A Number of Names - Sharevari

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  • Born from the city's high school party scene of the early '80s, "Sharevari" by A Number of Names is widely acknowledged to be the proto-example of Detroit techno. Capriccio Records were the first to press the initial few hundred copies back in 1981, available once again in all its original 12-inch glory courtesy of a long overdue repress. For those unfamiliar with the record, let's break it down elementally. Rugged kicks conjoin with firm claps and ticking hi-hats to get us off the ground, propelled forward by short, sharp bursts of trembling bass. Dancing synths scamper playfully around the bassline, prepping the listener for what must go down as one of the all-time great opening lines: "Some bread and cheese and fine white wine/Designer chic but a matter of time." From here it's all quasi-European narration on the playboy-esque figure of Sharevari, Kraftwerk samples ("It's More Fun to Compute") and echoed, cult-like female chanting. The instrumental on the flip is much the same, minus the lead vocals. It's a truly mesmerizing record and one that encapsulates the first sonic strides of a generation caught in the midst of golden-era Prince and Kraftwerk, which goes a long way to explaining why it remains such a timeless, stone-cold classic.
  • Tracklist
      A Sharevari (Vocal) B Sharevari (Instrumental)
RA