Thunderball

12 Mile High (ESL)

By Erin Wolf
Published: November 11th, 2010 | 7:00am

D.C. trio Thunderball unwittingly (or perhaps knowingly) pay homage to the James Bond film of the same name in their suave similarities, weaving svelte and groove-laden beats to span elements of dub, world, lounge, downtempo, and soul in their latest release, 12 Mile High. Glitz and glamour roll the trio’s music along like the swanky soundtrack it naturally becomes. Although veterans (the group formed in 97), Thunderball doesn’t cling to the late-90s mentality of house/groove that could leave their music sounding static. Instead, they open things up with vocal additions from guests Mustafa Akbar, Miss Johnna M, Rootz, and Zeebo, giving the songs heightened funk elements through its soulful vocals. With this, 12 Mile High ends off as a lively and inspiring collection from its three inventors of sound (Rob Myers, Steve Raskin, and Sid Barcelona), giving a new face to house music via lots of personality.

Opener “Enter the Brahmin” is loose, sitar-laced, and entrancing, gently easing the listener in rather than muscling. The rest of the record makes light use of Eastern sound embellishments, instead focusing on livelier grooves that give the songs movement. The title track breaks out the sitar once again but electrifies the sound with 80s hip-hop flavors and 90s house additions. “Low Down Weather” plays the rhythm down to a more chilled out lounge experience while “Flippin’ It On” breaks out the flutes and organs, calling to mind St. Germain, the French nu jazz pro who marries jazz and house music with ease. Saxophones roil and the running beats make it one of the liveliest cuts on the album.

From the woozy strings of “To Catch a Vixen” to the sassed-up horns of “Rico Ritmo” (featuring the smooth-voiced Miss Johnna M) and the Ivy-inspired indie-house of “Runaway,” 12 Mile High is a good album to zone out to, but it won’t leave one numb. The amount of genres woven throughout makes it apparent Thunderball is capable of moving forward with an animated creativity that will continue to set them apart.

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