Flash Callahan – Do You Know the Truth [Jalapeno Records]

The original inspiration for this blog came when making a concerted effort to tidy up my  iTunes cache after a couple of devastating crashes left me with countless duplicates and unwanted items (not to mention an unknowable number lost to the ether). Working my way methodically through artists in alphabetical order I soon discovered there were many long forgotten and even previously unnoticed gems in my collection.

‘Do You Know The Truth’ is a case in point. Seemingly new to my ears and sat atop a deep stack of Flevans numbers I mistook this deadly soul stomp for one of the Tru Thoughts stalwart’s hundred-strong rapturous future funk productions and felt I’d hit upon a great excuse to wax lyrical about the Brightonian’s unwavering dependability in the field of tight, wobble-flecked dancefloor monsters and eye-popping remixes. Only on checking again for the track’s title did I find it was the work of Fifer Flash Callahan (aka Hooverfish, aka William Stark), once of Scotland’s Yummi Records stable (old associates of mine from my Edinburgh days), later Jalapeno who released this back in 2004.

Kicking off with a mean bass riff; thick subs, moody keys and tumbling drums soon layer up with horn stabs before the dirty Hammond and soaring vocal hook join their ranks in launching the proceedings skyward. Break down, space out, build back up, take off; there’s something gratifyingly direct about the strutting, wah-wah, big beat gospel on show here.

Find it, buy it and ramp up the volume.

The title track of ‘Do You Know the Truth EP’ by Flash Callahan, it also features on Various Artist compilations Jalapeno Funk Volume 1 [Jalapeno Records] and Serve Chilled 2008 [Hed Kandi Records].