Let me set up a proposition: How would you feel if you had to listen to an album by a French Producer who got “quite bored abut Jazz and Hip Hop as separate things”? Running for cover? Willing deafness on yourself? Bursting out onto the street screaming at an empty sky why such things could happen? Quite interested to see how it would turn out?

Strangely, for me, I was in the latter category. Most Hip Hop I could frankly live without but, there must be something in the water, I thought to myself that I would give this a fair crack. And at first I didn’t care for it. But then...

Heavens above this kind of thing grows on you! The beats are catchy and the production values are top notch. I admit that it wouldn’t have been something I would have actively sought out but its... its... nice.

In the large Venn diagram of life where Sigma represents the universe, this album stumbles into the circle of things that are nice. Like biscuits, like sitting watching television under a tartan blanket in a cold house in winter and like brand new neighbours who send you a Christmas card even though you don’t know them (“To all at number 11, from Jane and Bill at number 27.”) Nothing to set the world alight. Nothing earth shattering. No life changing event but, you know, nice.

The album has a feel of walking down a street in New York and passing doorways where music spills out. There are blasts of street scenes; cars honking, people chatting, etc, etc. between tracks. Make no mistake this is not the “proper” New York of the '70s where you would be robbed/murdered/raped (in that order) but the latter day New York where Warriors is a stylised action movie and not a documentary. Yes, not everything would be to your taste but you could appreciate the effort behind it.

To the British reader, let me say this: This album is like watching an episode of Later with Jools Holland and while not having your favourite band or singer on this week at least there isn’t that bewildering African band playing world music. You nod and think “that’s okay, not every week is a winner.”

Summing up. Surprisingly ok. Well done. Nice (in the old fashion sense).

6

Dean Lester Smales