worldwide musical icon.
Notes: Brand new. Still sealed. Unplayed. Corners of the sleeve have slight signs of shelf wear. Does not have a hype sticker so might be a promo version. This came to us directly from BBE and does not have a hype sticker on it so maybe a promo version. Photo supplied on request.
Tracklist:
1 – All Night (Everybody) Featuring – Amy Douglas (5:18)
2 – She Was A Queen (5:02)
3 – Day Dream (0:57)
4 – Dont’cha Wanna Featuring – Georg Levin (6:48)
5 – Awe Baby (5:36)
6 – 808 State (1:15)
7 – You Don’t Know (I’ve Been Looking For You) Featuring – Ben Westbeech (4:17)
8 – Love Shine Featuring – Induce (6:46)
9 – Yeah, Yeah (1:31)
10 – Blow Me… A Kiss Featuring – Amy Douglas (6:33)
11 – On My Way (6:32)
