I don't have to tell anyone how good a classic dance tempo feels when the rhythm hits right. Dan Webb's "Thai Basil" wastes no time setting up a massive groove. From the first second, you are pulled straight into an upbeat funk and nu-disco world.
The synth bass playing drives the entire operation. It anchors the beat with intricate lines, slick slides, and pops rattling underneath the mix. Those synthesizers take over the main melodies, crafting a retro flavor straight out of the late seventies. Pure momentum. It floored me.
Then horns cuts through the production. We get a stacked horn arrangement performed by Ron Blake and James King, The Rolling Stones' horn section who appeared on Hackney Diamonds and Foreign Tongues. The thematic variations keep the focus tight the entire way through the track.
The instrumental solos keep the energy climbing. The groove does all the talking, pushing forward until the final snare hit. I had this track on replay all morning long.
