"Looking for the Perfect Beat" is a song by Afrika Bambaataa & the Soulsonic Force. The song was produced by Arthur Baker and John Robie and was the follow-up track for the group following "Planet Rock". The track took much longer to develop than "Planet Rock" with Baker using cocaine and the pressure involved with creating a follow-up single. The group was developed for months in Robie's apartment while Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force were touring.
Producer Arthur Baker recalled that Tommy Boy Records head Tom Silverman decided that "Planet Rock" was successful enough that the group should have a follow-up.[4] Following this period, Baker released leftover music from the "Planet Rock" sessions titled "Play At Your Own Risk" after adding vocals and some more music to it.[5] While the Soulsonic Force was touring, Baker worked on a new track at Robie's apartment home and were trying to develop a new track.[4][5] Baker felt that the group needed a different approach than "Planet Rock" as "everyone was sort of biting off what we had done. I thought there’s no way we can do the same thing, we have to do something different." and "we couldn't go even close to anything with that kind of tempo or beat."[4] The pressure of creating a follow-up led to Baker "rediscover[ing] drugs" and was "doing lots of cocaine – it didn’t really help."[4]
Baker recalled that the song's title arrived to him when developing the track, thinking "Man, we're looking for the perfect beat and we've already found it.' It quickly dawned on me that this was a good song title".[5] Soulsonic Force member MC G.L.O.B.E. was tasked with writing the lyrics.[5] Baker performed some vocals on the track that the rappers did not want to perform, including the lines “Beat This” and the “Looking for the per- looking for the per- looking for the perfect.” and some barking on the track which the rappers did not want to perform.[4][5] In 1999, Baker declared that the "Beat This" was "almost a taunt at Sylvia [Robinson], because there was definitely competition between us and Sugar Hill. It was like a challenge. It was really adventurous. I didn’t wanna do a typical rap record.[6]
ReleaseEdit
"Looking for the Perfect Beat" was released in December 1982.[7] Attempts to get a full-length album for Bambaataa were not possible with Tommy Boy as Silverman's contract with him was strictly for singles; re-negotiating the contract proved to be difficult.[8] A full-length album titled Planet Rock: The Album was released in 1986, which contained the three other singles "Planet Rock", "Renegades of Funk", "Frantic Situation", and three previously unreleased tracks.[8][9]
ReceptionEdit
From contemporary reviews, J.D. Considine gave the song a four out of five rating, writing in The Baltimore Sun that "Looking for the Perfect Beat" "doesn't manage the same sense of discovery" as "Planet Rock" but it "manages to be almost as catchy" stating that it "refines the relationship between the vocals and the electronic pulse" noting that " the rapping on the song was "fairly trite, but it makes up for that by always being "on the one.".[10]
Critic Robert Palmer placed "Looking for the Perfect Beat" as his top single of 1983 declaring it "The year's finest single" noting it was "an ingenious small symphony in rap rhythms, and a dance-floor favorite" noting that it was "the year's most widely imitated new sound."[11] "Looking For the Perfect Beat" was ranked at number 13 among the "Tracks of the Year" for 1983 by NME.[12]
^ abcdLooking For the Perfect Beat (label). Afrika Bambaataa & the Soul Sonic Force. Tommy Boy Records. TB 831.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
^"A galaxy of Solid Gold Talent on a Single Label". Billboard. Vol. 49, no. 51. 25 December 1982. p. 49. Look out for the new 12" single from the Jonzun Crew, "Space Is The Place" TB 8282 and in the coming week, the long-awaited follow up to "Planet Rock", "Looking For the Perfect Beat" by Afrika Bambaataa & Soulsonic Force.
^. NME. 2016. Archived from the original on 14 November 2011. Retrieved 23 February 2018.
SourcesEdit
Brewster, Bill; Broughton, Frank (1999). "Making Musical History: Arthur Baker and Electro in 1980s New York". Red Bull Music Academy. Archived from the original on 15 November 2019. Retrieved 14 November 2019.
Brown, Marisa. . AllMusic. Archived from the original on 24 April 2019. Retrieved 2 January 2020.
Buskin, Richard (November 2008). . Sound on Sound. Archived from the original on 24 December 2017. Retrieved 15 November 2019.
