This is a curiosity, make no mistake – and on more than one occasion I could have sworn I was listening to a record responding to Tricky’s ‘Maxinquaye’. That’s meant as a compliment, as the atmospheric vocals and darkly coloured instrumentation combine to make a record that is at different turns both powerful and paranoid. A striking but questionable cover of The Cure’s ‘Close To Me’ apart, this is a record that makes you raise your eyebrows, from the upfront ‘Barefoot Dub’ to the more languid ‘Watching You’, which bears more resemblance to Massive Attack. Despite the stylistic closeness to those ’90s acts, guests such as Guillermo Brown and M Sayyid ensure there is plenty of character and individual personality, leading to an experience that is sometimes unnerving and other times uplifting. Worth seeking out for something different.
4 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
