Tracy Song / 4
Meters
By
David Chalfant
Tracy Song and its B-Side 4 Meters by David
Chalfant is the debut release from Unsettled Scores Records and before I
get into this release, I think it’s important to give you some background.
Firstly, Unsettled Score records is the brainchild of Dan
Sawkins (aka Deejay Skamrok) and when the chance to review this release came up
I asked him about the new label and how it came about and this is what he had
to say:
The idea for the label came about
around 2015/6, I was into a bunch of the soundtrack labels at the time and had
a list of titles in my head that I wished someone would release, not thinking
for a second it was something I could do as I thought you had to have major
backing to start a label. Then I heard an interview with Kevin Bergeron from
Waxwork Records, he said when starting the label, he was denied a bank loan, so
he sold off his musical equipment to get the money together. Hearing that
interview made me realise I could do it myself too without a loan or any
backing. All the money it took to start my label has been 100% funded by
selling records from my personal collection.
With that in mind, I wondered what the label was
likely to release moving forward:
There’s gonna be a mixed bag of music
coming from Unsettled Scores Records in the coming years, there’s so many
obscure on screen tunes that I want to see on my label but also very well-known
scores and soundtracks to movies that I grew up with, this won’t be a label
dedicated to one style of music, Hip Hop will always be my first love but my
taste in music generally is wide so expect all sorts.
So, lets move on to this debut release, back in 2002 the
classic 1983 documentary about the New York graffiti scene, ‘Style Wars’ saw an
expanded 2-DVD release that included a host of bonus extras. Part of those
bonus extra’s was a section called “Classic Hits” from Tracy 168 (who sadly
passed away recently) which featured some rare super 8 footage of some of the
early writers of the mid-70s. The track playing over that section has never
seen the light of day until now, and that track is Tracey Song, which was
composed especially for this footage by David Chalfant, the son of Henry
Chalfant the photographer and videographer who documented so much of the Hip
Hop culture including ‘Style Wars’ and many books.
Now, if it was not enough that Tracy Song now receives its
long overdue release, but David Chalfant also recorded a brand-new track to
serve as the flip side to this release, 4 Meters. How amazing is that…
So, please join me on my journey into this release…
Tracy Song has this infectious Latin Rock vibe that
makes it hard to anything else but, nod your head move your body to the music.
The drums, bass and guitars create this energetic sound that fuels the
adrenaline and injects every joint of your body with this desire to move to the
groove. However, there is also the connection to ‘Style Wars’ and for those who
know, the more you listen, the more it puts you in mind of the documentary and
the energy in the sound makes you think of what it must have felt like for the
writers, out there after dark in the train yards and subway tunnels or on the
subway trains themselves, expressing who they were and making their mark the
only way they knew how, ‘on society’. Whenever, the writers went out they would
be putting themselves at risk of arrest or even death as they jumped the third
rail or avoided oncoming subway trains; the energy running through their bodies
in those moments is what David Chalfant has captured on this track but, in a
way that brings enjoyment and pays homage to what those writers were doing.
4 Meters has a far more funk infused sound, still
using the drums, bass, keys, and electric guitar but, that 70’s funk vibe
brings a different feel, while still keeping you moving to the groove. For
those of us who still have that Graff connection in mind, David has created a
sound here that seems to move you from the thrill of the previous night to a
whole new thrill; this time it’s a whole new day and it’s all about getting out
there to see your tags, throw-ups and pieces running on the trains as they pass
by, “uptown, downtown, all over”. Writers went from tags on the trains and
walls, to getting their names up bigger and better, with a desire to go
all-city.
What is amazing about this release is that it appeals to
such a wide range of listeners; The Hip Hop heads will love it for its
connection to ‘Style Wars’ and the graffiti scene as part the culture but, it
will also appeal to those who love the Graff scene but, who are not exclusively
Hip Hop, those who love soundtracks will love it as a previously unreleased
piece of music and then it will also appeal to those who love good music or the
Latin vibe or funk vibe, the list is almost endless because, at the end of the
day, if you love the way music makes you feel and uplifts you, then this one
is, most definitely, for you.
Unsettled Scores Records has, for it’s debut release,
brought you a slice of history backed by something new and unheard from a
composer that most will be unfamiliar with but, in doing that they have brought
the name David Chalfant into lives of many and made a very bold and exciting
statement as to what to expect from the label as it moves forward.
For me, I found that overall, Tracy Song and 4
Meters showed just how universal music can be. In one context, it fits with
the Graff scene and its mid-70s roots but, even if you take away that context
and the connection to Hip Hop, you still have two fantastic tracks, with
slightly different styles of inspiration, from David Chalfant that you can
enjoy no matter where you are or what you are doing.
Not only do I highly recommend this one for your collection
but, I suggest that you keep an eye on Unsettled Scores Records in the
future and perhaps look out for the name of David Chalfant as well.
My humble thanks to Dan for allowing me to review this debut
release.
I would like to dedicate this review to the memory of the
late Tracy 168 R.I.P.
On that note,
Be seeing ya,
Steve.
LINKS
Get your copy from Bandcamp Here:
https://davidchalfant.bandcamp.com/album/tracy-song
Unsettled Scores Records Website:
https://www.unsettledscoresrecords.com/
Unsettled Scores Records Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/unsettled_scores_records/
VIDEOS
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