A Forest Mighty Black – Mellowdramatic

Finally found a copy in great condition and at a decent price! If you see it, don't hesitate! Worth every cent!

Simply divine underground music. Original soul soothing chilled Nujazz from the finest German Label - Compost. Worth checking out also the remix album and beanfield and Jazzanova who are also on the same label. It’s getting on a bit now but don’t let that stop you trying it out. The sounds of this album are unique and moving, atmospheric and surreal. It’s really in a class of its own.

Why have they only had one release? This is a great late 90s downtempo record that would fit in at ESL at that same time period, however it doesn't sound nostalgic.

Too bad MELLOWDRAMATIC was A Forest Mighty Black's only release to date, because it's quite beautiful. A Forest Mighty Black was part of Compost Records' early vanguard, and appropriately enough, jazz is certainly the main influence here. "Minigame" shows off some dubby overtones and has a thick bass, to boot, while "Duel with a So(u)l" contrasts the squealing horns with a funky bassline. "Everything" amps up the rhythmic intensity, and "Duo Trippin'" employs some sitars to create a Bollywood spy noir. The martial beat and snare on "Reflections of a Fake Night" makes it particularly toe-tapping, and the short-but-sweet "The 9 to 5 (Is Killing Me)" keeps that vibe going. And "Till the End" takes out the album on a groovy note, but overall, two tracks stand out in particular. First, "Tides" blends the jazz sensibility with the percussion perfectly -- a picture of what downtempo should have be. Second, "Fresh in My Mind" takes the famous piano riff from Tenorio Jr.'s "Nebulosa" and recasts it into a atmospheric drum 'n' bass track. Dramatic, yes. Mellow, definitely so as well.

Mellowdramatic brings a wide variety of sounds to the table: standup-bass heavy jazz ("Tides" for example), trip-hop and breakbeat style bass and snare ("Duo Trippin'"), Brazilian and Indian influenced rhythms and samples throughout, etc. If you enjoy Fila Brazilia, Beanfield, Urchin, United Future Organization, or even the Beastie Boys' instrumental work, check this one out, it is just plain funky.