Jamie Lidell ‎– Multiply

WOW! What an album, what a singer, what music!

Jamie is a proof where music creation and producing has came to and where it's heading. It's the future of bootstrapped musical creativity. A genius and a technology join in a perfect harmony.

Jamie Lidell gives you one of those experiences where you expect a full-blown band of stage professionals, but instead you get blown away by what one man (band) can do.

Imagine a technology geek (thick glasses are a good company) with a voice of Otis Redding, the soul that goes with it, dressed in a cape (or some other different style of attire) paired with sufficient technology and know-how to mash it up in almost any way imaginable. He's mad behind the sampler, keyboard and his laptop, while his soul is breathing fire through the mic. So good! :-D

Someone needs to check Lidell’s mama ‘cause there is way too much soul on this record for an Englishman. For a Warp records IDM laptop producer to up and drop an electro-funk R&B album of inarguable Al Green / George Clinton quality like this is plain shocking. I’m well aware of the abilities of chief Warp producers like Tom Jenkinson and Richard James, whom I’m quite positive are capable of producing an authentic, unique LP of any genre if they so chose but hey, they didn’t and that alone is worthy of respect even though I find the abrasive Squarepusher/Aphex Twin sounds far more captivating personally. The title track “Multiply” is the obvious centerpiece of this release, breathing life into the soul of Otis Redding and, to an extent, Otis Day & the Knights from Animal House, thus treading the path back and forth between the dock of the bay and the hip kid frat party.

Brilliant album! Full of funk, soul, passion and squeaky-clean vocals to put you in the right mood to dance. It surely puts me in the mood for love!

My favourites include:

'Yougotmeup' [116.7 BPM] is a quick 01:50 but man does it open the album well. Very well produced piece of work here!

'Multiply' [111.2 BPM] has a 60's soul feel to it, tamborine in the background driving the tune with Jamie's grinding vocals in the foreground forcing you to shake yer ass and smile.

'What's the Use'. [96.1 BPM] Great 2/2 time song. Jamie sounds great, hitting all ranges of a classic soul singer. Slow Mo-town feel.

'Game For Fools' [119.9 BPM] A slow, sad-sounding tune - blues influenced. "..first moment you hesitate...better ask yourself why. don't you wake up till it's too late...something inside has died."

This album is a TRUE R&B album.