::Black Hawks Of Panama – Hurts Feat. Bisi::
Did someone order a piano banger? Black Hawks Of Panama debuts on Exploited with an absolute monster in the form of ‘Hurts’ that’s set to get pulses racing and fists pumping skyward, ready for the Ibiza season.
Supremely chunky ‘90s house beats with a gently distorted techno undertone pummel away underneath the phat bassline whose tone is perfectly balanced between weight and melodic overtones. Piano chords bang a jaunty, rave-influenced hook, and Bisi’s sweet vocals provide a sensual, soulful counterpoint. Little else is needed to make this track thump hard except subtle sustained strings and big cymbal crashes, and there’s an instrumental available which cuts to the meat of the track.
And who is Bisi? She’s better known as British actress Victoria Ekanoye, a woman of many talents who featured on Black Hawks’ previous single on Future Disco ‘Mercer Street’. She starred in the West End musical ‘The Lion King’, toured the US with ‘The Blues Brothers’ and fronted the show as Mistress of Ceremonies at both the London and New York infamous nightspot ‘The Box’. She takes her influences from blues, jazz, Stax-era soul and trip-hop.
“Our mutual friend Lisa Forshaw had worked as a PR for Victoria whilst she was on the nation’s most popular TV show” says Black Hawks Of Panama. “Lisa got in touch with me and explained I should work with Victoria. Immediately I was struck with vocal range but also her presence as a performer. So I hired a commercial recording studio in Manchester as we didn’t know each other then and we agreed ‘Feel For You’ would be a great track to do as it’s a joint favourite! Although I didn’t want a carbon copy of the Chaka classic—I don’t see the point in that—I wanted something more lowdown and sultry! After a great first session we discussed Bowie, Prince and Patti Labelle, so it was pretty clear from this point this was going to work out well!!”
The Mancunian producer behind the track took his name from an inspirational time spent in Panama City and its surrounding rainforests. Born to parents who both had influential roles in the Manchester music scene of the 1970s and 80s, he has spent time living in Ibiza and DJed under another name for many years. Black Hawks of Panama is a project that’s going from strength to strength, and this hot new single looks set to break down yet more doors for him.
