The Herbaliser

Details

Same as It Never Was (!K7)

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More About

• Ollie Teeba
• Jake Wherry
• Jessica Darling
• Jean Grae

The hip-hop disorder that sampling producer/arrangers the Herbaliser (Jake Wherry and Ollie Teeba) loaded onto the FabricLive 26 compilation two years ago stands in sharp contrast to their previous LP's spy-film grooves. It was a clear sign that the British duo were exploring new sounds, and real fans of the group have been anticipating what they'd come up with next. Aptly branded, their latest release, Same as It Never Was, packs more surprises than 2005's Take London. Adept storyteller Jean Grae isn't featured here enough, though, as the producer tandem and assorted musicians open the floor up to London soul vocalist Jessica Darling. Wherry and Teeba's past numerous pairings with Grae yielded stirring results, and her near-absence this time around is a notable misfire. Newcomer Darling's husky contributions, however, are consistently tight and flashy as hell. "Amores Bongo" empties the Herbaliser and Co. out into a back-alley bar scene from a goofy '60s film, and it's filled with muted brass, vibraphone licks, and hand drums. Based on the way the track follows up "Can't Help This Feeling," "Amores" plays like a fireworks encore. And with her confident cocktail of fury and sass (amid Teeba's quick scratches), Darling powers "On Your Knees" vocally and sets a precedent that guest MCs Yungun and More or Les can't even come close to toppling. You go, girl.