K Records
founder
Calvin Johnson
has long used the
Selector Dub Narcotic
moniker for his DJ sets, drawn from his extensive collection of 45-rpm singles of numerous genres, as well as his remix work on the flip sides of 7" records released as part of the Dub Narcotic Disco Plate series. While his revolving-door collective
Dub Narcotic Sound System
hasn't been heard from since the mid-2000s, he hasn't abandoned the group's blend of disco, trip-hop, party rap, funk, and dub. The sound of
's debut full-length,
This Party Is Just Getting Started
, is much different than the full-band
Dub Narcotic
, though.
DNSS
generally played minimalist, bass-heavy grooves recalling the likes of
ESG
and
Liquid Liquid
, and typically stuck to standard guitar/bass/drums instrumentation, with a healthy dose of melodica and homespun echo effects.
SDN
's album was produced by
Smoke M2D6
of Pacific Northwest hip-hop crew
Oldominion
, who was a major part of
All Your Friend's Friends
, a 2014 compilation of rap songs built around samples from the
K
back catalog. The tracks here range from lush, flute-filled disco (opener "Hotter Than Hott") to classy samba-house ("Let's Spend Some Time Together") to a few interludes with trap-inspired drum programming. Even with several guest musicians credited, including previous
collaborator
Chris Sutton
regular
Angelo Spencer
, the album still sounds far more electronic -- and much further away from lo-fi -- than the average
Johnson
project. The uptempo, organ-driven "Baby's Got Oi" is one of the few moments that seem primarily played on live instruments, and even it seems more polished than
did.
's lyrics remain as goofy as ever (on the silly,
Mahjongg
-sampling "All for the Sake of Rhymin'" he jokes "I'm the type of guy who says 'who let the dogs... back in?'") and his trademark baritone sticks out over the electronic grooves more than it did over
the Sound System
's garage band funk. In times of trouble, it's commendable that
is not giving up, remaining positive, and continuing to put out joyous music. ~ Paul Simpson