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Remember when a good dance hit came a dime a dozen? Or, when the top ten R & B and Pop music charts paralleled the dance charts? It seems dance music does not carry the same punch it carried in the late eighties through mid nineties. Not to say that quality dance music does not exist; it appears that the music industry has shifted most of its attention to different areas. However, dedicated fans know there are dance artists who keep this genre of music alive and keep us grooving on the dance floor. On her fifth release, Grime, Silk, and Thunder, Ultra Nate proves she still has the passion and energy to deliver the type of music that once made the dance floor a haven for those who treasured in-your-face beats.
Remember when a good dance hit came a dime a dozen? Or, when the top ten R & B and Pop music charts paralleled the dance charts? It seems dance music does not carry the same punch it carried in the late eighties through mid nineties. Not to say that quality dance music does not exist; it appears that the music industry has shifted most of its attention to different areas. However, dedicated fans know there are dance artists who keep this genre of music alive and keep us grooving on the dance floor. On her fifth release, Grime, Silk, and Thunder, Ultra Nate proves she still has the passion and energy to deliver the type of music that once made the dance floor a haven for those who treasured in-your-face beats.
Grime, Silk, and Thunder is a nostalgic, retrospective 14 track set that covers club, soulful house, techno, and feel good pop. The set contains some definite hits and misses. But despite some of the album's flaws, the production and vibe of Grime, Silk, and Thunder takes the listener on a journey through classic dance music from the 70's up to the present. Ultra deserves major props for not only staying true to the music that earned her such club hits as "Show Me," "Found A Cure," and "You're Free," but Grime, Silk, and Thunder possesses a high energy and raw vocal ability. On tracks such as "Loosely Based On," you might be familiar with the 80's sound that is captured, but the song and production lacks direction. The same could be said for "Falling" and "This House," but these may be the only low points to an otherwise good album. Highlights includes Grace Jones' "Love's The Only Drug," where Ultra manages to recapture a vintage sound and yet give it a fresh new energy. It is no surprise the remake of The Pointer Sisters classic "Automatic" has already topped the Billboard Dance Charts because Ultra is clearly in her element on this buoyant pulse rising remake. The soulful house rocking "Scandal" and "It's Over Now" will receive absolutely no complaints from those who long for the passion to loose themselves on the dance floor.
Grime, Silk, and Thunder may take a few listens before you realize where Ultra Nate is coming from. Ultra Nate clearly knows who she is as a dance recording artist and is in solid form. There is no bending to satisfy the masses. Ultra Nate manages to tap into the essence, sound, and heart of dance music through sizzling vocals and classic bold beats.
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By Steve Riggs