NINO NARDINI & ROGER ROGER – Jungle Obsession

Description

The first impression was that I could be going to listen to a sexy piece of exotica music from the heydays of the tiki culture back in the 50s and early 60s but then I checked the year of production and it said 1971. Also this is a European production, from France to be more precisely. Nino Nardini was a master of library sound productions for movies, TV series’ and other events back then and this album is him taking his turn on what legends like Martin Denny and Frank Hunter created for the ultimate listening experience about ten or twelve years back when people intended to escape from the struggle of all day’s life and the fear of the cold war turning hot through dreamy music that combined an easy and relaxed jazz with jungle sounds and colorful melodies creating an atmosphere of exotic places. Especially the flashing female humming choirs were typical for that old exotica music. Nino Nardini refreshes those – in 1971 already ancient – musical values with more contemporary elements of hot blooded funk and especially its wild percussion patterns, sweet wahwah guitars and an ever present rocking rhythm section. Blues and psychedelic rock flow gently into the mix to expand the effect on your imagination. The whole music here is lush with great arrangements. Grandiose string patterns often vest the atmosphere of great mysticism in a garment of lust for life and let the listener discover a peaceful world of swirling colors. The earthy rock aspect of the music then urges to come to the fore when the time is right before you seem to get lost on Eden’s island spiritually just to get yourself back to the smoky urban clubs where the air is heavy and the sweat drips from the ceiling. All in all this is a beautiful soundtrack for fans of both worlds, the urban funk of the early 70s and the dreamy exotica music of the 50s and 60s. Both worlds get close to each other and at some points pervious towards each other. “Jungle obsession” is a fine example of well executed library music of the 70s and indeed plays a not existing movie in your head with all different moods. Sheer excitement if you can catch the flow.