Soul Impressions Posted by Junior

Janko Nilovic: Hippocampus and Drug Song From: Soul Impressions (Montparnasse 2000, 1975) Back with that library flavor today with an album from the legendary Janko Nilovic. Born at the beginning of the forties in Montenegro, Janko moved to Paris in the sixties and never looked back, putting his multi instrument talents to use on a variety of projects often working for up to ten hours a day. Prolific even by library musician standards, Janko produced over 30 albums in the seventies so really see this as the tiniest taster of this man's vast output but hopefully it'll give you an idea of the range of music he produced. Hippocampus is his most famous offering from this particular album. Beginning with some downright dirty guitar the track is a good illustration of Janko's fondness for mixing up proceedings as the early trumpets slowly start to dominate the guitar riffing. The track then mutates into a supremely funky bass riff halfway through before then building up momentum to it's epic conclusion, a full on onslaught of blasting horns and distorted guitar. Drug Song has to be one my favorite Janko songs ever. Starting with a throbbing bassline the track is pure funk with a flute thrown in for good measure. Whether Janko was on drugs when he recorded this remains unknown but it suddenly feels like it halfway through when the track breaks down entirely into a beautifully chilled harmony before getting downright sleazy for the final bars. There are definite touches of that man Axelrod with Janko's use of multi layered instrumentation on both these tracks illustrating the great talent at work.