[rating=4.00]
Instead of St. Bart’s or St. Tropez, Sexotica could very well be the next hottest jet-set journey. The quartet led by Steve Bernstein on trumpet has released an album, Sexotica, on Thirsty Ear Recordings, basing the disc on Martin Denny’s “Exotica” recordings. In accordance with a signature sound sometimes called “spastic jazz,” the band members combine their unique aura with paying homage to a particular music form. As the father of Exotica, Denny infused Latin tempos and Eastern flavors, creating a vintage, other-worldly, island vibe. Sexotica is of no exception to this trend, hunkering down with a jungle feel. Instead of covering Denny, the band composes all original tunes, labeling the second track “Martin Denny.” As record player crackles begin the song, sullen bird whistles create a hot, jungle music vibe. The track is some sweat box funk along the lines of classic Peter and the Wolf. That is, different instruments call to mind different “characters” or animals, designing a textured story.
Sexotica opens up with “Pygmey,” some downright dirty Latin hip-hop. The mood should come as no surprise, remembering the name of the band itself. The music might as well be in the soundtrack to a movie scene taking place in a middle-of-nowhere brothel, showing all the indecent details. From the shouts and scratching, a very erotic vibe settles in. “Exotique” starts with some techno beats by drummer Kenny Wollesen as Bernstein’s bare minimum, jerky and frenetic trumpet cuts through everything. This one-sided feel is further amplified by sounds of a man on the phone. Dissonance without being overbearing and controlled mayhem tend to be themes to the Sex Mob sound, as the sound byte, “That is the real Sex Mob” at the end of the track concurs.
Briggan Krauss’s insect-flight saxophone opens “Luvin Bloom,” with ambient percussion cushioning. Then bassist Tony Scherr drops a mother of a bass-line while laser guns help keep time. The two horns diverge and converge in staccato notes before coming to a smooth, fluid head. Needless to say, the track drips with sex. “Quiet,” is another standout track, with its name hinting at the muted tones of the prepared piano. Popularized by John Cage, the prepared piano is underutilized as a tone-setter in music today. At one time calming and another unsettling, the prepared piano brings to mind a haunting xylophone. The background of the song uses African beats with an Asian swing, again taking the listener to some faraway land. Consistently, the musicians employ a system of familiar note-bending against a mellow flavor. Heavy metal electronic jazz explodes halfway through the final track, “Seven Bars,” cutting off the sounds in that sort of “wow” way. The effect hits almost after everything ends.
