HUGH HOPPER — Hughscore : Delta Flora (review)

HUGH HOPPER — Hughscore : Delta Flora album cover Album · 1999 · Nu Jazz Buy this album from MMA partners
3.5/5 ·
Sean Trane
Third and last album of Hopper’s 90’s project, with the lovely Elaine Di Falco on kb and vocals. What’s still amazing about this quartet is the double bass sound, with Hugh on the fuzzed-out one, and Chalenor on the “normal” one, and also the guitar. Rounding up the quartet is Martine’s drums, but we’ve good a cool brochette of guest, of which the ever-faithful Elton is the best-known. Laced with a touch f acid-jazz and trip-hop ambiances, the mood is entrenched in the soft dreamy mode, though at times, the sleep can become a tad awry, as you’ll find out.

If the opening Was A Time features Elaine’s soft vocals on a soft fusion, the ever-lasting Facelift gets another ‘face-lift’ (yeah, it’s too easy ;o))) but Lanaute’s flute and some fuzzed-out sounds give it an acid-jazzy flavour that can be reminiscent of St Germain. Extremely tasteful stuff if you ask me. Electronic diddles open November, but the acid-jazz beats return quickly, this time accompanied by Elaine’s soft vocals and her Rhodes, along with Jarvis’ trombone. The place goes wild (almost chaotic) and semi-dissonant weird hardliner vocals are the star of Ramifications, which brings you back to Hopper’s more daring songwriting days. The following Robohop goes a little further, or at least a tad bit more nightmarish, delving further into the electronic soundscapes and creepy sound effects. We return with a much softer Remind Me, where Elton’s soft sax and Elaine’s accordion are floating above the surface. A short acid-jazz piece Spacelift (yup, Hugh can play too ;o))) prefaces the album-longest Based On, but it’s the closing Tokitae that grabs our attention most, when it goes from demented to its ultra-calm ending.

A typical 90’s contemporary acid-jazz album, Delta Flora was Hughscore’s final chapter, and a very worthy one. Personally progheads should prefer investigating Hughscore’s rather short catalogue rather than some higher-profile acid-jazz artiste to discover the mid to later-90’s jazz soundscape in vogue at the time.

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