“Britain’s pre-eminent hip-hop star” releases his latest album today and it’s what we’ve been waiting for, eminent rhythm and reason from the rootical one.

Slime & Reason is the talk of the town as Manuva’s fourth album release hits the top five albums of the 2008 with some ease (just to recap, along with Replife, Daedelus, NOMO and Lightning Head).; especially as it opens with the classic ‘Again & Again’ (which was the single, review HERE) and the other one, ‘Buff Nuff’ (“please let me squeeze and taste ya!”).

But it’s not all up beat joviality as we know from previous albums (notably Awfully Deep, there’s a strange fragility to Roots. ‘Kick Up Ya Foot’ sounds like it could be a Bessy Smith tune and update her into a beats 2008 age, this is how Roots sees the dance? Rootical revival starts here. Whilst is ‘A Man’s Talk’ the first dubstep influenced love song?

When you get to a certain age, there’s times when you know you ain’t quite got it life right; everyone has sh1t and Rodders puts his finger on it with ‘It Me Oh Lord’ (with serious dark 70s synth backing). And whilst he’s in this area, ‘2 Much 2 Soon’ and is pts his Coutts bank account (the bankers to HM Liz R) against Rasta alternative of ‘too little too late’, this one sounds a bit of a Natural Self/Ben Lamdin production so top track.

On the up again with ‘Do Nah Bodda Mi’ with JA dancehall done UK hip-hop style; this is another track that has ‘HIT’ single all over it. And another? ‘Let The Spirit’ has anthem funk sing-a-long going on “Let the spirit groove you, let the spirit move you”. A future classic for tomorrow’s Caister//Southport weekenders (love this track).

More modern day computer theme bass wobble blues with ‘Do 4 Self’ and ‘The Show Must Go On’. This ain’t a lovey musical tune, everyone has an old Uncle Harry (RIP) and we can all relate along with the best intentional renewal of ‘I’m A New Man’ (every 1st of Jan eh!)

Remember, no coping to support the Roots Manuva through the ups and down of Slime & Reason and not rhythm and reason. It’s me oh Lord, can you here me ‘cos ‘Well Alright’ is the new tune of the summer!

“Dumb assed Journos with their dumb assed questions”, Roots it’s OK we all struggle.

So Roots’ personal struggle continues on and whilst he continues to make excellent albums, possibly because of or in spite of the success of his first huge tune, ‘The Witness’, we’re always going to love him. Who knows about Smith? We know about Smith and we love him.

With a tour warm up at HMV, looks like Roots mania for the next week months at least (see HERE for the latest tour dates).

Roots Manuva - Slime & Reason (Big Dada Recordings) Cat. No. BCCD123 Release date: 1st September 2008
Tracklisting:
1 Again & Again (4:07)
2 C.R.U.F.F. (3:55)
3 Do Nah Bodda Mi (3:16)
4 Let The Spirit (4:39)
5 Kick Up Ya Foot (3:44)
6 A Man’s Nuff (3:48)
7 Buff Nuff (2:16)
8 It’s Me Oh Lord (3:34)
9 2 Much 2 Soon (5:24)
10 Do 4 Self (3:11)
11 The Show Must Go On (6:09)
12 I’m A New Man (3:05)
13 Well Alright (3:59)
14 The Struggle (3:48)