Anané - Take A Ride EP [Nervous]

Anané's EP "Take A Ride" was produced by Two Soul Fusion, aka Louie Vega & Josh Milan, all with live string arrangements courtesy of the Apple Hill String Quartet and conducted by Leroy Burgess. The recording dives from the effortless heights of Punk Disco (Let Me Be Your Fantasy, High) into the swirling Jazz Funk (Coffy Is The Color) before re-emerging in the languid arms of Italo-Disco (Tutto Previsto). The strings throughout the production were…

The EP is unified throughout by the dreamy and exquisite vocals of its creator, Anané, who considers her vocal line a vital part of the instrumental whole. "I am art," Anané reflects carefully, "because I am the music as much as I am the singer. Creation means delving into the unseen of my own dreams and becoming the beast of my vision, singing to the world as I go."

The opening singles, "Let Me Be Your Fantasy" and "High," delve into the essence of classic punk disco, when rock, punk, and disco merged in the early 80s to create the iconic New York sound, with tempestuous bass lines and hi-hats providing the DNA for both tracks. In "Let Me Be Your Fantasy," Vega and Milan employ a dazzling array of falling and soaring string sections, dancing over rivers of percussion and bass courtesy of Elements of Life band member XXX, with Anané’s vocals effortlessly spinning above it all. "High" begins similarly, Anané drawing the listener into the dance from the moment the needle drops, the driving bassline catching your breath as the single begins to build momentum. In both tracks, it's all about movement, an exciting and intoxicating sense of dynamism and rhythm that grows with each song as they ease into their natural groove.

From disco, Anané leads us into the depths of jazz funk with the single "Coffy Is The Color." Nine minutes in length, this is an indulgent masterpiece, a carefully controlled riot, expertly orchestrated to build in energy and rhythm beat by beat. Anané is the central riff that underpins the whole, her voice the unwavering constant in the experiment, various instruments dropping, diving, soaring, and swirling around her, adding volume and excitement until the listener is immersed in endlessly swirling electronic and acoustic waters. For any audiophile, "Coffy Is The Color" is as luxurious an experience as can be.

Sensual, languid, practically slithering out of the speakers and across the terrazzo, the Italo-Disco single 'Tutto Previsto'. A homage to Anané's love for Italy, the single embodies the carefree, lazy warmth of the Mediterranean. Slow bass lines and sliding guitars that have an almost cajun feel provide the bedrock of the song, while strings shimmer and dance above. Between the two, lurking with an almost feline nature, is Anané's seductive vocal.

Michael Gray's Dub Mix of "Get On The Funk Train" takes the EP back to disco, with dense, rumbling beats brushing up against swirling organs, insistent percussion, and shimmering strings. Paying homage to Giorgio Moroder and Pete Bellotte's original production, it showcases the truly timeless nature of the genre, a legacy that has only been enriched by Anané's latest work.

"Take A Ride" is a typically bold departure for Anané, who throughout her career as a musician, writer, singer, DJ, and label head, has forged her own path. "My role as an artist has a higher purpose," she explains, "not just my own personal expression, but to inspire, create, and possibly shape the world around me. Understanding this sense of power that I hold within comes with great responsibility and understanding that my music will always be more than I could ever imagine."