It’s quite some time since we heard from The Herbaliser, but Bring Out The Sound sees them happily relocated to the BBE label. They are still making some cracking music, too – a cinematic fusion of hip hop, funk and a touch of jazz that works as well as ever. The guests are good, too – ranging from the ballsy confidence (literally!) of Rodney P & 28luchi on ‘Like Shaft’ to the softer Just Jack vocal bringing clarity to the big soundscape of ‘Seize The Day’, while STAC’s husky delivery lifts ‘Over and Over’ to the heights. The breezy brass leading ‘Out There’ are brilliant, and the piece of gritty film work that is ‘Submarine’ and ‘Hearts Of Men’ is especially good – all these and more showing that The Herbaliser are still at top form, nearly 25 years since their inception. Something wicked this way comes!
Ben Hogwood
4 out of 5
THE HERBALISER – BRING OUT THE SOUND – BB
