Moody - Det.riot '67

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  • It's almost a cliché, but it bears repeating especially in reference to Det.riot '67: Moodymann is one of the rare musicians who seems to perfectly embody—and explain—his city. Det.riot '67 is a psychogeographical tour throughout Detroit, one in which sex, hope and despair all run together in equal measure. "Freeki Mutha F cker" is the sex—and it's the most obvious DJ-friendly track on hand. A walking bassline runs things throughout, but Moodymann's stoned voice is the real hook. Augmented by a string swell and a piano chord, it ain't much, but it's strangely addictive. After 50 seconds of movie dialogue about the glories of pimping, "Heaven," slowly slides in on languid guitar and a bassline that sounds as if it's verging on falling asleep. A mood piece, surely, "Heaven" doesn't stand the light of individual scrutiny, but Det.riot '67—and much of Moodymann's recent work—doesn't seem all that concerned with how individual songs operate, instead opting for music that complements what's come before and what will come after. "Hello 2Morrow" is a great case in point: Leading off the second side, Moodymann gets upbeat and allows a bit of hope to seep into the seedy underworld that he so often depicts. Moodymann is saying hello mostly to astrological signs, but that's OK, because as the next song intimates, if that can only last for one night, it may be enough. "4 One Night" is the calm before the storm, a sex romp of bass vamping that ends in the ominous strings of "Det.riot." A rather prescient tune, "Det.riot" reminds listeners that even in '67 that Detroit was a city in crisis over congealed basslines and a rigid clapping beat. These days, the city may not be in overt revolt, but with the economic situation the way that it is, we may be there soon.
  • Tracklist
      A1 Freeki Mutha F cker A2 Untitled A3 Heaven B1 Hello 2morrow B2 4 One Night B3 Det.riot
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