Y.M.D.F. – Young Men Drive Fast

When an electronic dance music producer and jazz guitarist get together, the first thing you'd expect is a fusion of furious dance rhythms and complex lightning-fast solos. But with producer Ilija Rudman and guitarist Joe Pandur you couldn't be more wrong. Even though their project is entitled Young Men Drive Fast, this collection brings relaxing yet far from anemic numbers. In fact, they all showcase a stylistic subgenre the authors call 'Cinematic Jazz Surf'. At first glance any of the numbers of this musical adventure (such as the introductory 'Jadranska Magistrala (Highway)' or the 'Chillout Factor No. 5' and 'Smooth Talk', which exchange electronic and guitar phrases in a flowing ambient dialogue could recklessly be labeled as lounge or instrumental easy listening were it not for that certain flesh and bone quality. True, the groove is lazy, and the Metheny or Di Meola-like guitar harmonies and solo phrases are soft and gentle, but every theme has a sturdy rhythmical skeleton that beckons the listener to take the road, especially the numbers 'Augmented' and 'Southbound'. Even the choice of words 'jazz' and 'surf' in the subtitle is fully justified. The jazzy performance brings to life some of the masters of the 1970s fusion music and defines itself in terms of genre, while the fluid rhythmical background beckons movement and takes us surfing on the sound waves. Collaborations between exceptional musicians and instrumentalists seldom take the minimalist road of 'less is more', but Young Men Drive Fast does exactly that, whether it is a slow theme with a strong guitar trail (such as 'Last Call') or sturdy base (as in 'B Natural') or some faster theme (relatively speaking). Their music reminds of minimalist impressionism; it is a kind of succinct musical recounting of a car drive across vivid landscapes. Music is not there to compete with the images but to travel along as a perfect accompaniment.