Artist: 16B
Title: How To Live 100 Years
Label: Hooj Choons
By: Simon Jones | 12 November 2002
Tracklist:

1. Inbetween Your Choice
2. Escape (Driving To Heaven)
3. Keep On Changing Shape
4. De-Org Song
5. Doubt
6. Colours
7. The Room
8. We Will Again!
9. Virus
10. Behind The Face
11. Reprise

16B "How To Live 100 Years"

16B, the name used by producer Omid Nourizadeh is probably one of the hardest working men in dance today. In addition to a hectic DJ schedule, and many high calibre productions and also remixes for the likes of Jamez, CM and many other artists, he has made a name for himself, with his unique deep grooves and gorgeous melodic basslines. In addition to this he runs the label Alola, and has just set up a new label alongside long time friend Desyn Maisello entitled Sex On Wax. Amongst all this he has found time to follow up on the 1998 debut 'Sounds From Another Room' and his recent Alola compilation, 'Everything, All Of Them And Every Year' to unleash his second solo album upon us, 'How To Live 100 Years'.

'Inbetween Your Choice' eases us in at the start, but unlike most albums, Omid decides to whet the appetite with this opener, which can only possibly be described as a musical masterpiece that refuses to stay within the confines of dance music. Amidst the deep trickling bassline and glorious melody lay all matter of drum arrangements and eastern sounding strings that will quite literally dazzle your senses and leave you breathless. The laid back mood is continued with the familar guitar riffs and gravely vocals of 'Escape (Driving To Heaven)', featuring the vocals of the excellent Richard Morel who's performance still sounds as fresh today as it did upon it's intial release. 'Keep On Changing Shape' alters the flow of the cd slightly with its upbeat percussion and rolling groove which culminates in the trippy funktastic bassline of 'De-Org Song', adding a slightly darker edge to the album.

'Doubt' is one of those tracks that you could quite easily melt to at your favourite pre club bar, favourite drink in the hand, good company, good vibes and a general happy feeling being emitted by the soulful vocals being belted out coutesy of the mysterious Stephan. 'Colours' on the other hand is a downbeat drum ladden beauty that just shimmers softly and makes your mind just to drift away to the sound of Kate Jackson's evocative vocals, but unfortunately this is cut way too short by the acidic loops and grooves of 'The Room' which teases a more uplifting pace before 'We Will Again' cuts that vibe short in a subtle way with the cinematic strings and atmospheric sounds that are carried over nicely into the rapid fire percussion of 'Virus' and into the rough melodic layers of 'Behind The Face', a soft vocal murmuring away in the backdrop and nicely complimenting the groove which brings the album to its penultimate high before the vocaless vesions of 'Colours', simply entitled 'Reprise' brings the album to the perfect end.

Following on from 'Sounds From Another Room' this surpasses that debut in every way, and showcases that Omid 16B is not just a talented DJ, not just a talented musician or producer, but is quite simply the f**king don.