Sun Palace: Raw Movements / Rude Movements Vinyl 2LP

In 1983, Mike Collins and Keith O’Connell entered the studio with the intent to produce a record that would be a hit in the UK’s massive jazz-funk scene, dominated at the time by the likes of Freeez, Incognito and Level 42. “Rude Movements,” a freeform balearic jazz-funk instrumental played over a Roland CR78 rhythm originally released on Passion Records, with the more polished “Winning” on the A side (rechristened here as “Movement I”), turned out to be a bigger hit across the pond, heavily caned by David Mancuso at his legendary NYC Loft parties and later becoming a staple in sets by Loft devotees Danny Krivit, Frankie Knuckles and Nicky Siano. After Sun Palace, Collins continued his studio and session work and has enjoyed a fruitful career producing and playing on Bjork’s excellent “Play Dead” as well as sessions with George Martin, Cameo, David Bowie and Ryuichi Sakamoto. BBE hit the jackpot when they tracked him down with the hopes to reissue “Rude Movements,” only to discover that he had just unearthed a pile of unfinished, unheard tracks from the same sessions. The crunchy drum machine rhythms and hypnagogic production permeating this collection sounds more like something Peoples Potential Unlimited may have tried to get their hands on than an artifact from the nice & neat Brit Funk scene, especially the 8-track demos collected on disc 1. “Raw Movements” is an early take of “Rude Movements,” and “Coral Reef” sounds like a cheeky response to Paul Hardcastle’s “Rainforest.” Be sure to check out liquid dream-funk joint “What’s The Time” and the jacking 909 street soul of “Street Beat” as well. Fans of Dam-Funk, Dwight Sykes, Ariel Pink and Benedek should grip confidently. Recommended.

• double vinyl pressing
• gatefold sleeve
• music label: BBE 2016

reviewed by peanut dust 08/2017