The knowing title is not the only nod of respect to the golden era of hip-hop as beatmeister Freddie Cruger adopts a new alias to flex his untouchable production skills for his own Homegrown label. It sticks close to the style his Red Astaire alter ego found new after-hours friends with – languid, flowing dub tackle that breathes funk, jazz and dusty soul 45’s into modern grooves. “Simply Fresh” kicks things off and seems a statement of intent, heavy bass and skanking horns, Desmond Foster adding the occasional vocal adlib. “On My Way” features a full vocal from singer Linn, a solid, boompty-clicking beat riding beautiful flute-led vibes. “Kant Hold Us Back” digs deep for those obscure sounds with some spoken word action to the fore. This ain’t the Cruger primed dancefloor stuff (the funky James Brown / Brother D riffing “Clappers Power” is the solitary uptempo cut). But where this really shines is in Cruger’s obvious ear for a groove, and for those who like to lose themselves in night time’s headphones, this is a surefire treat.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: DARREN WALL
