Flexitones - Joyrider mp3

I'm writing this review seven years late but I can definitely say that this album has stayed with me. This collaboration between Merv from Eat Static and Will of Propellerheads, both highly regarded in the electronic music scene, and released on Twisted Music's sublabel Backroom Beats was always a winner!

The musical output breaks into diverse territories covering big-beat, lounge, reggae, hip hop and glitched electronic chill-out. Yet all the tracks are fit together perfectly and the album works best when listened from beginning to end, with every track standing out in its own right.

Highly recommended.

Backroom Beat Recordings keeps pushing out exciting chill releases. It is the chilled side label of Twisted Records. Not long after the experimental Hi-Fi Companions album with Merve Pepler and Steve Joliffe, we now get another interesting collaboration between Merv Pepler (Eat Static) and Will White, most known as The Propellerheads! Together they call themselves Flexitones. In the last years, Merv has shown that he likes to try out many different styles of music, and he sure does that in this album too.

The first track is a really jazzy track, with some voice samples, relaxing bass, trumpet, organ and several other instruments. A very happy track, perfect for relaxing in the summer sun or in a coffee shop. Pure relaxing lounge music. Track 2 is totally funky track. A happy track with jazz and some sort of disco influences. The beats sound pretty much like big beat and some of the electronic sounds remind me a lot of Eat Static. They have also put in some funny samples of a police car etc. Track 3 starts with vinyl scratching, before we get some dubby big beat rhythms. Trip hop with tons of variation all the way through. Trumpet, rap vocals, vinyl scratching, organ and a lot of other happy sounds and melodies. Track 4 slows down with more laid back dubby beats. Very relaxing. We get some vinyl scratching in this one too. One of the most beautiful relaxed tracks on this album, but track 5 is the definitely nicest track we get here. This has beautiful female vocals and a very relaxing jazzy vibe. My favourite track on this album. An organic track, far away from psychedelic, but it’s really nice with some down to earth music now and then too. After all, we can’t float in space all the time…

Track 6 is a more intense big beat track. This one sounds like some of the experimental stuff Eat Static has produced lately. Funky, drifting beats, a beautiful flute and several funny electronic sounds and samples. Variation all the way. Track 7 is a short track lasting just for a couple of minutes. This one has a ton of samples mixed together in a dubby vibe, full of scratching. Experimental hip hop for sure. Track 8 brings us back to a very jazzy vibe again. Sort of a latino vibe mixed with a jazzy lounge groove. Definitely far away from the psychedelic chill most psy people are used to, but it doesn’t get boring because of all the variation and all the funny twists. Track 9 is another short track lasting for about a minute. This one has some lazy hip hop beats and some funny voice samples and sounds. Track 10 is another favourite on this album. Very relaxed latino beats and some flute that reminds me a little bit of Angel Tears and Kaya Project etc. We also get some funky jazz vibes in this one too. A perfect track for chilling out in the sun. Track 11 slows more down to a slow trip hop track with that nice female vocal again. Slow dubby beats, some beautiful violin and relaxed vocals. Track 12 starts with some really weird sounds. It sounds like some whistling and we get some twisted electronic sounds. This continues and it sounds really experimental. Definitely the weirdest track on this album. They finish this album with a funky reggae sound. We get a very happy Jamaican vibe, with dubby beats, reggae vocals and funny melodies. Nice finish on one of the most experimental albums I have heard.

Those who enjoy the Hi-Hi Companions album will probably like this one too. You don’t get any psychedelic chill here, but tons of variation, many different music styles and a happy summer vibe all the way through. So be open minded and check it out!