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When it comes to blending Hip Hop with Jazz, Funk and Rare Groove, The Herbaliser, a.k.a. Ollie Teeba and Jake Wherry, have certainly been one of the most creative and genre-defining acts on the scene. Since 1995, the London duo has released 5 studio albums on the Ninja Tune label, plus 2 live albums and a Fabric mix, all to great critical acclaim as well as commercial success - the pinnacle being their 2002 release “Something Wicked This Way Comes". With their new album, “Same As It Never Was” they take, as suggested somewhat oxymoronically by the title, a different approach to the task in hand, yet all the while manage to stay true to their Hip Hop roots. There is more of a focus on (Big Band-) Jazz, R&B and Soul, which reflects The Herbaliser’s recent evolution from a duo into a full 5-piece band. Their newfound diversity is underscored by their selection of featured vocalists: there´s NYC MC JEAN GRAE (also known as What What who has sung on their previous albums already), as well as rappers MORE OR LES and YUNGUN Aka Essa, while many of the tracks feature the vocal stylings of 22-year soul diva JESSICA DARLING from London - a stunning new talent to emerge on the scene. With Jessica on board, and the focus now more on soulful songwriting, this is The Herbaliser´s richest and most diverse record so far. Promising to be a timeless soul classic, it should appeal not only to their long-term fans, but also to a whole new generation seduced by the pop-soul nostalgia from the likes of Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson or Nicole Willis. |
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