Review: Jean Jacques Smoothie - Sleeping In The Flowerbeds (Colour and Pitch)

The growing season is upon us but don't let Jean Jacques Smoothie catch you 'Sleeping In The Flowerbeds' whilst his new album is out on Colour & Pitch as their first album release!

You know that we've had the return of Jean Jacques Smoothie with '2 People' re-launch (Richard Earnshaw & The NRG remixes - see review HERE) along with 'Success For Dummies' (PJ Principle remixes - see review HERE) and finally, the album is with us that's been 25 years in the making, 'Sleeping In the Flowerbeds'!

It turns out the Monsiur Smoothie is plain old Steve Robson in real life and based in Cardiff and if it wasn't for the COVID lockdown the album may never have been completed after the 2001 massive '2People' hit based on the Minnie Ripperton sample. 

So the album must start with that track and it's the Rochenko Dubwise mix featuring Tara Busch that's manages to 're-create' Minnie in a too-slow-to-disco Augusto Pablo meets Scientist groove.  And whilst the nine track album closes on the original version of, 'Success For Dummies', Steve proves that he's no dummy: success! 

Blue guitarist/singer Rohan Tarry features on a couple of the tracks, 'Heavy Lifting' and 'Cowgirl'; the pair being a bit on the edge of The Swamp Fox (Tony Joe White vs. Flying Mojito Bros. - see review HERE) and just what you need for "psychedelic electronic Country"!

And then Tara returns on a track 'Over The Edge' with a jazzy-house piano lead and dubby vibe; note this is the 'Album Version' so lets hope we can have a remix like PJ Priinciple's Disco Mix of 'Alpin Morning'.

So that's dancefloor, house, disco, trendy and fun covered before you get to the club instrumentals 'Deep Down', 'Night Jet' and the soft-acid title track, 'Sleeping In The Flowerbeds'.

As regular readers with know, we're keen on the musings of 'Weeds Up Me Knees' (with One Deck Pete) but even he won't be 'Sleeping In The Flowerbeds' -100% Colour & Pitch cool!

PS. Great artwork too - oh yeah!

ALBUM LAUNCH PARTY: Sun Jun 07 2026 at 03:00 pm to 07:00 pm, Pop'n'Hops, Cardiff, Wales 

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: https://go.protonradio.com/r/rlekfQNU676Pg

Artist: Jean Jacques Smoothie

Title:  Sleeping In The Flowerbeds 

Release date: 5th June, 2026

Label:  Colour and Pitch

Catalog Number: CAP094

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Jean Jacques Smoothie - Success For Dummies (P J Principle Remixes) Colour and Pitch)

In need of some some self help?  Let Jean Jacques Smoothie get you in the mood for success on the dancefloor with some disco/funk/boogie on the latest release on Colour & Pitch as it doesn't get much better than this!

You'll recall that six months ago, Jean Jacques Smoothie (aka Steve Robson) 'returned' with remixes of his 'One Hit', '2 People' that has clearly re-launched him into activity such that there's an album coming out in June, 'Sleeping In the Flowerbeds'.

But before that, here's a taster single, 'Success For Dummies' with five (Ed. count 'em) versions by PJ Principle.  The original is synth heavy bass funk which "doesn't get much better than this", so why all the alternatives?  Principle says, "When Steve sent me the demos for the album," says PJ (Peej) "I immediately picked out 'Success For Dummies' as a favourite; it's a catchy track with great musicianship and a cool "self help" voiceover that reminded me of Will Powers' "Adventures in Success". Working with such good elements made coming up with remix ideas a fairly simple task. I hope that the results have been a 'success'!"

'Disco Mix', 'Disco Edit', 'House Mix', 'House Instrumental' and 'Disco Instrumental' - now if that doesn't motivate you for extended DIE and HIE edits I don't know what is. Make plans but either one should get success on the dancefloor.

Spring into action and get it now and 100% be featured in this months' Colour & Pitch Mix!

PS. Great artwork too - oh yeah! 

BUY LINK / PRE-ORDER: https://go.protonradio.com/r/rl801xrhvXOx0

Artist: Jean Jacques Smoothie

Title:Success For Dummies EP

Release date: 23rd April, 2026

Label:  Colour and Pitch

Catalog Number: CAP094SDG2

Format: Digital / Bandcamp

Review: Jean Jacques Smoothie - 2People Remixes (ft. Richard Earnshaw & The NRG) (Colour & Pitch)

Hold on! Jean Jacques Smoothie is on Colour & Pitch! With '2 People' remixes! How exciting is that as a 9 track EP? No duplicitous accusations of YATM being duplcitous here as we all need to get the duo spirit in the remix.

It might surprise you to hear that the original '2 People' came out nearly 25 years ago.  Time has treated the love for the track well in a diso-deep house-synth-pop classic sense.

But as Jean Jacques Smoothie (aka Steve Robson) himself says, "you can't be a 'One Hit Wonder' and not celebrate your one hit!"   And this is just a perfect celebration and perfectly timed. 

JJS kicks off with this own 'Dubwise' version with 'classic' downtempo dub addition of a melodica solo by Rochenko and talk of downtempo - and has already been featured on Saturday's Dubmission show, #1378, WYEP Pittsburg - see HERE,

From dub to ambient extremes with 'The NRG Chillout' version that is so dreamy sublime, you need this for alone.

Does that mean we can ignore the Richard Earnshaw 'Inner Spirit' remixes?   I don't think so with the house vocal and instrumental versions drenched in echos.  

The vocals are by Tara Busch (from a 2011 remix package re-issue) should not to be compared to the original Minnie Riperton sample of the original, when French sample-based disco house was all the rage, as its equally emotional and "spinal shiver sending".

This will 100% be featured in this months' Colour & Pitch Mix: in fact, it's so mesmerizing, it could fill the full hour! See below, sort of, with special guest appearances of, not "Steve from Legal", but Jean Jaques Smoothie himself.

BUY LINK: 2People Remixes | Jean Jacques Smoothie

Colour and Pitch · Colour and Pitch Sessions with Jean Jacques Smoothie - September 2025

Artist: Jean Jacques Smoothie

Title:2People Remixes EP

Release date: 3rd October, 2025

Label:  Colour and Pitch

Catalog Number: CAP094SDG1

Format: Digital / Bandcamp