This is an album of poetic license and it works best with the light jazz-funk-soul of tracks like ‘Dream Keepa’ and the equally superb, ‘Nicola’s Song’. A large part of the success of this CD (as with Hi Falutin’) is due to the presence of Lucy Wilkins who joins in on backing vocals and/or strings on many of the tracks.

The set opens with the spacey dub poetry of ‘Hole In The Sky’. Any hints of a Linton Kwesi Johnson influence are probably not misplaced as Robinson has opened shows for him in the past in addition to De La Soul, Cody Chesnutt and Saul Williams. ‘No No’ is similarly LKJ/Zephaniah whilst other ‘poetic’ tracks are ‘Light Shower’ (with Lucy Wilkins), the rap’n’paste of KAOS and the spoken word ‘Tongue Kung Fu’.

Who could not love the title of, ‘Unsticking’? It also sounds like a folktronica tribute to Ivor Cutler. It’s hypnotic and addictive. Also strongly recommended is the Dobie remix of this track on Simon S’s new Abstract Blue Session (see links below).

This is an excellent CD on the whole but there’s a couple of ‘obvious’ ones. ‘Pacify’ is an anti-war electro-dub Augustus Pablo mix whilst ‘Maybe’ is in a more of Cinematic Orchestra style. The only track I wasn’t keen on was ‘Scars’ which I thought sounded like an early Bryan Ferry/Roxy Music.

Less political than Benjamin Zephaniah, less street than Rich Medina, Johnny ‘Vee’ Vaudeville’s sleeve notes probably best sums up the appeal; even if you don’t “understand a word of English, you couldn’t miss the emotional force of Roger’s music”. Looks like we’ll be hearing and seeing lots more of Mr. Robinson in the future.

Reviewed:
Roger Robinson - Illclectica (Altered Vibes) Cat. No: AVBPM004 CD Release date: 2005
Tracklisting:
1 Hole In The Sky (3:33)
2 Scars (3:06)
3 Light Shower (3:24)
4 Nicola’s Song (2:04)
5 Dream Keepa (3:08)
6 Kaos (4:26)
7 No No (3:44)
8 Maybe (3:48)
9 Pacify (3:31)
10 Unsticking (4:53)
11 Tongue Kung Fu (0:44)
12 Wan, Chu (3:31)

Links:
www.alteredvibes.com
1st April, 2005: IRON WOLF AT ICA: with DJ Shantel & Sophie Solomon: Dancefloor Debut for the ‘Keith Richards of the violin’, the totally devastating IRON WOLF showcase from Lithuania: EGLE RAKAUSKAITE (Supreme Visual Artist) & DARUIS CIUTA (Hardcore Experimental Noise/Electronica artist), LINAS RIMSA AND THE SUTARTINES PROJECT, (A Folktronica Encounter) featuring special South London guests ROGER ROBINSON & BREIS a raging torrent of live music, visuals, electronica, performance art and vodka plus from Radio Gagarin: DJ’s Misha Maltsev and Max Reinhardt, Performance AR-T alchemists Zoe Klinger’s Friends of Gagarin. www.ica.com
Abstract Blue Sessions (No. 3, March 21st - 2006) with Simon S (Break Reform) at www.samurai.fm
Track Listing:
1. Gil Scott-Heron - ‘Offering’ (Rumai-Gia)
2. Rob Mullender - ‘Wonderland’ (Wah Wah 45’s)
3. Roger Robinson - ‘Unsticking’ (Dobie Remix) (Altered Vibes)
4. Patrice Rushen ‘Before The Dawn’ (Fantasy)
5. MJ Cole ‘I See’ (Talkin’ Loud)
6. Low Budget Soul ‘When I Call’ (Futuristica)
7. Misty Oldland ‘U Came’ (Mistic Discs)
8. Dwele ‘Eve’ - CDR
9. Natalie Williams ‘Butterfly’ (White)
10. Teddy Rok ‘Nelson’ (Raw Fusion)
11. Gum Drop ‘Take Me Back’ (Altered Vibes)
12. Ira Sullivan ‘The Kingdom Within You’ (Ubiquity)
13. Nuance-Panacea ‘Quantum’ - Cdr
14. Milt Jackson ‘People Make The World Go Round’ (Kudu)
15. Mojo Project ‘The Butterfly’ (Break Reform Remix) (Lovemonk)
Gilles Peterson : tracklisting 19th March : Worldwide Poetics Special:
Poet: Roger Robinson - ‘Unsticking’ (Altered Vibes)
Lucy Wilkins – via Roxy Music/Bryan Ferry