Reviews 195: Smith & Mudd feat. Quinn Lamont Luke
The Distance is the newest 12″ single from Smith & Mudd and marks one of the only times the duo have released music outside of Claremont 56. This time around, their laid back vibes of balearic psychedelia land on Adventures in Paradise and feature the ever incredible Quinn Lamont Luke, who Mudd has collaborated with to great effect before through their Paqua project. But in contrast to the stoner funk and solar prog of Akaliko, “The Distance” has its head floating in cosmic clouds of AOR, with smooth rhythms backgrounding aching guitar layers, gorgeous piano cascades, blistering fuzz solos, and soulful voice serenades (and thus forming a kinship with Stubb’s “Love Not Sex” featuring Huw Costin and Rachel Foster). In addition to an instrumental version of the track, Adventures in Paradise have also wisely included Ron Basejam and his take is typically transformative, preserving the romantic melancholia of the original while creating a paradise disco epic in the process, replete with dashing orchestrations, enhanced vocal powers, and a reworked rhythm and bass section that seems to glide on waves of sunshine funk energy.
Smith & Mudd feat. Quinn Lamont Luke - The Distance (Adventures in Paradise, 2019) “The Distance” starts with warm and lightly distorted Rhodes chords and cosmic laser pads, as tambourines jangle and flashes of Smith’s bluesy guitar diffuse through the ether. Swelling string vapors, psychoactive dub fx, and banging pianos build emotional anticipation while cymbal taps and splashes bring in a sensual Rhodes riff and vibes of twilight magic, all while deep and physical basslines hold down the beatless groove. And then, as further palm-muted riff layers dance on glowing clouds, the smooth disco beats finally drop, with thudding kicks, soft snares, and shuffling hi-hats gliding on oceanic currents. 70’s style string orchestrations dash all around as drunk synth arps float in the sky and eventually the rhythms drop away, leaving the acoustic and electric pianos to dance alone through a balearic dreamscape. The guitar layers slowly work back in over sumptuous bassline pulsations and finally, Quinn descends upon the mix with an aura of shadowy light and heavenly songs of soul and grace. It’s so breathtaking…so magical…as this emotional angel sings out powerfully above a wonderland of AOR and slow motion disco. And if that wasn’t enough, the track eventually erupts as B.J. Smith lets loose a guitar solo that ascends to Floydian heights of emotive space rock perfection. And towards the end, as the six-string fuzz waves wail away, so does Quinn, blasting out a melodious “I NEED IT” refrains as the tender grooves ride towards a sunset horizon.
The original and instrumental mixes of “The Distance” are more or less the same until the extended rhythmic drop out, for without the entrance of Quinn’s vocals here, the the second half of the song works instead as a build towards the explosive guitar solo and its waves of classic rock majesty flowing down from the heavens. Then in Ron Basejam’s remix, the heat and humidity are turned up considerably as fantastical dreamscapes of symphonic strings surround e-piano descents, strands of chiming silver, and interstellar satellite communications. We then drop down into a smashing disco beat anchored by chugging basslines, with Quinn’s powerful voice flashing in right away. Bubbling Rhodes riffs support the vocal flows and their stories of hardship and togetherness while orchestral stabs of classical disco brilliance occasionally float above the fantasy groove. The “I NEED IT” vocal climax from the original is here repurposed as an epic chorus that is supported by funky palm muted riffs and ecstatic strings rushes before giving way to B.J.’s ripping fuzz solo, hitting as hard as ever as it rides on the romantic rhythms and hypnotic Rhodes riffscapes. As the beats pull away, massive piano waterfalls merge with thrilling string melodies and heady echo riffs before it all climaxes with a blinding fusion-style synth solo that lets loose vibes of sunset beauty and luscious jazz majesty…climbing higher and higher through crystal cloudrealms. And before the track fades away on ambient currents of wonderment, Ron cuts back to the verse for one last taste of Quinn’s intoxicating spells of unity and love.
(images from my personal copy)
