away from all the chaos of 20th anniversary celebrations for ninja tune, a couple of months ago the label quietly released this rather wonderful album from one of their original artists, james braddell, also known as funki porcini.
given that it’s quite a while since the last funki porcini album, fall asleep, several scenster swinging genres have been and gone, governments have been overturned, and of far more concern, my waistline has increased, yet this album makes one realise that some things remain the same, for which we should be grateful.
warm welcoming ambience, scratchy samples, jazz loops (a core part of the album is james’ clear passion for jazz), and delicate off the wall sonic twists providing a welcome break from all things manic and upfront.
kicking off with a somewhat unnecessary cover of classic moon river under the guise of moog river (it’s a tribute to robert moog of course), the album then starts properly with this aint the way to live, which like much of the album, drops a nice and steady drum loop, smooth melodies, and a late night dusty vibe with plenty of space and atmosphere in the mix.
of course, such descriptions (i held back from using the word cinematic instrumental hip hop) all harkens back to the glory days of early ninja tune releases, and will mean people can once again throw out the phrase ‘trip hop’, but i care not, my ears and head like this kind of groove, and so since its release, the album has remained within easy reach.
surely a good sign for any album in 2010.
on may not be pushing boundaries, nor will it pick up any kudos shaking press, but this is a fine album to just kick back to and soak up.
more detail : here