Moving on in spirit and body from Fluid Ounce, Zero dB join forces with Ninja Tune and with a little help on the mental ‘Coisa de Gringo’ and ‘A Pomba Girou’ Heidi Vogal; to bring forth a major statement on the nu-jazz and broken beat platform that is the year 2006.
We like this. It does what it was meant to do – blow you! Broken madness, samba rhythms and the all important jazz… bring it and bring it loud. Beat heads and Chelsea Taxis alike will die for ‘Know What I’m Sayin’, then you have ‘A Pomba Girou’ which has been tried and tested on every notable dance-floor the world over and ‘Conga Madness’ sticks its arse out to the dons-of-the-broken beat-scene and messes up their supremacy. Step aside for the bongo, bleep and bassline haecceity will destroy.
‘Tw Quiero’ provides the favela treatment, showing Zero dB’s multi-talented capabilities through a powerful album which should adorn every worldwide music collection. The best thing since vinification.

Steve Williams

“Come on, clap your hands” Anonamas ask… and by close of play that truly is the order of the day to this majestic neo soul album. Beats are strong; rhythms gripping and lyrics thought provoking enough to rank this album high amidst its peers in 2006. For heads bouncing around labels Tru Thought; BBE; Stones Throw and to artists floating around the Mitsu the Beats; Madlib; Ndambi waters will find comfortable refuge here. This sometimes hypnotic collection of ideas comes across as a tried and tested sound rather than the fact of it being a brand new project. Subtle grooves and vocals clarity pull together music for today with maximum impact. There’s no weak links here, proud work by anyone’s standards. Watch out, for they will not lie unnoticed. Particular monsters come by way of ‘Africa’ an almost N’Dambi wonder, ‘Soul Stir feat. C.J. Phelps’ a jazz undercurrent and scat head-nodder, and the anthem that is ‘The Hustle’, contender for track of the year – but fear not, Truth Thru Fiction is a whole album with many segments all of which exceptional. This perhaps stamps as testament to the wonder that is MySpace, for without we would not be here with this album having so much joy.

Steve Williams

Akli D arrived in France in the early 80’s after fleeing Algeria. Discovered by Manu Chao playing in a cafe (I wish they had cafes like that around here) Manu Chao went on to produce this, Akli D.’s second album. Songs of our time, told by a modern day storyteller, songs that have an enlightened perspective on global issues that affect us all. Songs like ‘Malik’ which is the ‘never again’ story of Malik Oussekine, a pacifist student who died from injuries inflicted by the police at the famous student demonstration of 1986. Rooted in the Berber rhythms of North Africa he also mixes in reggae, celtic and global roots to produce a chilled backdrop to the songs. He’s in UK next February but it looks like only playing the predictable ‘big’ venues as part of a package hopefully he’ll be back soon playing a cafe near you.

Graham Radley

Double CD and what a wonderful collection of tracks there are here celebrating the first twenty years of this excellent label. They describe the selection process as ‘musical moments that we happen to believe in’ when those ‘moments’ include Ibrahim’, Buena Vista Social Club, Ali Farka Toure, Toumani Diabaté, Omara Portuondo, Oumou Sangare andikh Lo then we all should believe. Look out too for unreleased tracks from gnawa master Mustapha Baqbou and Mauritanian griot Dimi Mint Abban plus a taster from the, as yet, unreleased follow up to Ali Farka Touré & Toumani Diabaté’s ‘In the Heart of the Moon’. As good as it gets.

Graham Radley

Fourteeen years and now 7 albums since the first came together, this is a tribute to the late Gnonnas Pedro who sang with Africando from 1996 until his death in 2004. The title song,being his last recording.

This album also sees Pascal Dieng of Super Cayor and Basse Sarr of Orchestre Afro-Salsa de Dakar joining the Africando family. My pick is Madilu System who joins Africando for an excellent version of “Mario”, which he originally recorded with Franco’s T.P.O.K. Jazz. Superb.

Graham Radley

Son of Kandara Cissoko (Ballet Djoliba) Ba Cissoko is a kora master who brings a fresh direction to the traditions of this instrument. His band features, Kourou and Sékou Kouyate on bass, kora and electric kora plus percussionist Ibrahim Bah plus there’s several special guests featured like K’Naan, Les Nubians, and Amadou Bagayoko. Grooving along with the best of them.

Graham Radley

This is one the finest series of compilations the electronic music world has ever had. They pick superb producers and artists to select some music and craft it onto a splendid long player. This selection by Germany’s Henrik Schwarz is no different in that it’s good all the way through. Just about everything is covered on this album, there is Detroit Techno from Drexciya, Funk from James Brown, Reggae from Sugar Minot and house from Schwarz himself. There are also slices of soul music and a tad bit of Jazz. It’s well put together and plays perfect as a whole album. Preceding this release will be a limited 12" from Schwarz of the "written especially for this compilation" single – ‘Imagination Limitation’. You’d be a fool not to check this out, or for that matter virtually all of the DJ Kicks series.

Jax

J Saul Kane aka Depth Charge has been delivering quality beats on his very own DC Recordings label for over 10 years. It’s a label that has definitely carried the quality not quantity ethos and with the upsurge of cosmic disco’ed out dub electro tunes around at the moment, Kane has got a very fruitful array of artists producing some very twanged out stuff on DC. This superb compilation just dips into some of those artists talents. Emperor Machine, Kelpe, Padded Cell and Depth Charge are among some of the contributors to some great bass-lines, some clean drumming and some seriously spaced out synth noises. This album will keep you interested from start to end. Recommended.

Jax

If you’re reading this expecting me to tell you that it’s no where near as good as Speakerboxx/Love Below, then I’ll apologise in advance. Those of you who thought Outkast would carry on where that double album left off will be bitterly disappointed. This Outkast CD is more like the whole Outkast package rolled into one mighty fine album. Back writing and producing as a duo, Big Boi and Andre 3000 push all the right buttons in the funked up hippity hopperty style that we’ve come to respect them for. The usual Outkast format sees tracks separated by interludes, with most of the tracks being of more of a mellow tempo with emphasis on the lyrics and the tightest production you’re gonna hear anywhere. Outkast never fail to be original with their songs, and you’ll be jigging along to this album if you give it time. The only thing I can criticise Outkast for with this album is that they invited Macy Gray to sing on one of the tracks. Oh well, I suppose that’s why they invented the skip button.

Jax

Fresh debut release from J*S*T*A*R*S on the Steel Tiger Records label. This 12 track album is written and produced by Steve Cobby and Sim Lister. Cobby is one half of Hull’s very own Fila Brazillia and it sure shows throughout this whole long player. Hard to describe what style of music this album is, so I’m not gonna. Instead, I’ll tell you that the album is for listening anywhere and the tracks could be played on most open minded dancefloors. Think Mr Scruff! If you’re into Fila then this album will definitely be your taste. If you’ve never heard any Fila Brazillia stuff and therefore have nothing to compare then far be it from me to tell you that you should listen to some of their productions right now. Go on, do it! Now, I said.

Jax