Don Carlos: Mediterraneo Vinyl 12"

I slept on this dude for the longest time, out of sheer ignorant allegiance to the other Don Carlos (of Don Carlos & Gold fame), who is responsible for some of the heaviest earth-shaking roots records of all time (“Natty Dread Have Him Credential,” “Prophecy,” “Spread Out,” “No Follow Babylon,” I mean take your pick). Like, if someone told you about a techno record by some producer calling himself Bob Marley, how could you take it seriously? So anytime anyone recommended I check out a record by the Italian Don Carlos, I would do the “oh yeah totally I’ll look that up tonight when I get home and get on my laptop” but thinking to myself “yeah that’s gonna be a no for me, dawg.” But man, was I fucking up! This EP, originally released on Irma Records sublabel Calypso in 1992, is clearly inhabited by the same sublime vibes found on concurrent records by the great Larry Heard: soft pads, gentle synth leads and life-affirming basslines. “Free” foreshadows aspects of the dreamy tote bag house currently trickling out of the Pacific Northwest on labels like Mood Hut and Pacific Rhythm, with sublime transposed chords and summery sax riffs dancing over a crunchy garage riddim. The main event, for me, is the title track: an expertly programmed jazzy bassline swirling through a sea of cosmic synth riffs and deeply soulful chords. If you gripped Flash Forward’s other excellent Italian house reissues by Dreamatic, The Experience, Onirico and Oneiric, this one is a must-cop.

• music label: Flash Forward 2017

reviewed by mayor of hounslow 06/2017