The Quantic Soul Orchestra (QSO) is the brainchild of Will Holland, who has released two fantastic albums on the Tru Thoughts imprint over the past few years ('The 5th Exotic' and 'Apricot Morning'). If you're familiar with Holland's previous output, you'll know that he excels at creating sonic landscapes of scultped breakbeats, downtempo strokes, and bass-driven jazz. The QSO's 'Stampede', however' may be Holland's finest hour. Whereas his first 2 albums conquered the art of sampled beats, 'Stampede' is entire live and sample-free, which makes for a rawer, more exhilarating listening experience. The whole album has a very 70's feel, but somehow does not come across as retro or kitchy -- quite a feat! All in all, 'Stampede' is a glorious summer listening experience, and it's a disc that I will return to many times for its superb percussion, drum, and vocal contributions. I probably would have rated this as a 5-star album, if not for its relative brevity (about 35 minutes) and for my absolute cynicism. That said, hats off to Holland and his band for making a truly outstanding, original record. Keep your eye on Tru Thoughts -- they're absolutely unstoppable these days.