Taylor, Steve (2006). The A to X of Alternative Music. A&C Black. ISBN0826482171. The album did not appear until 1986, bringing together the title track with another early electro classic, 'Looking for the Perfect beat'
October 19, 2023
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For the compilation album see Looking for the Perfect Beat 1980 1985 Looking for the Perfect Beat is a song by Afrika Bambaataa amp the Soulsonic Force The song was produced by Arthur Baker and John Robie and was the follow up track for the group following Planet Rock The track took much longer to develop than Planet Rock with Baker using cocaine and the pressure involved with creating a follow up single The group was developed for months in Robie s apartment while Afrika Bambaataa and the Soul Sonic Force were touring Looking For the Perfect Beat Single by Afrika Bambaataa amp The Soulsonic ForceReleasedDecember 1982 1982 12 GenreElectro 1 Length6 56 2 LabelTommy BoyComposer s Arthur Baker John Robie Afrika Bambaataa Aasim 3 SoulSonic Force 2 Lyricist s Arthur Baker MC G L O B E Producer s Arthur Baker John RobieAfrika Bambaataa amp The Soulsonic Force singles chronology Planet Rock 1982 Looking For the Perfect Beat 1982 Renegades of Funk Audio sample source source filehelpThe track was released in December 1982 and was later ranked at number 13 among the Tracks of the Year for 1983 by the NME Contents 1 Production 2 Release 3 Reception 4 Track listing 5 Credits 6 References 6 1 SourcesProduction EditProducer Arthur Baker recalled that Tommy Boy Records head Tom Silverman decided that Planet Rock was successful enough that the group should have a follow up 4 Following this period Baker released leftover music from the Planet Rock sessions titled Play At Your Own Risk after adding vocals and some more music to it 5 While the Soulsonic Force was touring Baker worked on a new track at Robie s apartment home and were trying to develop a new track 4 5 Baker felt that the group needed a different approach than Planet Rock as everyone was sort of biting off what we had done I thought there s no way we can do the same thing we have to do something different and we couldn t go even close to anything with that kind of tempo or beat 4 The pressure of creating a follow up led to Baker rediscover ing drugs and was doing lots of cocaine it didn t really help 4 Baker recalled that the song s title arrived to him when developing the track thinking Man we re looking for the perfect beat and we ve already found it It quickly dawned on me that this was a good song title 5 Soulsonic Force member MC G L O B E was tasked with writing the lyrics 5 Baker performed some vocals on the track that the rappers did not want to perform including the lines Beat This and the Looking for the per looking for the per looking for the perfect and some barking on the track which the rappers did not want to perform 4 5 In 1999 Baker declared that the Beat This was almost a taunt at Sylvia Robinson because there was definitely competition between us and Sugar Hill It was like a challenge It was really adventurous I didn t wanna do a typical rap record 6 Release Edit Looking for the Perfect Beat was released in December 1982 7 Attempts to get a full length album for Bambaataa were not possible with Tommy Boy as Silverman s contract with him was strictly for singles re negotiating the contract proved to be difficult 8 A full length album titled Planet Rock The Album was released in 1986 which contained the three other singles Planet Rock Renegades of Funk Frantic Situation and three previously unreleased tracks 8 9 Reception EditFrom contemporary reviews J D Considine gave the song a four out of five rating writing in The Baltimore Sun that Looking for the Perfect Beat doesn t manage the same sense of discovery as Planet Rock but it manages to be almost as catchy stating that it refines the relationship between the vocals and the electronic pulse noting that the rapping on the song was fairly trite but it makes up for that by always being on the one 10 Critic Robert Palmer placed Looking for the Perfect Beat as his top single of 1983 declaring it The year s finest single noting it was an ingenious small symphony in rap rhythms and a dance floor favorite noting that it was the year s most widely imitated new sound 11 Looking For the Perfect Beat was ranked at number 13 among the Tracks of the Year for 1983 by NME 12 Track listing Edit12 single TB 831 2 Looking for the Perfect Beat Vocal 6 56 Bonus Beats II 2 00 Looking for the Perfect Beat Instrumental 6 58Credits EditCredits adapted from the liner notes and expanded with information in the article 2 Arthur Baker producer arrangements mixing composer vocals John Robie producer arrangements mixing composer Tom Silverman executive producer Afrika Bambaataa Aasim composer on tracks Looking For the Perfect Beat and Bonus Beats II Soul Sonic Force composer on tracks Looking For the Perfect Beat and Bonus Beats II References Edit Taylor 2006 p 25 a b c d Looking For the Perfect Beat label Afrika Bambaataa amp the Soul Sonic Force Tommy Boy Records TB 831 a href Template Cite AV media notes html title Template Cite AV media notes cite AV media notes a CS1 maint others in cite AV media notes link Williams 2015 p 58 a b c d e Mao 2007 a b c d e Buskin 2008 Brewster amp Broughton 1999 A galaxy of Solid Gold Talent on a Single Label Billboard Vol 49 no 51 25 December 1982 p 49 Look out for the new 12 single from the Jonzun Crew Space Is The Place TB 8282 and in the coming week the long awaited follow up to Planet Rock Looking For the Perfect Beat by Afrika Bambaataa amp Soulsonic Force a b Watts 2018 Brown Considine 1983 Palmer 1984 Albums and Tracks of the Year NME 2016 Archived from the original on 14 November 2011 Retrieved 23 February 2018 Sources Edit Brewster Bill Broughton Frank 1999 Making Musical History Arthur Baker and Electro in 1980s New York Red Bull Music Academy Archived from the original on 15 November 2019 Retrieved 14 November 2019 Brown Marisa Planet Rock The Album Afrika Bambaataa Afrika Bambaataa amp The Soulsonic Force AllMusic Archived from the original on 24 April 2019 Retrieved 2 January 2020 Buskin Richard November 2008 Afrika Bambaataa amp The Soulsonic Force Planet Rock Sound on Sound Archived from the original on 24 December 2017 Retrieved 15 November 2019 Considine J D March 13 1983 Electronics and black music The Baltimore Sun p D 12 Retrieved August 9 2020 Mao Jeff Chairman 2007 Arthur Baker Red Bull Music Academy Archived from the original on 15 November 2019 Retrieved 15 November 2019 Palmer Robert January 1 1984 Pop Critics Public Agree Sometimes Herald and Review p E3 Watts Alex 24 September 2018 How Tommy Boy Music helped shape the history of hip hop Red Bull Music Academy Archived from the original on 19 November 2019 Retrieved 18 November 2019 Williams Justin A 2015 The Cambridge Companion to Hip Hop Cambridge University Press ISBN 978 1107037465 Taylor Steve 2006 The A to X of Alternative Music A amp C Black ISBN 0826482171 The album did not appear until 1986 bringing together the title track with another early electro classic Looking for the Perfect beat Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Looking for the Perfect Beat amp oldid 1179590026, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
