New Music – Soothsayers – Tradition

Anyone up for a bit of Reggae Soul Funk Afrobeat dub? well you’ve come to the right place. Brixton’s hometown heroes Soothsayers are back with their seventh studio album ‘Tradition’. Exploring the concept of Tradition throughout the LP, vocalist/ trumpet player Robin Hopcraft explains “the title track deals with the question of handling tradition, when on one hand it can be used to bind people together and make them feel part of something, on the other it’s a barrier to progress and human development”.

Political messages run throughout the album, saxophonist Idris Rahman talked on this subject saying “many of the songs are political in the sense that they address some of the injustices and inequalities in our world. There is so much to speak on politically at present, and in a way to no comment on it is as much a political statement as to comment. There is a perception that music has lost some of its edge when it comes to being a force of political change, and this has been exacerbated by major label control of artist’ freedom to say what they feel, as well as the media’s unwillingness to play politically charged material, but there is still so much power in simply stating a point of view through music that we feel that is too important to dismiss”.

Track List with Short overview

1.Tradition: smooth groove with trumpets and a nice dubby bass line.

2. Good Vibration: more great trumpets with a reggae/ska guitar strut

3. Heart Rules Head: a low dub rider

4. Nothing Can stop Us: upbeat straight up feel good vibes

5. Goodnight Rico: instrumental slow groove with some nice organ work and you guessed it, cool trumpets

6. Sleepwalking (Black Man’s Cry): Fela Kuti inspired track with its political message on point (as usual)

7. Dis & Dat: following on with more reflections of Fela Kuti, infectious tune which builds and builds.

8. Overcome: bit of an intermission track feel but a cool slow rhythmic vibe non the less

9. Watching The Stars: laid back and swaying with soothing soulful vocals from Julia Biel

10. Take me High: lush dub feel with great vocal melodies

11. Natural Mystic: Afrobeat instrumental with nice use of background vocal edits that slips into slow dub bliss

These guys know what they’re doing and they do it well, the tracks are tight with the band never setting a foot wrong with each flow. Trumpets, Guitars, Trombones, Sax, Keyboards, drums and vocals, all wrapped up in a fresh live session sound. This is Feel good music with a summer glow hitting all the right spots. Track it down.

Check out: Dis & Dat (Official Video)