When Andy Turner (aka Aim of Flight 602 fame) left Grand Central Records, he set up ATIC Records for himself and other former Grand Central collaborators like the outstanding vocalist Niko (you’ll recall she was on the Grand Central album by Only Child about 5 years ago) and his mate, Gripper.

Gripper? Yeah, Gripper. Andy Turner and Gripper go back a long way and it would make sense that his new album would be released on ATIC as these two are from the proverbial musical peas in pod.

Jazz, soul, funk, breaks, disco, Balearics, experimental all spring to mind as this former disciple of John Peel and The Old Grey Whistle Test has led to a multi-musical genre appreciation that comes out in A Life Of Consummate Ease.

Perhaps that’s why ‘The Interpreter’ sounds strangely new and old at the same time? It’s certainly got that Latin funked up via a mix of horn, guitar and Jon Kennedy style beats; ‘Zero Point’ is a similar track but with cowbells.

The next track is frustratingly short as a cinematic jazz vibe excursion before Niko features on ‘The Daddy’. As she says, it’s “too much” and wouldn’t surprise me is we found this track was the single. But it’s got strong competition as my current favourite is the housey jazz funk of ‘Zombie’ (not the Fela track) fit for all the dancefloors of Manchester to NYC to Tokyo, this track has heritage. And Nick Luscombe has played it 2 weeks running on his Flomotion radio show on NME.com!

An album like this wouldn’t be right without some leftfield business and ‘Yentil’ is that little bit experimental meets broken beat that ends up sounding a bit Chinese influenced; perhaps it’s the Beijing affect.

‘What’s The Big Idea?’ is a la Fat Boy Slim at his peak and I can’t say I’m a fan of ‘Re-Action’ but this is a whopping 15 track album so there’s going to be a couple that you’re not going to get. The title track is not one of these though as it’s just a delightful piece of downtempo electronic chill in the Pete Lawrence ‘Chilled By Nature’ groove with Casio keyboard; one for sitting above the clouds in Nepal. Also check out the deceptive ambient dirty electro funk of ‘Redeye’ with MC Kwasi and the last track, ‘The Greatest Bar On Earth’ for a Serengeti ambient TV theme.

At the other extreme, ‘I Love You’ is a vocoder vocal, synth pad, white island, setting sun, house excursion that be hitting Ibiza set lists as if Pete Tong was going out of fashion (which he’s not).

It’s been two years since Flight 602 so it’s about time we all have A Life Of Consummate Ease, this is what ATIC was set up to excel at. Loads of excellent tracks then and Gripper, ‘I Love You’!

Reviewed: Gripper - A Life Of Consummate Ease (ATIC Records) Cat. No. ATICCD006 Release date: 22nd September 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Broken Dreams (0:58)
2 The Interpreter (6:05)
3 Blackwater Prophet (4:31)
4 The Daddy featuring Niko (4:04)
5 Zombie (4:55)
6 Yentil (4:54)
7 What’s The Big Idea? (3:10)
8 Zero Point (4:49)
9 Re-Action (5:04)
10 A Life Of Consummate Ease (4:23)
11 I Love You (6:03)
12 Blow This Place Apart (1:00)
13 Redeye featuring Kwasi (5:18)
14 3 Minutes (1:56)
15 The Greatest Bar On Earth (5:15)

Links
www.aticrecords.co.uk
www.myspace.com/aticrecords
www.myspace.com/djgripper
www.myspace.com/nikonyc
Phil Jupitus goes to Nashville and talks to the man with Museum that’s got the flute that was played on the Canned Heat version of ‘Going Up The Country’, ‘Shaft’ by Issac Hayes (RIP) and many more song, Charlie McCoy who played the harp on the theme tune to The Old Grey Whistle Test and finds the truth behing the rumour that Jerry Allison played cardboard box ‘drums’ on Buddy Holly’s ‘Not Fade Away’ and ‘You’re So Square’. BBC Radio 4, ‘The Man Who Bought Hendrix’s Stage’ 16th August 2008 30 mins @ www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00czbwl
Nick Luscombe:Flomotion Sundays 8pm-11pm www.nmeradio.co.uk