#THUNDERBALL CINESCOPE SERIES#

#THUNDERBALL CINESCOPE SERIES#

The third Thunderball album to be re-released on Fort Knox Recordings is a series of cinematic soundscapes that explore a vivid range of technicolor grooves made for the widescreen.

The record is a cinematic tribute to twelve separate and completely non-existent films.вЂќ - BPM Magazine вЂњWith their album Cinescope, the dons of the District are set to blow on a whole other level. Thunderball deftly steers clear of these trappings 12 Mile High is a sophisticated effort that speaks the global language of groove.'Thunderball are back, dripping in Eastern sitar melodies and tempting drum lines.' - URB Magazine With so many musical influences at play, thereвЂ™s always the danger of coming off tacky and artless. Broken up by a number of uptempo breaks, the songвЂ™s overall mood makes it sound like it could be a B-side cut from Curtis MayfieldвЂ™s Superfly.ДЎ2 Mile High is not a far departure from ThunderballвЂ™s cinematic jet-setter persona the album is a solid assortment of blockbuster beats and ambitious sound implements. The song is easy on the ears partly due to AkbarвЂ™s soulful crooner voice, but the track also takes on the sweet sound of Philadelphia soul. The trio recruited AkbarвЂ™s vocals once again in вЂњMake Your Move,вЂќ one of the albumвЂ™s most audibly accessible tracks. Standout track вЂњRico RitmoвЂќ has the same Spanish flair, but over a drum and bass beat straight from England. вЂњLow Down WeatherвЂќ showcases MyersвЂ™ guitar chops in an Italian- and Spanish-fused rhythm. The track has a thick sonic component with echoed samples, wah-wah pedaled guitars, and a tight brass section, but it is all smoothed out by ZeeboвЂ™s vocal performance. Zeebo provides the vocals for вЂњDub Science,вЂќ a subterranean-grooved track that uses classic dub sounds and drum kits. The albumвЂ™s worldliness does not stop there.

Even after the beat kicks in, listeners are transported to the Indian subcontinent while the sitar-driven track gives route to complementing Middle Eastern rhythms. Album opener вЂњEnter the BrahminвЂќ stages a grand opening for the whole album. ThunderballвЂ™s latest record is a summation of old and new sonic influences that could have only been made after a decadeвЂ™s worth of releases. The album was equipped with an impressive arsenal of guest vocalists, including Miss Johnna M., Mustafa Akbar, and electro hip-hop legend, Afrika Bambaataa. Along with John Horvath, the four musicians began making party-rocking break beats as Fort Knox Five, releasing music on their newly established budding funk and soul record label, Fort Knox.ДЄfter a five-year hiatus from ESL and the official addition of Myers into the group, Thunderball released Cinescope in 2006. But after the record, the band took a break from ESL Music for a different venture.

It was on the 2001 album, Scorpio Rising, when Barcelona and Raskin began incorporating live instruments into their sessions-with long-time collaborator Rob Myers on guitar-and a distinct sound began to emerge. Since their 1999 debut release Ambassadors of Style, when it was only a Barcelona and Raskin DJ duo, ThunderballвЂ™s sound has evolved into something more than mere downtempo. The Washington, DC-based trio is composed of Rob Myers, Steve Raskin, and Sid Barcelona. 12 Mile High, ThunderballвЂ™s fourth full-length recording, is yet another musical journey through the groupвЂ™s signature sound. From Bristol-style drum and bass, 1970s blaxploitation soundtracks, and Afro-dub, to funky Bollywood sitars, lounge-centric jazz riffs, and futuristic synth lines, making it sound cohesive is a feat in itself. As one of the labelвЂ™s original artists, Thunderball has been on the cusp of the genre, its music known for its cinematic quality and global sound. Thievery CorporationвЂ™s Eighteenth Street Lounge Music record label has been releasing downtempo and electronic music since its establishment in 1996. On a weekly basis, The Groove Seeker goes in search of killer grooves across rock, funk, hip hop, soul, electronic music, jazz, fusion, and more.

Thunderball cinescope