PRICE:
$15.50
LOW STOCK LEVEL
ARTIST
TITLE
Analog Aquarium
FORMAT
CD

LABEL
CATALOG #
STILLM 004CD STILLM 004CD
GENRE
RELEASE DATE
4/12/2011

Still Music is proud to present Analog Aquarium, the debut album by legendary Detroit house producer Rick "The Godson" Wilhite. Rick is a longtime member of Detroit's dance music scene, dating back to his time working at Buy Rite records, one of the epicenters of Detroit's 1980s techno music explosion. More recently, his own record shop Vibes New&Rare Music has achieved revered status amongst those in the know, acting as the heart and soul of deep dance music in the city. His love for music and records has led to a DJing career that has spanned many genres, though it is his take on deep house music that has led him to international acclaim. Drawing from Detroit's history of soul, jazz, disco, house, and techno, Rick's productions weave these sometimes disparate elements into a beautiful, cohesive whole that remains distinctly his own, just as he does with the records he plays in his DJ sets. Working with Theo Parrish, Kenny Dixon Jr. and Malik Pittman on the 3 Chairs project has grown Rick's reputation even greater. With many classic 12" releases under his own name that have been absolutely beaten to death by DJs worldwide, it is now time for Rick to leave his mark on a wider audience. While it is undoubtedly HIS album, Analog Aquarium allows Rick to explore all sides of his musical abilities with the assistance of some of his most trusted allies. The record kicks off with a hot, jazzy vocal track in collaboration with Osunlade, Theo Parrish, and Billy Love, the Jacksons-referencing "Blame It On The Boogie." "Dark Walking" sees Rick team up with fellow 3 Chair Malik Pittman to explore the deep, nasty underbelly of the 313 with menacing synth bass and warm jazz chords. The two-part jam "Muzic Gonna Save The World" is a loose, stomping string-heavy romp, bringing to mind Pharoah Sanders if the synthesizer and sampler had been his instruments of choice. "Sunshine Pt. 2" starts off pleasant enough with rolling percussion and Rick's own voice but those vibes are soon belied by the ominous strings and bells that transform the track entirely. One of the tracks from Rick's first outing on Still Music is revisited on "City Bar Opening (Basement Mix)," taking the already raw feeling to an even higher level. "Deep Horizons" begins with frenetic percussion that is eventually whittled down to a soulful groove before building the intensity back up. Rick's famous late-night sampled grooves reappear on "In The Rain," with Billy Love vibing up the place with his heartfelt vocals. On "Cosmic Jungle" and "Cosmic Soup," Rick explores outer and inner space with tripped-out sci-fi effects but without sacrificing the soul that makes his productions so personal. All in all, a fitting full-length for such a diverse musician.