1. a supreme ruler, especially a monarch
2. Dillinja
The first half of the title of this tune is an apt description, not just of the track but also its producer, the legendary Karl Francis AKA Dillinja. It came out in 1994 on Deadly Vinyl, one of a number of short lived labels on which Dillinja put out his tunes back when he was still making his name. He would of course go on to release material on the scene’s top labels such as Metalheadz, V Recordings and Prototype but it’s tunes such as this, 'Deadly Deep Subs' and 'Lion Heart' that brought him to people’s attention.
With Discogs prices starting at over one hundred pounds for the original 12" (at the time of writing) it was very welcome that Harmony's Deep Jungle label re-released this classic tune the other month. Of course the vinyl has already sold out so well done to everyone who grabbed a copy. If you missed out then the digital is still worth getting, not least for the previously unreleased VIP!
Dillinja shows his soulful side on 'Sovereign Melody' resulting in a majestic tune that feels chilled while still hitting as hard as you would expect. It opens with a shimmering Rhodes lick, quivering guitar and sensual female vocals and the combination just sends shivers down your spine. The guitar is sampled from the beginning of Funkadelic's 'Music For My Mother' and Dillinja replays it at different pitches along with the Rhodes to create a spellbinding melody. Add in the Sesame Street and Think breaks along with a heavyweight bassline and you have a tune that will move your heart as well as your feet. It’s one of those tracks that I could listen to on repeat all day without getting bored, there’s just something really special about it.
The VIP made in 1995 cuts everything up a bit differently before deploying Amen and a different bassline but ultimately can't touch the original, which you can hear below kicking off Law's Dillinja: The Deadly Vinyl Years mix. Make sure you check out the whole five part series of Dillinja mixes from Law which you can find over at his Drumtrip site.