Raw Beauty - LoSoul

The 20: June 2008

Click to view a release from this issue of The 20.

Featured Review #11

Raw Beauty

LoSoul [Playhouse]

#11 in this month's The 20

Section: Music Recommendations Topics: The 20
Written by: lizwarner

Though LoSoul had been steeped in music since the 1980s, it wasn’t until he released 2000’s ‘Belong’ on Playhouse that anyone seemed to notice.

It was his playful way of mixing funk with techno unrivaled by many of his peers that got everyone’s attention.

Fast-forward several singles and an album later to the year 2008 and we arrive at the Cologne-based artist’s ‘Raw Beauty’, also through tastemaking Playhouse.

But what’s interesting is that the cut that’s now featured as a new release dates back to the very same era, this time from 1999 through Classic records.

And what’s most surprising probably shouldn’t be a surprise at all — that the funk and the fun sounds as fresh today as in the year of its first issue.

The Original Version features of a distorted and cutting guitar (or is that a DAT glitch?) while it chugs along at mid-tempo pace.

The UK’s Luke Solomon then chimes in for an updated remix that, while keeping in with the adventurous spirit, still can’t seem to follow closely in the Original’s footsteps.

Which is the best case that anyone can make for music ahead of its time.