One of the most widely-used sample CDs is Smoker's Delight, a set of lusty down-tempo loops and hits. The maker of that collection has produced a followup, Smokers Relight Deux, that carries on the tradition with over 5000
samples in multiple file formats. I reviewed this sample set using Apple Logic Studio 8, Ableton Live 6, and Propellerhead Reason 3, and found a format that would work with each one of these products. DVD 1 contains the basic WAV files that were easiest for Live and Logic, divided into content groups by type: separate folders for Loops and Samples, with style- or instrument-related sub-folders for each. This collection will be especially handy for Reason users; in addition to providing Rex2 format versions of all the loops, the package includes a Reason ReFill that includes Combinator setups, ReDrum Kits, NN XT patches and even style-appropriate effects patches. This was, perhaps, my favorite way of playing with the collection, since I was able to move beyond the provided grooves without losing the feel and ambience that I love about the sample set. I blew an entire afternoon auditioning the ReFill; it is both huge and high-quality, and I just couldn't step away from the computer! I also transferred some of the single-shot WAV files onto my Akai MPC500 for a little hardware play. The samples transferred just fine, and I appreciated the ability to do some laptop drum programming without having to depend on my laptop computer. It's easy to see this collection making its way into the hearts and beats of many a programmer.



The Drum, MPC and Vinyl Break loops are very reminiscent of the original Smokers Delight CD, with gritty beats that cross styles from hip-hop to twisted jazz. These loops often have a low-fi quality, but avoid the genre-
defining constriction that tag might imply.



The content that brought the original Smokers Delight disk to prominence was the beautifully effected Rhodes piano, trumpet, saxophone and flute riffs. Luckily, this is also found in Smokers Relight Deux, with a ton of jazzy content lit up with deep, dubby delays and lush reverb. The Rhodes loops and samples are especially inspiring: combining them with a gritty drum loop and one of the available matching bass lines will give you the basis for amazing tracks. The trumpet riffs have been greatly expanded from the original disks, with smooth blowing on A minor, C minor, D minor and F minor. These riffs are a perfect example of the inspirational quality of this sample collection - in cases where I used them with existing music, they would always lift the quality of the track, often inspiring me to change the existing sequence to meet the level of these samples. Wonderful stuff!



Smoke 'em if you got 'em!