Review: Flying Mojito Bros. - Just Passing Through (Ubiquity Records)

I might have said this before but at one stage, Ubiquity Records were everywhere with thier distinctive 12" covers making them stand out from the crowd: and they are doing it again with the sounds of desert disco's finest, the Flying Mojito Bros. with their own album of a massive 11 tracks.

Ubiquity's sunny West Coast vibe couldn't be a better home to Balearic nu-disco is cowboy boots.  Up until now, FMB were best known for taking an edit from the leftfield US 'rock'y/funky road or putting a remix in the form of a refrito of something that the Flying Burritio Bros. or Gram Parsons in particular would be a fan of.  Like their remix of James Alexander Bright (see review HERE) or the "beach" series of Paul Hilary's 'Children Of The Sun' (see review HERE) or Lucky Sun (see review HERE) - you know the type of thing.

So be prepared for their own creations that supported by some proper musicians featuring Pearl Charles, Scott Hirsch, Will Worden, Robert Chaney and Hero Fisher on vocals, the mighty Shawn Lee (last seen on the drum stool behind at Asha Puthli at We Out Here last summer but also the Ping Pong Orchestra,Young Gun Silver Fox and our fabourite, the link up with Bei Bei), plus Joe Harvey-Whyte (a specialist in pedal steel, lap steel, dobro and guitar) and bass guitar by Joe Stoddart (a touring artist for ABBA).

If you think this is justs novelty project, the title track will prove you wrong and not long after that you'll be totally up for 'Glitter' with it's railroad harp vs.Róisín Murphy at the rodeo. 'Catch Me', 'Lost To The Desert' and the opener 'Area 54' (Ed. that's no studio) kind of sum the album up but are we quite ready of a version album? 'Slow Train To Fuego' shows us what's possible - or even up their cowboy shirts with the twangy geetarh of 'Thunder Exchange'.

With their DJ heads on, they've really managed to absorb MOR, Classic Rock, Country and funk-up the disco balls with tumble weed for a trendy Hank Wangford (a personal friend of Mr Parsons you know) meets a Luther Vandross and Diana Ross for the next generation that can handle J.J.Cale or disco Little Feat: whilst on the boarders of the Modern Room at NuNorthern Soul - amazing!

It's official then, San Francisco (and the rest of the world) is the new mid-west with 'Just Passing Through' as the sound of the spring, summer, autumn and winter: in the Desert, there's always a disco going on. What's the dress code?

BUY LINK: https://flyingmojitobros.bandcamp.com/album/just-passing-through-2

 

Artist: Flying Mojito Bros

Title: Just Passing Through
Release date: 25th April, 2025
Label: Ubiquity Records
Cat. No: TBC
Format: Digital LINKS / Bandcamp

Review: Reuben Vaun Smith - Land Of Music (Ubiquity Records)

At one stage, Ubiquity Records were everywhere with thier distinctive 12" covers making them stand out from the crowd: that honor is now with Reuben Vaun Smith with his  'Land Of Music' that's in its own Pangaea of a musical supercontinent!

Ubiquity was founded back in 1993 in San Francisco and they've always had a sunny West Coast vibe to their artists and Reuben Vaun Smith's fits that criteria with the Balearic nu-disco quality of the 12 track album 'Land Of Music'.

If you're a fan of James Alexander Bright (see review HERE) or the "beach" series of Paul Hilary's 'Children Of The Sun' (see review HERE) or Lucky Sun (see review HERE) or even a combination of the three, Reuben along with the vocals of Lucy Saddler and guitar of Chico Mann (who himself has been ubiquious on so many labels over the years) are the combo for you.

This album was recorded mostly on a boat moored in the Mediterranean, an inspiration that's reflected in the titles, like the instrumentals 'Colours In The Sky' and 'Marina Scene' whilst 'Lost In Space' with Ms. Saddler and the title track are a bit funkier, as is 'House Boat Mayday' with Reuben on vocals.

It's really hard to believe the house-boat studio story as the production is so clean, (this is not "lo-fi" as previous RVS releases have been described), with the synths (and percussion) on top of the waves for the dreamy funk of 'Signature Whistle', 'Talking To People' and the closer 'Agua Vida'.

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There's more than enough sunny sounds on this album to keep us warm through the winter and I expect worldwide dancefloors will have it as a go-to summer haven (the track 'Summer Haven' in particular enjoys the disco synths vs. sax vs. percussion that fits much of the sea bed of this album).

More on a downtempo groove, we've got 'Disappear For A While' which is almost downtempo, chill-out synth pop; and it's really great and a favourite along with the 'Marina Scene' Stingray-disco, the too-slow-to-disco-jazz-funkish-jam 'Firefly', the marvellously warped piano bar 'We Dance The Sky' that sounds like a track taken from a Verve Remixed compilation (possibly in the a Shirley Horn's 'Return To Paradise' envelope).

As you can tell, this is a strangely individual album that's really accessible - even then, it's quite a lot to take in - also recommend his half-hour long one track EP, 'Bimba Sound' (see below link).

James Alexander Bright's mates, the Flying Mojito Bros. (see review HERE) will love this (Ed. that's trendy) and I must mention the artwork, Nadiuska and Priscila Furtad (aka Uinverso) are based in Brazil and have imaginatively captured a the vibe of 'Land Of Music' and you will too, especially if you were into his previous albums 'Da Cuckoo YaYa' (great title), 'Sounds From The Workshop' and 'Warm Nights'..

Artist: Reuben Vaun Smith 
Title: Land Of Music
Release date: 22th November, 2024
Label: Ubiquity Records
Cat. No: -
Format: Digital LINKS / Bandcamp