Deee-Lite – Dewdrops In The Garden

if you don't like this album, you don't like yourself

i remember my "Deee-lite" in finding out that this cd has a few bonus tracks on the end of the CD.. back in the days of late 80s + a major treat from back in the days of the early 90s when the recording industry had everyone convinced CD's would replace LPs for good:) lol yea right

The hidden track 16C "Untitled Instrumental", is actually "Party Happening People" (Funky Chunky Bonus Beats).

Few bands seem as stranded in their time as the early 90's international club-pop combo, Deee-lite. Comprising of Ohio-born Lady Miss Kier, Russian Super DJ Dmitry(not from Paris) and Japanese DJ Towa Tei, they were a prominent part of the pop landscape due to their absolutely huge 1991 hit, 'Groove Is In The Heart'. The one whose bassline(provided by Funk Legend Bootsy Collins) few 90's clubbers could fail to recognise.

'Dewdrops In The Garden', containing the comparatively minor hit, 'Picnic In The Summertime', is an album that is much more than the sum of its parts, which happened to include samples from then new electronic geniuses like The Orb and Carl Craig(who later remixed the track'Good beat' which featured a sample of his) alongside the more standard beats and riffs from Jimmy McGriff, The Clash, Marlena Shaw, The Detroit Emeralds and Earth, Wind & Fire.
To me, the record is one of the most hallucinogenic commercial pop albums of all time, with tracks like 'River Of Freedom' displaying true dancefloor chops. The album proudly stands beside De La Soul, A Tribe Called Quest, Happy Mondays, Soul II Soul and even Massive Attack as an aural representation of the early 90's music and fashion zeitgeist, albeit with slightly less well known tunes.
Neat tricks, like in 'Somebody', where the 120bpm beat slows down to about 55 while subtly changing to a human beatbox rhythm, abound in an atmosphere of pure euphoric trippiness that takes in synths, samples and layered sounds akin to the wonderful music of the aforementioned 'Orb. At the same time, every song somehow evokes exotic clubs and the type of fashion boutiques it played endlessly in without being completely repugnant for that fact.
I discovered the album around the same time I was beginning to realise dance music was a lot more than either the moronic Happy Hardcore rubbish or elitist electronic snob anthems I'd been exposed to in my school days. While Daft Punk and the Chemical Brothers' debut lp's were just around the corner 'Dewdrops IN The Garden'(along with Leftfield's debut and the existing Prodigy and Orb albums) helped pave the way for me to fall for dance music hard.

As I got deeper into the many different styles of contemporary dance music, 'Dewdrops In The Garden' remained a favourite, even asserting its relevance a bit later on in 1996 when DJ Misjah & Tim sampled 'Picnic In The Summertime' for their techno/hardhouse club smash, 'Access'. If any one album can fleetingly recreate the feelings I had in mid-90's summers, as I began to discover clubs, drugs and girls, it would undoubtedly be 'Dewdrops In The Garden'. Songs like 'Party Happening People' with its thirties piano loop, flute, drippy synths and Amen Brother beat are still utterly fantastic and fresh to,my ear and 'Picnic In The Summertime' is still the song I think of when the city gets so hot you can feel the heat of the tarmac through your trainers. If you have ever liked tripping, house and techno music, jolly ranchers or being in love, you need to hear this record!

"Bring Me Your Love" was on repeat for at least 3 days when I first bought this album. I have so much respect for these artists; they're truly passionate about the music they create and they have FUN at the same time.

This album is well produced and arranged. It's been in storage for too many years; I've gotta pull it out and give it another spin.

Although different from "World Clique" and "Infinity Within", "Dewdrops In The Garden" is a solid album. Some collaborators like Bootsy Collins, the Horny Horns (Maceo Parker & Fred Wesley), Sheila Slappy, Sahirah Moore are not on this opus, and Towa Tei was on the verge of departure at this point. But the empty place is filled with some other talents: DJ On-E (Ani) brings a touch of Techno on some tracks ("River Of Freedom", "Music Selector Is The Soul Reflector", "Sampladelic", "DMT"...), Kenny Dope and Louie Vega are adding a touch of class with "Bittersweet Loving" (sadly unreleased). The samples are effective in general ("Apple Juice Kissing", "Stay In Bed, Forget The Rest", "Party Happening People"...). Unfortunately, "Dewdrops In The Garden" was the last Deee-Lite album. Massively inspired with the band's use of Pyotl (magic mushroom) amongst other substances.

This was on the massive repeat, as well as Infinity Within, when that one was released.

I believe Deee-Lite suffered from a lack of the right type of market to thrive.

It seemed as if the audience from the corporate was supposed to be mass audience, but it probably shouldn't have been, in a world of Wal-Marts, these fine people had the independent, quality super-shop.

This is a truly beautiful record . Dee-Lite at the peak of their creativity . iIremember playing this in the hot summer of 1994 (way before listening to techno) ,and i really loved this one.It got lost shortly after .
Underrated ,yes . that's true !

It is just staright up danceable. Club music that is positive and creative and doesn't hold to any formula. This CD is very underrated, it is funky techno, house, and hip-hop rolled into one big ole' raver good time. They were pioneers of electronic dance-pop. Or at least they deservedly sold a decent amount of records.