Shapin Fluid [Import]

Shapin Fluid [Import]

Editorial Reviews
From URB Magazine
Study the cracks on the ground at the epicenter of the broken-beat scene and you'll find a dizzying interlace of house and soul, with rampant crossovers and intersections with Afro-beat, breakbeat and techno. Orin Walters' Afronaught project celebrates this familial vibe. The man who's also behind Bugz in the Attic fills out a sophisticated arrangement of sounds with the likes of Neon Phusion's Kaidi Tatham on keys, Paul "Seiji" Dolby on cello and beats, Daz I-Kue on the mix and a slew of vocalists, horns and string players. These are the ingredients of an ambitious album - one that seems to be reaching to define the state of the neo-fusion scene. Its ambition is fulfilled for the most part and only occasionally falls victim to the more self-consciously indulgent adornments that can obscure the music's soul.

Fusing soul-jazz experimentation with leftfield dance techniques, Walter explores the range of styles that influence the fractured beat movement. Don Ricardo takes a vocal turn on "Take U There," a late-1970s soul capsule launched into orbit on a blaze of horns, a sound set off by Loretta Heywood on the brilliant downtempo number "Just A'nutha Day." The title track wraps a mellow uptempo vibe in expansive strings before leading in to a ragga-tinged call to dance by Tittla on "Work It." The popular "Transcend Me" is also featured here, its epic build proving just how intensely funky broken beat can get. While displaying Walters' brilliance, one feels a bit gorged - the collection could have shed a bit of extra weight before launch.

Joe Rice

Tracks:

Take U There
Transcend Me
Shapin' Fluid
Life On Venus
Cosmic Birth
Just A'Nutha Day
Outta Range (Billion Light Years From Home)
Work It Out
Vital Ingredient
The Beaujolais Files
Home 2night

Customer Reviews:

Just keeps getting better and better.......2004-12-24

As I write this, the lowest price for Shapin' Fluid through Amazon sellers is about 5 times regular CD list price -- and it just may be worth it! I've been checking out alot of the progressive electronic dance music coming out of London and elsewhere recently (broken beat and otherwise) and this is maybe the best CD length release I've heard. Some CD's fade after you've listened to them for awhile but this keeps getting better. A future classic.

It's a shame that music of this calibre is out of print.

groovy stuff.......2002-04-07

I was a bit afraid to buy this album, but I'm very glad I bought. This stuff is great ! Great and groovy ! It makes me shake my booty from the beginning to the end. The instrumentals, like "Outta Range ( 3 Billions Light Years From Home )" ( very funky and full of energy ), "Life On Venus", "Shapin' Fluid" and "The Beaujolais Files" are great ! There is one weird track, "Cosmic Birth", which seems to be a little interlude, but it's okay, since it's only one. The artists brings in some short and funky tracks like "Work It" ( with male vocals, which is usually not my thing, but in this case, it works great ! ), "Take U There" and "Home 2night". "Just A'Nutha Day" is a bit more calm, but beautiful. And "Transcend Me" is one hell of a track with a beautiful vocalists and really groovy and pumping backing instrumentation.

Don't ignore this album, because the man has some real talent ! He needs to be heard !

Afronaught's Celestial Soundscapes.......2002-02-07

I highly recommend this record to anyone who is looking for a sophisticated and inevntive sound of electronic music. Fused with soul and breakbreat...Shapin Fluid takes the listener on a journey as Afronaught's album cover suggests. This record is highlighted by a wealth of talent. The guest vocalists contributions are a welcomed touch. Of particular note is "Transcend Me" in which vocalist Melissa Browne excerts soul wrenching vocals (you can feel her energy down to your toes) to a pumping beat. Also noteworthy are the instrumentals: "Shapin Fluid", "Life on Venus", and my personal favorite "Vital Ingredient"(which lives up to its name. Highly recommended for originality and content. Do give this import a try!

West London Groove.......2001-10-27

Recently cd's of the progressive house variety have swamped the market. I think progressive house sounds great in the capable hands of a digweed or howells etc but there are just too many comps out right now. This cd is a breath of fresh air as it's pure soulful funky house from a member of the "broken beat" scene. The first track is a great little groover that gets your toes tapping and it just gets better from there. Transcend me is on of the best songs I've heard all year. Real life affirming house. Afronaught played at the detroit electronic music festival and was great. This is a cd you should definitely pick up if your looking for a more organic taste on the house vibe.

Music:

Music

music

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