Back in '97, Bran Van 3000 were Canada's best kept secret - a developed, idiosyncratic and sweet little multi-cultural hip-hop collective. Their debut album had that innocent vibe that came from people making music that broke all sorts of rules; not because they had some clear desire to be on the cutting edge, but because they didn't know any better.
They mixed together elements that should never have shared floor-space: folk with funk, bubblegum pop and punk, and managed to create an album on which breathy females could sing an acoustic 'Cum On Feel The Noize', and it would fit right in.
Bran Van main man Jamie Di Salvio had created an environment in which he saw the 20-odd contributors as the album's 'cast'. The album owes its disparate diversity to the efforts of all those people, and the fact that it all works together, sounding like one band with one identity, is down to Jamie.
EMI picked up the band, and re-released the independent 'Glee' throughout the rest of the world, with a few remixes and a couple of new tracks. Word of mouth secured the band a cult status here and in the US, although it took a cider advert to bring their 'Drinking In LA' to a wider audience.
Now moved across to the Beastie's Grand Royal imprint, 'Discosis' is Jamie's attempt to continue where he left off - only bigger. The most notable change is the 'cast' - some of the old crew have stayed, others have left, but the band's new-found clout means they can invite people other than their mates to appear on their record.
Collaborators on 'Discosis' include Momus, Youssou N'Dour and Big Daddy Kane, although the rosette must go to Curtis Mayfield. The ailing soul star was in no shape to perform when Jamie's request arrived, but did offer the band an unreleased a capella track, around which they have built the wonderful 'Astounded'. The track begins initially as faithful homage to Mayfield's classic sound, and slowly transforms into bizarre Latin dance. Fab.
Elsewhere, 'Discosis' ploughs a similar furrow to 'Glee', if in a slightly more restrained and informed manner, in its quest for the perfect lazy summertime sound. Relaxed pop like 'Love Cliché and the lovely 'Montreal' typify the record, music that asks you: 'Why hurry? There's no rush...', even while songs like 'Dare I Say' stress that you can't 'sleep your life away'.
Besides, you have to have space in your life for songs that detail the trials and tribulations of being Kermit The Frog.
