When you're picking out music at the shop you're not necessarily thinking about the finer points of personal hygiene and the difference a quality soap can make...or, then again...if you're actually out digging and it's a hot day...but that's beside the point. The point is, when you come across a CD in the "downtempo" or "chillout" section where the name Pangea Organics is the first to catch your eye, you either drop it like a dirty sock, or give in to your curious wonder and give it a listen. Those in the second group will be identified by their happy grin (and refreshing scent) because the music will surprise you.

1. DJ Harry "Thesaurus (feat. d.w.box)"
2. Spaceflight Orchestra "Mellotronic"
3. Crate Diggler "Jewel Thieves Ride Again"
4. DJ Rootz "Serenity Now"
5. Black Bridge "Cleft For Me"
6. Grandpa Mojo "Smallfoot"
7. Bassnectar "Dubuasca (with Michael Kang)"
8. Astro Raph "Nightlife"
9. Cosmic Rocker "Glocen"
10. Seafoam "Midi Test"
11. Seafoam "Somethin Smooth (feat. Klock and Jack Alterman)"
12. 21 Dread "Real Thing"
13. Strawberry Fish "Magnus Buchan (feat. Community Recordings)"
14. Drop Logik "Riddim in Sunset"

If you reside in Colorado you know exactly what the Pangea Organics brand is all about. For those of us who don't, you may know names like Aveda, Kiss My Face and Bliss, but Pangea Organics may quickly become your new favorite body care pusher.

The CD I'm talking about is Pangea's collaboration with Black Bridge, a fellow Boulder, Colorado based endeavor and it's titled "Natural Selection Volume One". Black Bridge is a brand new label, launched earlier this year along with the release of this compilation and both are the handiwork of label founders DJ Ivy (aka Josh Ivy) and Benjamin Bussard (aka DJ Psychonaut, 21 Dread).

There's more than a close relationship between the two companies. In the Pangea Organics office, DJ Ivy is their graphic designer. At the parties and events Pangea's founder Joshua Onysko threw in the early days of his soapy aspirations, the Black Bridge duo were DJs. In fact, it was music that funded the early days of Pangea Organics. When you consider the whole picture, it's not at all surprising to see the release of this compilation. In fact, it's actually much like the title itself, natural. This isn't a bodycare company trying to cash in on the well proven currency of downtempo music, they're just showing us "the rest of the story".

As for the music itself, you'll find work from Bassnectar, DJ Harry, Spaceflight Orchestra, Crate Diggler, DJ Rootz, Seafoam, 21 Dread, and a few other names you're not likely to be familiar with. While many brands whose image is based in organic, eco-friendly beauty care might go for a roster of established names, it's really nice to see a bunch of relatively unknown talents. It's equally nice to hear that none of them work in synth-spiritual realm of new age music.

Things open with DJ Harry who's joined by d.w.box and the song called "Thesaurus" has a very Zero 7-ish melancholy-pop vibe to it. Spaceflight Orchestra are next with "Mellotronic", opening with some Rhodes Organ that reminds me of that old "incense and peppermint" organ work. It quickly turns into a slightly funky, classic downtempo jam with a dreamy, Latin percussive edged style. Crate Diggler drops "Jewel Thieves Ride Again", taking things over to Morroco with a serious spy groove. DJ Rootz calls back to some classic hip hop beats with "Serenity Now". This one's B-Boy/Girl ready, but smooths out the geometric beats with some nice mellow horns and acoustic strings. Black Bridge come on like another spy groove with "Cleft For Me", but keep things closer to hip hop until they drop a bugged out funky, Southern twang loop into the mix. Add to that occasional dubbed out vocal effects in lounge and blues flavors.

Grandpa Mojo uses "Smallfoot" to take things off in a psydub direction (mellow bigbeat meets near eastern meets dub meets tribal), bringing with them some of the most assertive synths and breakbeats I've heard so far in this collection. It's suiting then that Bassnectar follow with "Dubuasca". They team up with Michael Kang of String Cheese Incident, turning the dub and bliss vibe way up.

Astro Raph enjoys some experimental Latin with "Nightlife" and plays in a style that sounds a bit like ambient deep house dub at times (but without the house beats). Cosmic Rocker keeps the mood moving forward and comes through with some house beats in a funky flavor called "Glocen". The whole is instrumental and the music, outside the funk percussion, bears more in common with the current Berlin minimal style. Seafoam keep the deep house vibe going strong in turn with a nicely minimal cut called "Midi Test". Another Seafoam track follows, but this one breaks it all down to the soulful side, introducing a rarity for this compilation; vocals. Even so, the style of vocal delivery is basically like sample loops, so it really just concerns itself with blending into the groove.

As you might expect from the artist name, 21 Dread approaches "Real Thing" with a dubwise style, but some of the bass and vocal elements are really a surprising twist. Strawberry Fish deliver a bongo heavy, dubbed out and laid back affair called "Magnus Buchan" featuring Community Recordings. It whispers of psydub but doesn't dive full-strength into the sound of it. Drop Logik are the last to appear and they drop a glitched out, abstract rendering of dub called "Riddim in Sunset".

So that's what Natural Selection is all about and based on having heard a variety of clothing and bodycare company compilations in the past, the sound of this collection isn't what I expected. Its sounds circulate between downtempo, house, dub and an old school electronic music ethic that speaks of an honest appreciation for the craft. It definitely raises my interest in Pangea Organics, whom you may find supporting music through more than just a series of compilations. Definitely worth discovering on all levels.

Currently this release is only available from the Pangea Organics store.

Add a Comment