Salsa! It’s a big blend of funky hip-hop with lounge vibes and strange
electronically contorted vocals. Friedman has brought together a
collision of 70s dub with the techno of latter day poltergeists. Herein
we are fed the encoded vocalese of Abi, Patrice, Theo Altenberg and even
His Name is Alive (welcome back) ala vocoder. Oh, I feel a fever coming
on. This is an unusual spin among current directives in contemporary
genre melding, but someone has to start pioneering somewhere. This
seems to me like an emergence of something more urban, more soulful, yet
a glimpse, perhaps too close into the pop realm. Alongside AOR funky
divas and other charades this is one of those turns you always hope can
be avoided in the world of experimental electronics.
Friedman takes his troupes just right of center for a few moments in between obscurity. I find myself being teased by the everyday familiarity of tracks like
“Someday My Blues Will Cover The Earth” and the kitcshy latin jazz dramatics on “Designer Groove” complete with bongos and hints of brass. I get pulled in for moments along the way. Maybe I am just jolted by the inclusion of vocals that don’t seem totally unique and compete with the funky bass lines being layed out? Vocal-free tracks 9-12 could almost be a mini EP. The vibes set a blissful funky and fresh sound. The magic is all in the editing and most here is quite playable sans
some tongues.
