Funki Porcini - Fast Asleep
The cover of Funki Porcini's new record Fast Asleep depicts a sleeping woman resting on a large rug surrounded by a towering array of electronic equipment: reel-to-reel tape machines, keyboards, synthesizers, modulators, speakers, tape decks, turntables, computer terminals -- all the accoutrement of Funki Porcini's musical craft. A tabby cat watches from a small niche between two amplifier cabinets. Her sleep appears to be restful among all the potential noises which these devices could generate. Her slumber appears deep and restful. If you were to buy this record expecting to hear what you see, you would not be disappointed. This is the most delightful late night, laid back, slumbering jazz record Funki Porcini has ever done.
"The Big Sea" unfolds with brush strokes across a snare drum, a solitary upright bass walking an empty beach, an elongated synth washing ashore. All of these elements drift past through the expansive intro until the string quartet, rhythm section, and keyboard player all join in to take you for a long journey across the open waves. A harp spills notes into your wake, a cascading wash which follows you.
Once you reach land again, there is a car waiting to take you away into the hills. It sits on the shingle, engine puttering gently. There is an organ player behind the wheel and the manner in which drives fills your head with the sprightly sound of the pipes. "We're out of here," he says and off you go, bouncing and rattling across the roads. You can hear his pipes all the way as you rest in the back, staring out at the clouds overhead.
A trio of sad trumpets populates "Sleepy," two providing answer to the lead's melancholy tune. A snare and bass fill out the sound, the whole tune coming to you through an old Victrola speaker, static and all. Early evening slumber music to soften your head while you wait -- slumped over in an comfy chair, bow-tie half-tied, shoes off, drink in your hand -- for the dinner guests to arrive. You dream of the end of the evening.
"The Great Drive By" passes in slow motion, a pulsating soundtrack to the last moments in which the city skyline are visible from the car. Night cloaks the city, the lights sprawling like an unorganized field of Christmas lights. You know most of the residents are sleeping, their dreams filling up the streets and alleys, but you are leaving, the restless rhythm of the drum kit propelling you away from your life in the city. A guitar tickles your ear, a last echo of a love you once had. You look back once more. The city fades. Like a dream.
"Last Night over Norway" is a minute and a half of flight over the Nordic country, a too-brief piano and synthesizer duet that sounds like Vangelis dueling Röyksopp in the lounge of the aircraft. Not that most aircraft have lounges but, you know, you're still dreaming so it all works.
There is no point in trying to wake. Funki Porcini has you covered. The 14 tracks on Fast Asleep are meant for any possible combination of sleep deficiencies. Sore backs, night terrors, jet lag, restless wandering feet, noisy neighbors -- none of them matter. There's at least one track, probably more, which will set you right. Atmosphere is king and this record deserves the crown.
Bonus for the insomniacs: There's an eight track DVD included which sets six of the songs on Fast Asleep to visuals done by Funki Porcini and Team Alcohol. A great disc made better with stunning visual accompaniment.
Funki Porcini
Ninja Tune [2002]
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