Search - Snap :: World Power

A Blueprint of Dance Music

Mamoot | Amsterdam, Netherlands | 04/25/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Snap brought a new sound on the dancefloors at the end of the 80's. "The Power" introduced Turbo B. as a rapper and a frontman of this project, the music was made by Anzilotti & Muenzing - the producers that signed their work as Benito Benites and John "Virgo" Garrett III and mostly stood in the background, out of the public's attention, producing in their studio. "The Power" was build around the tiny drum-loop taken from Mantronix's "King Of The Beats" and then Turbo B and Penny Ford's vocals were added. Turbo B with his ferocious style and powerful voice established himself as a dominant force in Snap's albums and live acts. "The Power" track had everything to become a dancefloor hit: a funky beat, Turbo B's raps, Penny Ford's strong voice and a great melody. Their next single "Ooops Up" is also a very interesting track formed on a vocal hook "Say Ooops Upside Your Head" taken from the funky-disco classic by The GAP Band, but what really got me into it is the beat - hard kick drums and the hi-hats taken from Eric B. & Rakim's "Paid In Full" - as well as Turbo B's story based on the mistakes. "Cult Of Snap" has 4-to-the-floor beat and dominating brass adding the oriental touch while "Mary Has A Little Boy" is a more subtle piano-(Hip)-house track. "Believe The Hype" refers to "Don't Believe The Hype" by Public Enemy and has a dark bassline which fits perfectly to the chunky beat and cowbells similar to the ones in "The Power". "I'm Gonna Get You (To Whom It May Concern)" is a nice pop-ballad, while "Witness The Strength" and "Blase Blase" step into the Old Skool Rap arena, the latter even containing famous James Brown "Funky President" break, then very much used in the Rap music, combined with 808 sound. "Only Human" means Only Human BeatBox, Turbo B's making beats and the "Planet Rock"/"Trans Europe Express" melody eventually breaks in - this is the stuff that Turbo B become known by in the 80's, he was doing beatbox performances for the Fat Boys. "The Power (Jungle Fever Mix)" is a nice eerie remix, where Turbo B's busting the additional verse that's not included in the original.

The style Snap presented on this album, a style that is very similar to C+C Music Factory, was very much accepted by the artists like BG The Prince Of Rap and Black Man's Wagon - it was Euro-Dance but based on hip-hop beats (breakbeats), had longer rap verses and strong female vocals in hooks, and powerful melodies. The style became massive in early 90's with Hip-House and Piano-House until around 1992 when it all became Euro-Dance, with influences from Trance and Techno/rave music."