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We know Kindred Spirits is a home to some of our favourite artists from the other side of the pond including Build An Ark, Jackson Conti Sujinho (Madlib and Mamão), Mia Doi Todd and ‘locals’ like Flowriders and Rednose Distrikt. This four track 12” features music by Liquid Spirits from a forthcoming second album release called Music and it promises to be anything but difficult.

The eight strong collective includes Wiboud Burkens (keyboards), Mark Bien (guitar), Manuel Hugas (bass) and Cyril Directie (drums) plus 4 vocalist and they have gone and got none other than soul legend Leon Ware to guest on a track called ‘Melodies’. Remember ‘Why I Came To California’? Why don’t we hear more of Mr. Ware? Well, this redresses the balance a little and it’s proper soul. No hybrid mix, just pure downtempo honey coated soul. Beautiful.

And when you’re in the jazzy soul groove, with a nod to A Tribe Called Quest/Jay Dee, Phonte (of Little Brother) appears on the track ‘If You Don’t Love Me’ with a tale of modern love that slips into the classy track called ‘Stepney’. It’s got nothing to do East End grime as it is filled with up, up and away loveliness as if plucked from a sixties TV advert with glorious harmonies; blimey slipping into Jonny Trunk territory here. Really you have to play the b-side as one as it’s just everything you’ve ever wanted and more.

You’ll recall Phonte turned up on Liquid Spirits track ‘4Everyday’ that was on the Witness Future Vintage compilation that came out this time last year that was another one of our favourites.

I’m afraid the lead track, ‘Say It Ain’t So’ suffers by comparison to the other tracks here but it all can’t be excellent. And then, it seems a bit greedy to be thinking about the rest of the album when we’ve just got the 12” but we’ll have to wait until November for that. Until then, this gem isn’t going to leave my box and then, probably not for a long time after that either.

Forthcoming Live Dates
29 Jun 2008 - De InStuif, Wijk aan Zee
07 Sep 2008 - Heeren van Aemstel, Amsterdam
13 Sep 2008 - Pure Jazz Festival, Den Haag
21 Nov 2008 - Paradiso, Amsterdam

Reviewed: Liquid Spirits - Music EP (Kindred Spirits) Cat. No. KS 025-12 Release date: 14th July 2008 Vocals by Jasmin Tusjadia, Dedre Twiss, Lo van Gorp and Brian Zalmijn
Tracklisting:
A1 Say It Ain’t So (3:23)
A2 Melodies feat. Leon Ware (6:01)
B1 If You Don’t Love Me feat. Phonte (Little Brother) (2:48)
B2 Stepney (1:51)

Links
www.liquid-spirits.com
www.myspace.com/liquidspirits
www.kindred-spirits.nl
www.myspace.com/kindredspiritsrecords
www.leonware.com
www.myspace.com/leonware
Charles Stepney : Composer, arranger and producer, born 1931, died 17 May 1976 in Chicago, Illinois.