Quiet Village, the downtempo project led by Joel Martin and Matt ‘Radio Slave’ Edwards’, has been described as ‘sophisticated exotica for adults’ – with the pair taking their influences from their extensive record collections as well as modern sounds.
Their latest release, on their eponymous The Quiet Village imprint, is Till The Doctor Gets Back, a reinterpretation of Barry Reynolds’ 1982 recording on Island Records. Backed by a dub remix from Mad Professor, the track “has the rare combination of sophistication, immediacy, and melody that defines great pop music”, according to the pair, and is out now.
For the latest #MyRecordBag, Quiet Village share a selection of dub-inspired favourites, drawing on the early-1980s sounds of Compass Point and other records that helped shape the project.
As they tell 909originals, “With our new Quiet Village version of Barry Reynolds’ Till The Doctor Gets Back and a debut remix from Mad Professor on the flip, I started thinking about the records that inspired the project. Rather than focusing solely on Compass Point Studios productions, I’ve picked ten records from the wider musical universe that orbited Nassau, Island Records, New York remix culture and the UK dub scene in the early 1980s.”
“Together, they tell the story of a period when reggae, disco, post-punk, funk and pop were being reshaped in the studio by visionaries such as Sly & Robbie, Wally Badarou, François Kevorkian, Paul “Groucho” Smykle, Trevor Horn and Mad Professor.”
Black Uhuru – Big Spliff (Mango, 1983)
“A Loft classic and a perfect example of reggae’s journey from Kingston to the downtown dancefloor. Paul ‘Groucho’ Smykle’s mix adds just the right amount of New York club sophistication to Black Uhuru’s heavyweight groove.”
Set The Tone – Dance Sucker (Island, 1982)
“A post-punk-funk slammer elevated by François Kevorkian’s masterful touch. Angular, driving and relentlessly danceable, it captures a moment when punk, disco and reggae influences were colliding in all the right ways.”
The Rolling Stones – Emotional Rescue (Rolling Stones Records, 1980)
“Highly sophisticated blue-eyed sleaze from the rock ‘n’ roll gods. Jagger’s falsetto, the elastic groove and the Compass Point atmosphere make this one of the Stones’ most underrated moments.”
Jimmy Cliff – Peace Officer (Unreleased François K Dub) (Columbia, 1982)
“A raw and twisted dub excursion packed with effects, atmosphere and space. Sly Dunbar’s drumming anchors the whole thing while François K takes the mix somewhere completely unexpected.”
Ruts DC – Militant (Bohemian, 1983)
“A stripped-back dub-punk masterpiece recorded and mixed at Mad Professor’s Ariwa Studios. Few records fuse militant energy and deep reggae sensibilities so effortlessly.”
Malcolm McLaren – Legba (Charisma, 1983)
“A Trevor Horn-produced treasure and a genuine genre-defying masterpiece. African rhythms, electronic experimentation and pop ambition collide in one of the most adventurous records of its era.”
Joe Cocker – Sweet Little Woman (Island, 1982)
“The Compass Point All Stars in full flight. Joe’s earthy vocals sit beautifully against the sun-drenched groove, resulting in a perfect blend of tropical soul, reggae and rock.”
Arcadia – Election Day (Cryptic Cut) (Capitol, 1985)
“A devastating François Kevorkian remix of Duran Duran’s short-lived side project. Cinematic in scope, balancing grandeur, mystery and dancefloor power in equal measure.”
Robert Palmer – I Didn’t Mean To Turn You On (Extended Dance Mix) (Island, 1986)
“Bruce Forest delivers one of his finest extended versions, with Bernard Edwards’ bass providing the irresistible foundation. Sophisticated, stylish and impossible not to move to.”
King Sunny Adé & His African Beats – Ja Funmi (Remix) (Island, 1982)
“Another Paul ‘Groucho’ Smykle masterclass. Electronic juju music pushed into new territory through dub techniques, innovative production and truly astonishing sonics.”
Quiet Village’s Till The Doctor Gets Back b/w Mad Professor Dub Remix is out now. Check it out here.
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