Gearbox Records release London percussionist and producer Chiminyo's new album, I am Panda. As well as his own solo project, Chiminyo also performs and records with some of the leading figures of London’s music scene, including spiritual jazz-leaning outfit Maisha and psychedelic energy bomb Cykada. Whilst Chiminyo's music may be rooted in the London jazz scene, his work steps outside the realms of jazz to encompass hip-hop, future pop, experimental electronic and global spheres...

If at first you don't get on with Chiminyo's I am Panda... I strongly urge you to try, try again. Even after a handful of play throughs you still might not enjoy it... but then again you might. This is not an album you can listen to once and digest its entire driving force.

Funked up jazz meets dance music is a lazy way of describing the sound, but it has to be heard to be appreciated. Personally, whilst I did enjoy it, it's only an album I will listen to for a very short period of time and it's very unlikely that I'll be digging out in six months to a year and fondly reminiscing about it.

For a brief distraction this is an amazingly engaging, albeit disposable album.

 

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Nick Smithson