Light 'Em Up, Blow 'Em Out

1) This album sounds better now than it did back then. Just as relevant and I take it more seriously than before. There is still so much to discover on it. So many styles are included here that there always seems to be a track that I hadn't heard before or never 'lifted the lid' on properly. They just keep hiding in amongst all the other diverse offerings on here!

From my favourite track, the sitar inflected beat bonanza that is 'Emerald Alley' to the fluid and sassy 'Silks, Perfume and Gold' or 'Illusion', a down low, heavy Massive Attack style beat with sweet female vocals to the ambiently recorded Urdu group captured in 'Party With the Raj', they are clearly a versatile bunch with wide musical interests.

'Emerald Alley' is particularly interesting - it came out a good 3 or 4 years before The Asian Undergound hit the UK big time, yet it sounds like it is totally of that era. Due respect is given to the sitar intro too, rather than just using the instrument as a quirky gimmick we get some feel of its use in classical Indian music. Which is why 'Party With the Raj' is an important inclusion on the album. It isn't the band playing, just a recording of local Urdu singing musicians they encountered. But this marks their purpose on the album (and many of their others) - to send us a musical postcard from the subcontinent (or whereever they may be). They do this very well from Bolivia and South America on another of their albums and it colours the postcard richly.

2) This album and the band are quite different from the other Ninja Tune output. This is largely down to one key element in U,B&O's style and background - jazz. Yes all the other Ninja Tuners are influenced by jazz but these guys are more true to jazz sensibilities (however they may be defined). I mean to say there is a much more organic, band like, live, jazzy feel from their music than the more hip-hop and beats leaning output that has characterised the label.

And they're a damn fine jazz band when this is how they approach a track. 'Apple Studle' is a foot tapping, head nodding swinger of a jazz number which displays Vicki Burke's flowing and sensual sax playing finely, with good plucky, double bass lines too. A lot of their jazz instincts are latin in nature and even when they're doing a supposed postcard from the Subcontinent there are a number of latin jazz style numbers on here. But I aint complaining!

I expect this album to grow in aesthetic value as more years go by. I would have only given it 4 stars five years ago but now it deserves 5. It continually surprises and delights and buying it for yourself would be the first step in journeying with these inspired, free spirited folk to discover yet more.