A Quick Nip Before the Show

"Sambuca" is a track from D's last album, Libra; but this is an all new Smoove Mix - that is to say, a remix by UK producer Smoove - for the vinyl single.  This isn't the first Smoove remix D's released on 7", following the "Labels" Smoove Mix in 2021.  The only other track they've done together is "Do It Now," the B-side to his "Lucky Number" single in 2022.  For whatever reason, he's become his exclusive 7" remix guy.

And like their last two collaborations, this one has a high energy, 70s vibe to it, almost like a foreign funk band recorded it live.  In my Libra review, I wrote that "'Sambuca' slows things down a little, but is still full of life, a light-hearted anthem for D's liqueur of choice."  It might've been a bit funny to say "slows things down," since it actually has a pretty high bpm; but it immediately followed "When It's Fast," and that whole side of the album was pretty hyper.  Anyway, this remix is basically the same speed, but this live party sound is quite distinct from the original, like a completely new song: a second ode to Sambuca, which just happens to have all the same lyrics.

The first two verses are about D preparing for a performance and stopping for two precious drinks first, "dashing through the town, clutching a wealth of wax and vinyl from many years gone by/ We arrive at the club about ten minutes shy/ Of the time to go on. What rhymes like 'bazooka?'/ You know what?  Just time for Sambuca!"  Finally, uh-oh, he's maybe a little too drunk to go on...  But sure enough, the show goes well, so to celebrate?  More Sambuca!  It ain't deep.  In 2Pac terms, "Sambuca" was an "I Get Around" moment, not a "Trapped;" and now Smoove's turned it into more of a full-blown "Doowhutchyalike."

The blaring horns are easily the first thing to grab your attention, but it's the groovy bassline that really locks you in.  To blow up the party element even further, Smoove adds a chorus of additional voices shouting out "SAMBUCA" on the hook.  More subtly, he also adds these little snippets of 90s R&B style vocalisms that sound really fresh.  The one drawback is just, in order to gain all of that, we have to lose Djar One's killer Premier-style scratch hooks from the original.  But that's alright; we still have the Libra version on the album, still perfectly viable.

So as you can see up top, this B-Line Records 7" comes in a sticker cover with a stamped label.  Oh, and the B-side is the instrumental; the vinyl is the only way to get that.  It's out now, and is apparently limited to just 100 copies, so if you're interested, act fast!  Because the only thing worse than FOMO is AMO (actually missing out).  I've been there plenty; it sucks.