The Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra - Al Kent Edit

The Far Out Monster Disco Orchestra, Far Out’s 20th anniversary disco project, released its double LP earlier this year. It features the arrangements of Azymuth’s late Maestro José Roberto Bertrami and the legendary Arthur Verocai alongside a host of other Brazilian musical icons. FOMDO09 is the latest in a series of vinyl only; 12" remixes and edits on Far Out. Previous producers providing their re-works to the series include Theo Parrish, Marcellus Pittman, Mark Pritchard, 4hero, Isoul8, LTJ Xperience and many more.

Al Kent is Glasgow’s answer to Walter Gibbons. With the recent re-popularisation of disco music and the relative saturation of edit culture, Al Kent once again demonstrates what re-editing is all about. His use of analogue equipment mirrors the original intentions of the FOMDO project which was recorded in Rio using all analogue equipment, including 2” Ampex tape, Neve compressors and an SSL desk.

On this 12” Al Kent strips the original disco masterpieces down to their bare bones, letting the splendour of Betrami and Verocai’s arrangements really shine through. Al Kent’s edit of ‘Disco Supreme’ is a fantastically drawn out 13-minute builder - de-constructing the original and piecing it back together within the framework of his signature (very) punchy drum sound. Betrami’s beautiful Rhodes float amongst Verocai’s soaring strings and at one point, these are the only sounds to be heard (it’s possibly the most beautiful thing ever!), before the song kicks back in in all its Brazilian disco glory. The b-side ‘Keep Believing’ is a slightly slower and heavier (yet just as club focused) groove. Its foundation is Alex Malheiros of Azymuth’s funk bassline woven tightly with Al Kent’s phased drums. Triumphant disco in the style of Tom Moulton and Walter Gibbons, ‘Keep Believing', like the a-side, features a full orchestra and revisits the authenticity and glamorous hedonism of the late 70s scene.

~ Far Out