With the release of Sound Mirrors, even if they weren’t the top dogs, no one could criticize them on the grounds of quality.

True, some of the early reviews were a little less than ecstatic, but this is a great album and one that’s going to stand up long after Classic Gold radio stations stop playing their earlier chart hits. Having said that, this is no elitist album either.

Of course, we’ve had a head start with the singles including the opener ‘Everything is Under Control’ (Jon ‘Blues Explosion’ Spencer and rapper Mike Ladd), ‘Man In A Garage’ [folky John Matthias] and ‘Mr. Nichols’ (Saul Williams).

Not only do these tracks sound better on the album, they bind the album together along with some particularly catchy tunes. Such as the Indo-pop-dancehall rap with Roots Manuva, which is getting crossover support from the likes of Bobby Friction & Nihal. Roots is fresh from his own Awfully Deep success of last year on Ninja Tunes, the hip hop offshoot, Big Dada.

The mixing on ‘Walk A Mile’ is great and it features the vocal house favourite Robert Owens. Based on the (worn-out) theme of walking in other’s shoes (Depeche Mode, Alwyn Evans, etc) it builds from a blues to a chill-out feel.

The first half of the album is completed by the instrumental title track, ‘Sound Mirrors’ — no doubt inspired from somewhere within a Japanese Zen Monastery.

The next trio of tunes goes to the other extreme and are firmly in the Club. ‘Boogieman’ is a techno-afro-funk version of ‘True Skool’ with another poetic contribution, this time by Amiri Baraka. ‘This Island Earth’ shows off Mpho Skeef’s soulful side and mixes up the afro/broken/house influences. And how many Club-Rave tunes have lyrics by a leftfield jazz stalwart? Try ‘Just For The Kick’ via past ECM artist Annette Peacock.

Saxophonist, Mercury-nominee, Jazz Jamaica member and ex-Jazz Warrior, Soweto Kinch serves up a rap-rant on “Aid Dealer”. Former Ninja Tune Andrew Broder (aka Fog) joins in on downtempo ‘Whistle And A Prayer’ which is a bit strange in the saw-violin way and leads us into 60s Byrdslike tripness of ‘Colours The Soul’.

So forget all that Yazz and Lisa Stansfield Coldcut history or the cutting edge stuff like computer programmes, VJing, art exhibitions, collaborations with minimalist composers and the like, just put on Sound Mirrors and enjoy an album. The best thing they’ve ever done.

Reviewed: Coldcut - Sound Mirrors (Ninja Tune) Cat. No. ZENCD 115

Tracklisting:
1. Man In A Garage - Vocals - John Matthias
2. True Skool - Vocals - Roots Manuva
3. Just For The Kick - Vocals - Annette Peacock
4. Walk A Mile In My Shoes - Vocals - Robert Owens
5. Mr. Nichols - Vocals - Saul Williams
6. A Whistle And A Prayer - Vocals - Fog
7. Everything Is Under Control - Vocals - Mike Ladd , Jon Spencer
8. Boogie Man - Vocals - Amiri Baraka
9. Aid Dealer - Vocals - Soweto Kinch
10. This Island Earth - Vocals - Mpho Skeef
11. Colours The Soul - Vocals - Dom Spitzer
12. Sound Mirrors

Press Quotes:
“Has the cutting edge that modern day contemporaries couldn’t create if they had full instructions. Sound Mirrors is remarkable… truly a master-class in beat science from start to finish.” NME 8/10

“Still passionately engaged with future music… a feast for the ears” Mixmag

“Never sounded so good. Sound Mirrors is mightily impressive; the production flawless and the songwriting exhilarating.” Blues & Soul

“Coldcut are the influencers not the influenced… classy” Time Out

“Coldcut come again - full blooded and schizoid… Still as fresh and relevant as ever.” Straight No Chaser

Links:
Coldcut www.ninjatune.net/coldcut
Ninja Tune www.ninjatune.net
Annette Peacock
Bobby Friction & Nihal Tracklistings 01/02/2006 1. Coldcut feat. Roots Manuva - ‘True Skool’ (Ninja Tune)