It starts with ‘No Love’ which finds Mr. Smith is a depressed mood, “Long time looney, a black George Clooney” but the pace picks up with a Miami Mix of ‘Seat Yourself’ (not an attempt to get into M3) and the previously MP3 downloadable, ‘Double Drat’.

‘Nobody’s Dancing’ is a quite lighthearted reminiscence of former ballroom days, while ‘Things We Do’ gets dark electronica (almost Madtone with a Roots guest rap) before turning into a Del boy tribute. Great synths beats.

And talking of guest appearances, even though Awfully Deep came out a year ago, Roots hasn’t been out of our record collection all that time as he supports others on the scene (see Colossus, ‘Tripney Bits’, The Blacknificant Seven - ‘U Wot’).
On the album, ‘youngster’ Jammer’s remix of ‘Colossal Insight’ goes grime downbeat and is unrecognisable from the original.

The backing tracks to the last four tracks get a bit ethnic world but the stand out is ‘This World Is Mine’ in hip hop off-dub stylee, worth the price of the entrance money alone for the line, “a pocket full of sixpence, a pocket full of rice ‘n’ peas.”

Being on Big Dada might give you the impression that Roots Manuva wants to keep out of the spotlight but as long as he still has ‘off cuts’ as good as this, he’s not going to get the chance. Be prepared for some deepness, in all departments.

Reviewed: Roots Manuva - Alternately Deep (Big Dada) Cat. No: BDCD089 Release date: Apr 2006
1. No Love / [Released on “Too Cold” CD single]
2. Seat Yourself (Miami Mix)
3. Double Drat / [Download release in 2004]
4. Nobody’s Dancing
5. Things We Do [Released on “Colossal Insight” 2 track CD single]
6. Check It (Remix)
7. Get U High
8. Colossal Insight (Jammer Remix And Revox) / [Unreleased edit of “Colossal Insight” vinyl and maxi CD release]
9. Mean Street
10. Pep My Game / [HHC exclusive download]
11. This World Is Mine (Plan B Studio Version)
12. Grown Man

Links:
www.ninjatune.net
Scratch Perverts Radio show on Yahoo.
electronicbeats www.electronicbeats.net : Issue 1/2006
Switch @ Ministry of Sound - 17th March. Guru (Full live set), Roots Manuva (DJ set), Skitz. www.switch-club.co.uk Every Friday. 103 Gaunt Street, London, SE1 6DP