Basil & Rogers is a sleazy, California disco duo made up of Heru (DJ) Johnny Basil and Body Rogers. Basil, a multi-instrumentalist, long-time record collector, and energy healer is a man that's been making music for a long time under many different guises and in many different styles. Heru Avenger (Acid/Psych Rock), Non Stop (Electronic/Free Jazz), Baast (Kraut Rock/Jazz Funk), and Kandi Jones (Slut Rock) are just a few of his projects, past and present. Most of this music has been around for the entirety of the 90's and 2000's without being heard because despite Basil's outspoken appearance (described by many as looking like Iggy Pop's twin brother and would never be caught wearing a t-shirt no matter the location) he's very quiet about his musical output. Body Rogers is also part of the Non Stop group and is a master of electronics and engineering. On the Basil & Rogers project the two have made a disco 12" that is influenced by classic-era dance music while still being completely unique and far from conforming.
It's crazy, it's sexy, and it's sleazy. 'Tune In'.
Excerpt from Picadilly Records UK Album Review:
Opening cut "Midnight Disco" saunters out of the fringes of the weirdo dancefloor in a blaze of fuzzbox guitar, vocoder and stylophone, tripping majestically through spaced out grooves, vocal mantras and leftfield tropes with total nonchalance. The 'no fucks given' approach treats us to flavours of "Dis Go Dis Way, Dis Go Dat Way" and "Disco Circus" before introducing the drop with a heartily yelped "breakdown!" - ballsy, brilliant and totally out there. Taking the unprecedented move of opening with a solo, Basil & Rogers go ballistic on A2's "Saturday Morning" cooking up a coke fuelled poolside funk romp par excellence. A proggy bass sequence and head turning latin drum break keep time while wild guitar solos, lysergic fx and batshit lyrics ("I've got a hole in my brain") via for attention with skronking sax and spaghetti strings. Things only get more unhinged on the flip, as "Flavie & The Wolf" kisses us round the chops with a little outer space swamp funk. Part Parliament, part Cerrone (french vocals init?), part Hendrix, this unholy dancefloor chimera is a totally rad trip into the furthest reaches of dancefloor psychedelia, totally nailing that frazzled disco sound Harvey nailed at the Sarcastic parties. The EP closes with the almost indescribable insanity of "Mirror Mirror", a smoked out, acid soaked spectacular which sounds like War and Free told the major labels to take a hike and decamped to the Californian desert to become the world's foremost stoner jam band. In my many years writing reviews for the shop, I have never come across anything which sounds remotely like this record - far-fucking-out!
Stratoaquatic opus ! Immersion and suspension, appeasement and plenitude guaranteed. This album should be reimbursed by social security !... <<< l🦝urent >>>
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