| · Neither funk nor fouled, it’s Rubberfunky!
Receiving high praise from the British press and legendary producers such as Mr. Scruff and Quantic, Rubberfunk’s debut full-length has become one of this year’s most highly anticipated musical items.
Dr. Rubberfunk is reminiscent of other notable leftfield downtempo artists such as Bonobo, Herbaliser and the aforementioned Scruff and Quantic, yet he offers a relatively distinct approach. The mood is mellow and the loops organic.
His monster Latin broken-beat, Bossa for the Devil, issued late last year, rocketed up the playlists of notable beat gurus such as Giles Peterson and Keb Darge. While First Cut explores the musical signatures of Bossa for the Devil, the rest of the album, with the exception of "Step on It" doesn’t quite capture the sheer magnificence or the delicate touch of Bossa. "Step on It," is based on a double-bass riff and is the obvious standout of this release, which, for fans of the meaty jazzed-out side of Coldcut/DJ Food or Amon Tobin, is a must-have track.
While this is an exceptional body of work and light-years away from mediocre, it ain’t gonna open up the cosmic gate to the uninitiated. For those on the blunt and in the know, however, it is the first essential of the year.
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