Heavens Above!

With the MOBO's here (more on that in a later post) the issue on whether Britain really has got talent rears it's ugly head once again. With Grime being the UK's biggest urban attraction, things may not look that great from an outsiders point of view. One listen to Big City Calling, will leave any doubters on good stead. Leaning heavily on Jazz with a little Funk, Soul, Nu-Jazz & Hip Hop sprinkled evenly throughout, John has created a superb collection of what i like to call, chillax music. From the superb Funk stylings of Hanoi Lullaby & the title track to the uplifting vibe of Transatlantic Love Affair, things are pitched nicely. Vocally John isn't going to win any awards but that is not to say that he doens't get the job done. This is the type of release we should be shwoing off over here. Unfortunately the opposite will happen. Blogs such as mine will praise it. People in the now will seek it out. I'm sure i'll see Johns name on the bill at some lowkey Jazz venues as well. This albbum deserves better than that.

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John Heavens - Big City Calling selection

Express Delivery

The Brilliant Kathrin deBoer, Ricky Fabulous & DJ modest (did the purposely pick those names) released arguably Tru thoughts best release of 2007 (the other side of said arguement is below) with Turntable Soul Music. With the quality the constantly put out, that is quite a feat in itself. Now the return with my personal Tru Thoughts favourite of 2008. The Express follows a similar formula to TSM but the direction has taken a Blues turn. k\athrin has always been a ridicluously talented vocalist & doesn't disappoint. She subtly underplays the vocals which gives much more depth to the overall sound. But fans of their 1st album should have no fear as their is still the underpinning of a Hip Hop vibe here too, with tracks like Rumble Strip & How Many Times blending the 2 overiding sounds perectly These guys only know how to make quality & god knows what Kathrin will do if she ever gets a solo release under her belt. Get It Now!

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Belleruche - The Express selection

Bamboo Shoots

After releasing possibly Tru Thoughts best release of 2007 with Rawville (the other contender is above), Side Steppers has finally hit the shelves. The tried & supremely tested Bamboos formula is followed with the usual gusto & effortless delivery. As well as usual suspect Kylie Auldist her usual great self, another fellow aussie, Megan Washington & One of my favourite emcees, Ty brings an alternative edge to proceedings on Can't Help Myself. No surprises here. The music & the guests are all top notch. Some could say that it's OK to branch out a bit, as long as you don't lose your roots. I personally say that if it ain't broke don't fix it & this is definately an example of that. I've said it before & i've said it again. Tru Thoughs/Zebra Traffic just don't do bad music. Anything involving these guys is quality & this is no different.

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The Bamboos - Side Stepper selection

Seeeeeeerrrrrrrrgiooooooooooooo!!!

I liked Sergio's Timeless album. Great beats & a stellar cguest list made for a nice sunny sunday afternoon wind down. The good news is Encanto is even better than Timeless. Actually I think it's much better than Timeless. The main reason for this is that the latin influence has a lot more say throughout the album. From start to finish the latin rhythms bubble whether it's the funky background vocals or the infectious drums. The lack of a Hip Hop track is also a plus in my view as this helps the overall flow of the album. Sergio has also gathered a worldwide guest list featuring Zap Mama (Belgium), Dreams Come True (Japan) & Juanes (Columbia), as well as Will I am, Natalie Cole & Fergie. A superbly funky, masterfully executed album. peep the selection.

Sergio Mendes - Encanto Selection

Tickle Me Fancy Bredrin

Working with DJ Spinna for any length of time can only enhance your musical credentials as far as i'm concerned. I first saw Ticklah's name while reading the tracklist of a french compilation album, on which he & Spinna had remixed a Les Nubiens track. That was great stuff & so is this. What i had no idea about, however, was Ticklah's association (& love for) Reggae & Dub. I was expecting some kind of jazz infused, piano laced Hip Hop. But the surprise soon turned to great satisfaction when i heard the quality of the music coming through my headphones. Bar 1 or 2 latin flavoured joints, each track is a testament to the superb Dub sound of yesteryear. When i was younger & still living in a 3 bedroom flat in west London, my uncles room was an epicentre of all things Dub & the rich b-lines & sharp snares i heard then are used with controlled abandon on this album. Plus with Mikey General, Vinia Mojica & Rob Symeonn along for the ride, there's all the more reason for the good people to check this one out.

Ticklah - Ticklah vs. Axelrod Selection

Do Your Thing

Mr. Thing is a producer of immense quality, who along with Yungun, released the album, Grown Man Business. He is also an avid connoisseur of rare and sought after breaks. He has reached into his huge collection & come up with this. The llatest in the Strange genre is chock full of gems & is definately one not to be missed. I'm not afraid to say that i haven't heard of half of the artists on this album. But that didn't stop me appreciating how good it is none the less. A few of the breaks hit me from leftfield & i'm not entirely sure how to class a few of them. But since that only adds to the variety of the cuts there's more than enough for any budding beatsmith to be getting along with. A great addition to the Strange catalogue. Also be sure to check for the others in the collection. Check out the track below

The Discoettes - Yes You Can Can

Now We're Cookin'

Nu Funk at it's best. Austrailian trio Cookin' On 3 Burners are masters of their craft and have obviously been hard at perfecting their brand of funk for a while now. Their are only with only 2 songs with a featured vocalist you might be forgiven for initially thinking that this maybe simply be background fodder. Hell No! The chunky drums & organ driven bass used as a base througout means this is far from being mere filler music. The gruff earthiness in these guys sound only adds atmosphere to the album as a whole. As for my standouts, Kylie Auldist Kills it on the superb 'Settle The Score' & the piercing guitars used on their take on The Gorillaz 'Feel Good Inc' make it a definate banger. Overall this is a really nice piece of work by these guys and i'm looking forward to more of the same. I've dropped a couple of samplers for the good people to wet their palettes with.

Cookin' On 3 Burners - Cressy St. Breakdown

Cookin' On 3 Burners - Feel Good Inc.