roots manuva
I’ve been hearing from the buzz out there in the ether that Slime and Reason, the new Roots Manuva album, is good. I figured everyone was grading on a curve because, really, what has Manuva done aside a few okay singles? Turns out I’m the idiot in this case — as it often is — because the album, available now in Europe here, and out in the US on Sept. 30 (and yes we will have it) is extremely — and even though I’m still finishing my first listen, I mean that — good. It balances serious and playful, art and pop. The production is very progressive, very of the moment, some tracks sounding like they could appear on an M.I.A. record, others Kanye, still more Dizzee or Burial or whatever the latest intersection is between dubstep, grime and the newest invention of East London. Bottomline: it is very, very good, so keep that bug in your ear until the 30th if you’re American, and if you’re European, grab it now here.
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Nice! He has guested on a lot of tracks from Amon Tobin, The Herbaliser, The Cinematic Orchestra, even DJ Shadow.
i have already got it and from the first listen am hooked. i had his first 2 albums and love them but this seems it will have all round appeal. highly recommended!
Samples sound great, looking forward to getting this in the US. Another great track Roots Manuva has guested on is True Skool by Coldcut. After a bit of a dry run, eMu is on a tear for me with the Domino stuff and timabouttown’s (I think) post about Notwist related artists. Gotta use the CC cards!
“between dubstep, grime and the newest invention of East London” — I do hope you’re not implying that Dubstep is an East London thing… If you are, may I suggest that you never, ever go to Croydon.
Not heard the new one yet, but he has done three great albums already, not just a few singles. Even on the first more “experimental” album there are some great tracks - check Clockwork. Hope he has kept the reggae/dub influence bubbling under on the new one.
I agree with the general review, but I too want to pick up on the east London reference, dub step is definitely something that started up in South London, not the east as inferred above in the way that it reads to me. I’m on the other side of the river in the north, but with the E postcodes starting a few hundred meters away. Sure it’s heard coming from cars and homes all over town, but be very careful if you ever go to the south and make that mistake again. It’s a big city, but at times can seem quite parochial about it’s claims to fame and other things, much of the wave of killings amongst young people here currently are rooted in postcode territorial arguements.
that was not meant to imply dubstep was from east london, it was that grime is from east london. i think that’s pretty clear.
I recognise that you guys are mainly talking about the starting point, but I think at this stage you get producers of both dubstep and grime from all over the city and further afield.
his previous albums are fantastic. i would have taken your comment about “okay singles” as complete sarcasm if i thought you knew anything about hiphop. the fact that you like it actually makes me worried now.
I was kind of poking fun. Remember “South Bronx” by BDP?
So you think that Hip-Hop had its start out in Queensbridge
If you pump that junk up in the Bronx you might not live
Heh. It wasn’t so long ago that people would get all territorial over jungle and drum’n'bass. I was never smart enough to tell the difference anyway. At least dubstep and grime are readily identifiable.