This way up - 1999
The follow up album, This way up, like it's predecessor, was recorded at Scargill Close Studios and was already a work in progress when Breezy was completed. This was also the last album to be recorded at the Scargill Close studios. Whilst many elements of the first album remain, some of the tracks are very different and start to spotlight some of the diversity in the music. Jazz, R'n'B & drum & bass, just some of genres visited on this album.
At the time Breezy was working in a sports shop, where he was responsible for goods-in, thus the theme to this album being cardboard boxes. A clever marketing idea for the cd was that there would be no plastic jewel case and the entire packaging would consist of a thick card outer and a thin inner booklet. Very eco!
Highlights of this album have to be Burn it up & Temptation. The album also features the only seasonal track to date, Xmas 1999.
At the time Breezy was working in a sports shop, where he was responsible for goods-in, thus the theme to this album being cardboard boxes. A clever marketing idea for the cd was that there would be no plastic jewel case and the entire packaging would consist of a thick card outer and a thin inner booklet. Very eco!
Highlights of this album have to be Burn it up & Temptation. The album also features the only seasonal track to date, Xmas 1999.
1. Temptation: Uptempo opening track to This Way Up, always a Breezy favourite. Heavy synths, hand claps, cheeky girl giggling. You know you want this! Tempted?............
2. Burn it up: Track 2 is not quite as hardcore as many of Breezys early creations, and this is a close as the early work comes to R'n'B. The pulsing kickdrum is not as evident and at one point the track comes to complete halt.
3. The Jazz Bastard: Again a slightly different sound, although jazz is not necessarily linked with Breezys' work, the bass & sax combo with the heavy snare make this track quite a unique tune in the Breezy back catalogue.
4. Fantastic: Anthemic synth attempting grandeuse euphoria. Doesn't quite come off, but you get the idea. Uplifting track, to get the foot tapping. Fantastic!
5. Cut the Pie: Quirky offering again here and a move away from the previous album. The name comes from a an aquaintance whose surname was Pye. He arrived at the house whilst this recording was being created. Asked to stop whilst the visitor was acknowledged the work had to be saved, unable to come up with a suitable title, the track was called cut the pie. Meaning, cut out the pie, not take a sharp implement and start carving incisions!!!
6. Happy Again: Previous visit over, Breezy was able to continue working on the album. He was......................you guessed it, Happy again. The synth in the chorus is almost asking "When will I be Happy again?"
7. Get 'em up!: Pulsing synth, waling pads, singing, rapping and a growling bass. Get 'em up is a return to the standard Breezy formula. The vocal is particularly significant as 2 very different styles are fused together. Yet another sign of creative diversity and cross genre appeal.
8. Flat Bernard: Inspired by Mr Oizos "Flat beat" this is a drum and bass combo. Deep sub bass, multiple loops and very little in terms of melody, Flat Bernard is musical ronseal! Does exactly what it says on the tin, well, sleeve artwork!
9. Up & Down: Experimental track, Up & Down, again tries to fuse different musical genres. Very unusual in its' sound, using a familiar bassline, pads & drumloops. The melody was added considerably later to prevent it from sounding like 3 other songs!!!
10. Stellar (I Need a Lover): Again the more traditional Breezy offering, vocal, bassline, kickdrum etc. Need I go on?
11. Pestulance pt.2: Another one of those short musical interludes, and another genre. Happy house, techno, hardcore, trance? Could be classed as any one of those, take your pick. Where is part 1? Oh it's out there somewhere!
12. Christmas 1999: Another genre change to complete the 2nd album, this time a Christmas song. No-one seems to do them anymore! Also the millennium seemed to be all everyone was going on about in December of 1999, Breezy felt very sorry for Christmas, 1999s' forgotten festive folly!
Bonus tracks
The experiments continued with mixes of 4 of Breezys preferred songs from the album. All a little different in sound but somewhat familiar. More drums, fills, pads, vocals, bass & melodies!!!
13. Temptation - I want it mix: Really? You want more? More? More gets served up with this extended version of the opening track.
14. Get 'em up - Stand and Deliver mix: "Put your hands in the air!" Higher & for longer. Extended version.
15. Burn it Up - Fire in the hole mix: More extendedness here as this track gets a dancified makeover.
16. Flat Bernard - Pancake mix: Flour, eggs, milk, pinch of salt, chuck it all in a bowl, mix it up and this is what you got!
17. Lost in Gipton - Surreal bonus track charting the journey through an area of Leeds
18. Musikakakakakaa - Inspired by Shooting stars - bbc tv show
19. Musikakakakahagain - Surreal mix of the above
20. Pestulance Pt1 - Fancy that? Pt 1 turned up here!
13. Temptation - I want it mix: Really? You want more? More? More gets served up with this extended version of the opening track.
14. Get 'em up - Stand and Deliver mix: "Put your hands in the air!" Higher & for longer. Extended version.
15. Burn it Up - Fire in the hole mix: More extendedness here as this track gets a dancified makeover.
16. Flat Bernard - Pancake mix: Flour, eggs, milk, pinch of salt, chuck it all in a bowl, mix it up and this is what you got!
17. Lost in Gipton - Surreal bonus track charting the journey through an area of Leeds
18. Musikakakakakaa - Inspired by Shooting stars - bbc tv show
19. Musikakakakahagain - Surreal mix of the above
20. Pestulance Pt1 - Fancy that? Pt 1 turned up here!
