Moody
Song by ESG
ESG was one of the most memorable ensembles from South of The Bronx. The group was formed by three sisters Renee, Valerie, and Marie Scroggins. Together they handled vocals fused with African styled percussions that were very irreplaceable.
In collaboration with David Miles, the band's guitarist, and Leroy Glover, the maestro of the bass, ESG was established and embarked on a very historical journey.
“A very specific saltiness has always characterized the group’s music.”
Their Polyrhythmic sounds and atmospheres, the injection of punk into disco, the unique sounds of the bass, and pop-flavored guitar; are the exact statements that created the rare sounds of ESG.
Their first manifestation in the album-making began in the 1980s when Tony Willson approached them. After some small talk, they started recording their first EP, "ESG" with legendary Martin Hannett.
After the different live sessions and studio recordings, the album was released and sold quickly on the label "99 Records Label".
The album is comprised of 6 tracks. All six of them are smoothly intertwined. The specific characteristics flow around the whole album and make a tremendous build-up on the entire piece.
The album kicks off with "You're no good." The feeling of simplicity and minimalism is lying at the core of the track. The mellow run of the percussions and the subtle voices fill the ambiance with a loosened breeze.
The next track on the A-side is "Moody," which brings a very different and fresh game into the era of the 80s. The song was recorded on the first take and is considered one of the first post-disco tracks that helped inspire house music.
“Often cataloged as funk, post-punk, and no-wave, “Moody” is an eternal prototype of a house track. Legendary Larry Levan deeply favored it from the Paradise Garage.”
ESG stripped down the entire understanding of disco and funk then fused it with new elements that introduced the "Less is More" into the field of music.
The song begins with kick and percussion paired with a continuous bass line. Composed from surprise elements like bongo solos, that is flawlessly synced with the whole ambiance of ESG.
After a powerful opening that already has us hooked, we are introduced to the quirky vocals that simply make you feel a different kind of boogie. Kicking around 130 BPM, this track has a continuous dub, which is one of its highlights. Straight away, it captures the audience's attention and dominates the dancefloor.
Since the first album's release, the ensemble continued to work in a similar niche, but somewhere in 1983, the group disbanded. However, they unexpectedly came back in the 90s.
In the 90s, they dug up their old materials, fused them with new tricks, and started releasing albums again. ESG became famous for sampling materials amongst the hip-hop artists like WU-Tang Clan, TLC, and many more.