Buki Cole And Free Radikal - Latenite One FLAC

'Life is not a momentary feeling that you can overcome'. Or, a worthwhile place to pause if you, like me, are a pilgrim engaged in the perennial search for beautiful house music. Once I actually 'got' what house-music veteran Leslie 'Bang The Party' Lawrence was trying to evoke with this mellow, yet pristinely crafted and sophisticated slice of sweetness, that line has seldom failed to put a lump in a my throat, or send a small sliver of ice down my spine, even after numerous listens. There is some confusion in the crediting on this record, given that it's apparently a 'Special Version' of an 'Ella' track (although there is no 'Ella' formally credited here) and it's not clear who, if either, of the two artists who *are* credited - Buki Cole and Free Radikal - is the vocalist. (Even more confusing, the second version is said to incorporate portions of a remix by Larry Heard, who isn't formally credited either!) In any case, the female singer we can hear on this has an idiosyncratically reedy style, with a peculiarly precise annunciation, and a hint of 'poshness'. The upshot is that you can hear every word of the excellent song she sings. This is important, as these lyrics play an integral part of making this release the high-quality one that it is, although you, like I did, might need several listens before you let your guard down against the slightly self-righteous tone of the 'message' in the lyrics. After that, they might steal your heart as they did mine. In the mix, the clattering Roland 606 beats, and the second, two-octaves-lower bass line which creeps in half-way through, contribute to the subtlety and warmth of a song which coaxes you rather than shoves you on to the dance floor. The B-side version simply brings the Latin-esque elements of the production more to the fore, but it's perhaps a little redundant given the A-side. Even so, this record contains some of the best house music I've heard in a long time, and for those who still have ears to hear house music of quality, class and distinction, it's highly recommended.