Sometimes all I want is a groove to write to, something all enveloping and consistent – something I can lock onto my own writing groove and surf for as long as possible. The challenge here is – the thing that constructs a groove is typically pretty repetitive – the same notes played in the same way, over and over again – without the addition of something else the groove gets boring and begins to distract – likewise – inappropriately applied additions result in immediate distraction and before you know it you’re floundering in the wipeout of lost sentences and drowning ideas.
The solution? Get yourself a Space Sax!
When I first listened to this it felt overly busy – while I dug the organ and vocal licks, the horns kept throwing me off and yet – there was something about it that stuck in the back of my head. Over time I felt myself coming back to it – sticking it on repeat and just dialing into the snare and kick – the more I listened the more everything slotted into space – as I’m writing now I can anticipate where each instrument comes in and appreciate the addition to the groove that every instrument makes.
At just under 4 minutes it’s shorter than most tracks on the list and might have felt too repetitive to stick on repeat and yet – here I am, three paragraphs deep and this has been on for the last 30 minutes. I have an idea why this works and it has everything to do with practice – something which I suspect most surfers can relate to.
If you’re looking for a perfect wave to groove on – this one may well surprise you – it’s well worth taking out for a spin.
