Blackplastic shouldn't like Soul Mekanik, yet it does.
Soul Mekanik always give the impression that they are quite happy to through out mildly interesting 12"s full of yawn inducing prog-house. Yet somehow on both of the two occasions that blackplastic can remember hearing them they have managed to deliver beyond that expectation.
Example one would be the ace 'C'mon Over', as featured on the similarly great Hooj (RIP) compilation Le Future Le Funk. Whilst 'C'mon Over' doesn't really do anything or go anywhere, it does nothing so nicely that you can't help but fall for its charms, bringing the mix to a nice close at the end of CD one.
Example two fell through blackplastic's letter box yesterday. As a subscriber to the Fabric CD series the latest release always turns up by default. Blackplastic slipped the CD into the car stereo this morning and things were going nicely until track three rolled around, Soul Mekanik's 'Wanna Get Wet'. Really, this track is nothing special. Don't get excited. But damn the man if blackplastic wasn't up on the tables shaking what its got by the end. 'Wanna Get Wet' sounds like the sort of straight up record that assholes would call 'funky house' whilst their eyes are getting gouged out by someone who knows better. It could definitely be an Ibiza anthem... Play it loud enough and scallys will turn up, skyone camera crew in-tow.
Pause. Deep breaths. There is something appealing in this song but it's unclear what it is. The slightly-breathy female vocals? The stuttering man in the background? The pure sunshine that oozes out of the speakers once it kicks in? It's all such a clichés.
If you can't guiltily enjoy a bit of this in the sun of an Indian summer, what can you do?
P.S. This is not the best song on the album. Stay tuned.
