It’s not often you see jazz music covered on the pages of Update, but we’re prepared to make an exception for this, which is something of a late night treat. Last year Astatke collaborated with The Heliocentrics on a striking album as part of Strut’s ‘Inspiration Information’ series, and if that got your interest perked up then you ought to continue with this. What he does here is some more collaborations with members of the band, bringing some of his old classics such as ‘I Faram Gami I Faram’ and ‘Boogaloo’ to the table, and giving them a fresh coat of paint. The results are never less than involving, veering from the dreamy ‘Radcliffe’ to the gently swaying ‘The Way To Nice’, with its subtle references to John Barry. Throughout the textures are ideal for getting lost in, and Astatke brings in some of his own Ethiopian styles and instruments to really good effect. A very clever and extremely listenable piece of fusion is the result.
5 Out Of 5
Reviewed By: Ben Hogwood
