Basic Soul

Can you believe it is five years since first hearing the groundbreaking ‘The Unseen’. How was Madlib going to follow up such a classic album? As you expect he just carries on what he does best, digging for rare samples, some of Madlib’s finest beats are here with fantastic vocals and lyrics which include guests MF Doom and Med. It may not be as instant as his debut but give it a few listens and it’s up there with his best.

Povo have been releasing quality singles on Raw Fusion for years and it’s great to finally hear their debut album. Approximately half the album is instrumental and the other half features quality vocals from Trine-Lise Vaering, Mark Linn and Ed Jones. There is the depth that you’d expect from the likes of Five Corners Quintet and Nicola Conte, where beautiful songs, modal rhythms and nu-jazz styles are all featured here. Vinyl junkies may have to swallow their pride though because the cd contains a few extra tracks including a lovely Nicola Conte remix of ‘You Are’.

Some of you may remember the single ‘All Ain’t The Same’ from 2004, which featured quality vocals from Joseph Malik. well here is the full album which features Malik on two tracks, and a whole host of guests including Alison Crockett, Def Harmonic and Jason Todd. Once the needle hit the record I was hooked, the lyrics and production are superb with some basslines from hell. When finished I was sat there wanting more. Don’t miss out on one of the highlights of 2005.

Kirk Degiorgio – aka As One – returns after what seems like minutes since his superb ‘Out Of The Darkness’ album was released on Ubiquity records in October 2004. This album is perfectly suited to Versatile records, and moves more to his deeper electronic sound but still manages to keep soul. Here features some future house classics like ‘rumours’, ‘response ability’ and ‘this precious life’ that would sit along side any Planet E and Underground Resistance release, and those are just the first three tracks.

Over a year since the first instalment, volume 2 finally hits the shops. Thirteen tracks spread over three 12″s, it looks as beautiful as all the previous BBE releases and the inner sleeve notes give you a background to all the tracks. BBE is all about the attention to detail. Roy Ayers has released so much ground breaking music over the last 30 years, it amazes me that these have been left on the shelf until now. I won’t list specific tracks for you because you need to hear them all and while you’re at it, dig out Volume 1 again.

Here we have the new project from DJ Vadim featuring MCS Blu Rum 13 and Yarah Bravo. The first taster of this new project was “Be Your Own” featuring the rather splendid Amp Fiddler remix. As you’d expect from Vadmin’s previous albums, there are plenty of head nodding beats, so much so, your neck with aching by the end of this lp. Both MCs are new names to me but both are certainly names I’ll be on the look out for for future releases because they sound marvellous. Just had a quick search on the net and it seems like I’ve missed rather a lot of Blu Rum 13 previous projects, better get the credit card out. This proves once again that if you’re after pure underground music Ninja Tune is still at the top of their game. Have you checked their forthcoming releases today?

This is the second album outing for Reading born, York based electronica maestro Martin Wheeler. It picks up nicely where last years self titled album left off, with a superb flow of crunky 4/4 beats entwined with lush melody fuelled chords.

Those familiar with Wheeler’s work will note that some of the tracks on this Album were released as a very limited CD e.p. under the guise of Badly Born Droid a few months back. The first single to be lifted from the long player will be ‘Boulevard’; Rolling out at over 10 minutes this really defines the album’s spaced out electronic feel. The opening track ‘Nostalgia 4 The Future’ and ‘Virtual Kittens’ see’s VL stepping into more up-tempo dance floor territory which contrasts the superb blissed out tracks, ‘City Lights From A Train’ and ‘Neon Sky Rain’. Be sure to check this out.

Carlos Niño is proving a very busy man at the moment This is his second Ammoncontact album in only six months and he’s also behind such quality projects like Build An Ark and Dwight Trible. Yes that’s a serious amount of music to release in a short space of time but this just proves how talented Niño is. Here we have 10 instrumental tracks spread over two slabs of vinyl; some labels could do with learning from this. You can hear some of Niño’s influences from jazz to funk and soul all within the heavy grooved based production, with basslines that shake your boots. As a bonus there is the excellent Build An Ark "Temple Jam" that featured on the Dublab Presents In The Loop 2 12" from earlier in the year. It’s worth it for that track alone.

I was being given a lift around Leeds with the manager of 2020 vision at the end of 2004 and in his car stereo was a track from ‘Reachin Out’. The track in question was ‘Switch’ which features vocals from legend Flora Purim. I could not quite believe my ears and I can see why that was chosen for the first single. Danny Ward has invited some excellent guests, which include Diane Charlemagne, Qball and Curt Cazal [QNC], Kate Rogers and Nightmares On Wax. 2020 vision are known for their quality house productions but here Danny really pushes the boundaries on just about every style known to man. There’s the bluey ‘Rain’, the house anthem ‘Switch’ and hiphop monster ‘Would You’. What else do I need to say?