This is a review of Theo Parrish’s excellent sixth release on his Sound Signature label. James Glass hipped me to this one Friday evening I dropped into Tweakin’ Records on the Lower Haight. My most vivid memory of this is playing it on the Bulletproof Boat party to a packed house when I was opening for Mark Farina. I will never forget the way the crowd went nuts to “Dan Ryan.” The bass on that tune sounded amazing on that dance floor.

Roots Revisited
Dan Ryan / Walking Through The Air
Sound Signature/US/12
Is it techno? Is it house? Is it disco? Is it Lithuanian noseflute drum ‘n’ bass? Who cares when the music is this good? On “Dan Ryan,” Theo Parrish and collaborator Jerrald James fuse a conga-heavy funk vibe with abstract bass action that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Rhythm Is Rhythm record. Thus, a floor-destroying monster of superlative velocity and unfeasibly, outlandishly gargantuan proportions is created and unleashed on an unsuspecting public weened on generic mediocrity. The best four-four-based dance record of the year so far. Get it and work it to the bone, baby, you know you need it. And don’t forget to play the flip, it’s rather tight too. Chris Orr