‘Now and again an album comes out of nowhere that hits you straight between the ears.’ The Times.Soothsayers are a London-based collective that reach far beyond the restrictive clichés of ‘World Music.’ Blending the pulsating rhythms of Afrobeat with the sonic adventurousness of dub reggae and urban jazz, Soothsayers shook up the jaded music scene with their acclaimed debut album, Lost City. They followed this with Tangled Roots, an exceptional release that defies standard classifications: the West African root that drove Fela Kuti’s rebellion is filtered through the deeply seductive dub experimentation of Lee Perry, King Tubby and Augustus Pablo, while funk, hip hop and other contemporary elements yield a complex sound firmly lodged in London’s broader musical experience.Soothsayers meet The Red Earth Collective , the forthcoming album is in the final stages of completion. Here’s a chance to check out some of the early versions of the tracks . As usual the music draws on the genres of Afrobeat, dub, funk in Soothsayers inimitable style. Featured vocalists include Jamaican roots legends Johnny Clarke, Michael Prophet and Linval Thompson as well as Ricky Ranking , of Roots Manuva and Nightmares on Wax fame who also featured on our last cd ‘Tangled Roots’. The feminine input comes from new vocalist Mellow Baku.The heart of the band is tenor saxophonist Idris Rahman and trumpeter Robin Hopcraft, co-writers and producers of the band’s material. The pair have played with a range of African artists and reggae stars like Junior Delgado, Rico Rodriguez, Cedric ‘Im’ Brooks, Earl 16 and Realworld’s Ayub Ogada, as well as pop acts such as Stereo MCs and Dodgy, and cutting edge jazz groups such as The Zoe Rahman Quartet, Jerry Dammers Spatial AKA Orchestra and Seb Rochford’s Polar Bear. Along with a handful of fellow band members, including guitarist Phil Dawson, who is a regular sideman with ex-Fela collaborator Dele Sosimi and numerous others, a range of special guests keep the music broadly challenging: Nigerian ‘blu funk’ advocate Keziah Jones sings the compelling ‘Freedom,’ Maxi Jazz of soulful dance troupe Faithless crosses the afro-jazz/hip hop border with ‘Instant Hit,’ which reworks an Osibisa classic, Roots Manuva’s reggae singer Rikki Rankin spices up the superb ‘Never Give Up’ while the 419ers’ mix of ‘Follow Your Path’ breaks new ground. Firming up links with Africa are several tracks led by Nigerian vocalist/percussionist Adesose Wallace, a veteran of AfroCelt Sound System, as well as contributions from renowned South African guitarist Lucky Ranku, kora player Mosi Condi and upcoming ‘Chimurunga Soul’ singer Netsayi Chigwendere, while Julia Biel’s guitarist and F-IRE Collective member Jonny Phillips ensures the music has extra melodic texture.Praise for Tangled Roots:‘A heady sonic brew, crafted in the best jazz tradition by drawing respectfully from disparate elements…the album is full of irresistibly funky grooves, intricate percussion, virtuoso vocals, elaborate guitar lines and swinging horns, with meaningful lyrics and uncommon vocal arrangements raising the overall musical standard one level higher.’ Mojo (four stars)‘Thrilling harmonies…seriously infectious dance floor grooves…goose bump inducing vocals.’ The Guardian‘An impressive mosaic of Afrobeat, dub and funky fusion…dynamic volleys of call and response…cascading horn riffs and melodies.’ Echoes‘Tangled Roots shows how exciting and diverse things get when you hold a mirror up to London’s musical melting pot.’ Jazzwise (four stars)‘The eclectic blend works perfectly with the sound being organic and unique. It reflects the diverse cultural influences in modern urban Britain and you can imagine the music fitting in on dance floors in South London, Kingston, Lagos or Accra. Infectious, funky and great fun!’ BBC Radio 3‘African rhythms filtered through the prism of dub…accomplished musicianship…highly compelling.’ XLR8R‘The whole disc constitutes a major step forward for one of the hardest working and most creative groups on the scene.’ Straight No ChaserAlso available: Blinded Souls 10" Single ...Quantic remix
Coming soon: Never Give Up remix by Mannasseh
Blinded Souls & We Must Return remix by Mad Professor
