This album is a bit of a one-trick pony, but it’s a trick I happen to enjoy: subdued funk. Performed with discipline, the deceptively detailed arangements leave plenty of sonic space for each other. It’s the kind of relaxed, easy groove that can only be the result of concentrated effort and meticulous planning.
Half of the 11 tracks are minute-long interludes. These can be a bit frustrating as they literally fizzle out, which is a pity as there’s nothing wrong with them, except that they are let down by the lack of a proper ending. Even a fade-out or a cross-fade into the next track would have done them much more justice. The 5 full tracks maybe have the opposite problem and go on a bit too long without enough development. Since many of them are mid-tempo with a two-chord chorus, the overall effect is pleasant but monotonous.
I particularly liked Escape the Times with its slightly scratchy vocal, giving me a hint of 1970s Sly, and Kiss from Above was the interlude I most wanted to go on for longer. I enjoyed it more than my score might suggest, it’s just a pity that those unconventional non-endings and the occassional over-long outtro took me out of my appreciative state so often.
6.5/10
