Innovator - Derrick May

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...There has to be something strange about a woman who could silence the entire crowd at the V98 festival, which is exactly what Erykah Badu did. And the woman is, indeed, strange. As mad as a hatter, in fact, which makes for a glorious album. From her debut single, On And On (containing the immortal line ‘My cipher keeps moving like a rolling stone’) to other tracks such as Next Lifetime, Erykah Badu fuses soul, R’n’B and jazz to great effect. The vocal delivery may be a touch didactic (Badu has been known to literally wag her finger at the crowd during live performances) but Baduizm is one of the more innovative and refreshing albums I’ve heard, and it deserves a wide audience.... Read review

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Advantages: Timeless classics; 50 tracks for £7
Disadvantages: Recording quality of older tracks

...'ll just stick to a little one-line description of each track. normaly I go mad, giving stats and opinions, but I've already bored you guys, probably, so I'll keep 'em brief. CD1 1. The Jivers: Our Love Will Last Lovely, summery old ska tune. Bloody hard to dance to, though. Crucial. 2. Brother Dan Allstars: Eastern Organ Zippy instrumental that's over before you know it. Concise. 3. Derrick Morgan: Fat Man Wicked melody, a track bemoaning a lecherous love rival. Threatening. 4. Val Bennett: South Parkway Rock A ska instrumental from 1967. Bit of a weak link on this CD. Average. 5. The Silverstars: Old Man Say 6. The Silverstars: Promises Double helping from the Jamaican vocal quartet. Lovely harmonies. Beautiful. 7. Clancy Eccles: Bangarang Crash A noted producer, Eccles takes the limelight on this breezy... Read review

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Advantages: Basement Jaxx aren't just what they seem!
Disadvantages: The album could be too diverse for some people!

...The guys from Basement Jaxx really expanded their musical talents in this album, and showed us their more rocky and eclectic side. Having bought the two previous albums, I had built up the unique style of Basement Jaxx in my head. This album expanded their sound and gave us something different to their previous two albums. I know that Basement Jaxx are considered a prime innovator in the current house/dance scene, and listening to their third album, Kish Kash, I can definitely tell that this is not your standard club music. Their are anonymous diva vocal remixes of popular songs I often hear when I drag my friends out to the clubs. If nothing else, the vocal collaborations ( Me'Shell NdegéOcello, Siouxsie Sioux ) indicate something special. Kish Kash starts out strong with the track 'Good Luck', which is of a drum & bass style... Read review

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