With a new Janet Jackson album on the shelves, I wanted to say a few words about Ultra Nate’ so that she didn’t get lost in the shuffle. A well-known commodity in the dance music world, her amazing new album Stranger Than Fiction (Strictly Rhythm) could easily propel her into the mainstream limelight. Soulful, funky, rhythmic, and every bit as accessible as Destiny’s Child or Macy Gray, Ultra Nate’ deserves your undivided attention.
From the opening track, “Love Is Stranger Than Fiction” (co-written by Nona Hendryx), on which Ultra Nate’ takes her place among the 21st century soul sisters, through the retro disco of “Dear John” and “Get It Up (The Feeling) “—on which she samples the Isley Brothers, Ultra Nate’ has rewritten the book on contemporary pop. There is also the insistent dance groove of “Desire,” the slamming rock-dance beat of “Pretender” (on which Lenny Kravitz supplies guitar and vocals), the exuberant disco heartbeat of “Breakfast For Two” (which recalls ’80s hi-NRG dance music) and the album’s haunting closer “Ghost” (co-written by N’dea Davenport), making this album the musical equivalent of a page-turner.
Flip your wig with Wigstock: The Legendary Compilation (Nervous), which celebrates the 17th (!) anniversary of the lauded and legendary event known as Wigstock. Comprised of a dozen tracks assembled by Lady Bunny in her DJ hat, I mean wig, these thumping and bumping cuts will have you strutting around your living room, out your front door and into the street. Lady Bunny had the self-described “excellent taste” to include “Flawless” by The Ones (JoJo America, Nashom, Paul E. Alexander), two by Barbara Tucker (“Beautiful People” and “Stay Together”), a double dose of Byron Stingily —doing his finest Sylvester on his cover of “You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) ” and the uplifting “Get Up,” and a nice, classic pair by Taana Gardner (“Work That Body” and “Heartbeat”). Other “flawless” contributors include Charlotte (the empowering anthem “Skin”), Crystal Waters (“100% Pure Love”), Kim English (“Learn To Luv”) and Cece Peniston (“Nobody Else”).
It’s hard to believe that it’s been five years since the French DJ duo known as Daft Punk raised the roof with their domestic debut disc Homework, but it’s true. Discovery (Virgin), their long-awaited follow-up disc opens with the single “One More Time” which has the unmistakable markings of a Daft Punk song. Catchy, repetitive, rhythmic, Daft Punk has not lost their ability to make music that turns any setting into a discotheque. The dance music of the 1970s continue to be an influence as you can hear on the funky “Digital Love,” “Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger,” “Something About Us,” “Voyager,” and “Face To Face.” There is also something vaguely space age and futuristic about Daft Punk’s music, which makes it the appropriate soundtrack for this space odyssey year, 2001. Extra points for anyone who recognized the Barry Manilow (!) sample on the song “Superheroes.”