If you just woke up from a 20 year nap then Henry Maldonado’s ubiquity on the scene wouldn’t be much of a surprise. In the last four years he’s released records on the top labels in the business — Delusions of Grandeur, Underground Quality, Local Talk, Sistrum, and others. After dividing his records between a half dozen groups and aliases in the first half of his career (House 2 House on Strictly Rhythm, Rhythm Section on MAW), he’s now tied himself to “Son of Sound” for original productions that evoke a wild but sophisticated downtown sound.
Most records I get with have a few tracks I like and one I love, but Machines On The Dresser just hits with body blow after body blow. “Don’t Count On Me For Love” draws you in with circus rave stabs that dive in and out of layered hypnotic lofi samples and dreamy riffs. Wild shit. “Deep Tri-State (That Love)” brings to mind something from the drowned-in-soul signature sound of Sistrum founder Patrice Scott. The B-side takes it to the next level with “Truth Be Told,” which snatches the soul of R&B and jazz and creates a soulful funk monster. One of the earlier Son of Sound cuts on District 30 was titled “The Love Up Beat Down” and that phrase should be stamped on the label and etched into the heart of the runout of each record. It’s so very accurate and so very much what we need.
Son of Sound: Machines On The Dresser / District 30 (January 2020/12″ Vinyl)
A1. Son of Sound: “Don’t Count On Me For Love” (6:47)
A2. Son of Sound: “Deep Tri-State (That Love)” (6:14)
B1. Son of Sound: “Truth Be Told” (7:09)
B2. Son of Sound: “Say More” (5:21)
SOUL POWER: Originally published in 5 Mag issue 179 featuring 25 Years of Compost, Soulphiction, Marco Faraone & more. Help support 5 Mag by becoming a member for just $1 per issue.
