The multi-talented, mutli-locational Spacek you will recall blew everyone away a couple of years ago with the J Dilla produced ‘Let The Dollar Circulate’. Obviously the loss of J. Dilla left a huge gap in the underground beats community and Exit Record’s D-Bridge moto is “True To The Craft *J Dilla R.I.P*”.

No surprise then to find this album firmly in the instrumental downtempo beats field that touches the hems of the mighty 3D’s (Dabyre, Dublab, Daedelus) while taking some of the best elements of the broken, dubstep and CDR scenes. Fans of Benji B, Electric Conversation, Breakthrough and similar won’t be disappointed as this could be as successful as Untrue was last year.

The previously released ‘Thank Yu And Credits’ gets reworked as the opener ‘For Real’ and up to the rare vocal of ‘You’re A Sta’, all are strong instrumentals. You may have noticed there are some unconventional spellings (as in the traditional use of English anyway) on the track titles that upsets the Editor if he’s not made aware.
Particularly like the minimal fragmented Sa-Ra funk of ‘Mountain’ and ‘Field’ with the twisted and squeezed ‘Juiced’.

If you’ve a voice like Spacek you might well be confused as to why he hasn’t used it more than just on the ‘lite’, ‘You’re A Sta’. The answer can only be the richness of the beats that manages to get into grooves without being overly fussy; see ‘Sta Simonez’ and ‘Sta Simone’.
‘Hangin St’ is perhaps the most tape-looped/broken of the set and I know that type of thing can be irritating to some, but don’t let it put you off as ‘Vandlance’ shows how you can use the technique for hip hop-soul. Arguably, he saves the best until last with the haunting downtempo piano tinkling ‘Al Softly’.

Black Project is a natural progression of the group called Spacek that Steve founded in the 90s that were described at the time as “the Radiohead of soul”; remember the killer track ‘Eve’ (currently loaded on the MySpace site — see links below).

So how did this get onto d’n’b experts’ Exit Records? Younger brother Darren “D-Bridge” White runs the label but it would appear such family love hasn’t interfered with Spacek’s vision for Black Pocket. Shame they couldn’t come up with a better title than The Album but at least it’s easy to remember. There’s talk of a tour in February to promote the album The Album and it should be deep; expect to find Ben V in the house I thinks.

Hectic Mix nominations: ‘For Real’, ‘Mountain’, ‘Juiced’, ‘Field’, ‘Sta Simonez’, ‘Sta Simone’, ‘Bartin Groov’, ‘Vandlance’ and ‘AI Softly’

Reviewed: Black Pocket — The Album (Exit Recordings) Cat. No: EXITCD001 Release date: February 2008
Tracklisting:
1 For Real (3:03)
2 Mountain (3:48)
3 Juiced (3:21)
4 Field (4:10)
5 You’re A Sta (3:11)
6 Sta Simonez (1:59)
7 Sta Simone (3:14)
8 Other Magic (2:25)
9 Amplifly (4:06)
10 Bartn Groov (2:51)
11 Hangin St (2:59)
12 Vandlance (2:54)
13 AI Softly (4:07)

Links:
www.myspace.com/blackpocket
www.myspace.com/stevespacek
www.myspace.com/exitrecords
Steve Spacek & Mr. French
www.myspace.com/spaceksoundsystem
www.myspace.com/jdilla
www.deviationmusic.net
Deviation Monthly sessions return to Gramaphone with Special Guest GE-OLOGY (NYC) Playing his Debut UK Gig. 06 Feb 2008, 21:00 60-62 Commercial St London E1, LONDON, E1 Cost : £5
www.myspace.com/djbenjib
Gilles Peterson :: Tracklisting 02/10/05 :: Worldwide Winners Pt. 2
1. Steve Reid Ensemble — ‘Lions Of Judah’ (Soul Jazz)
2. Breakthrough — ‘This Way Before’ feat. Maspyke (Ki/loon)
3. Steve Spacek — ‘Let The Dollar Ciirculate’ (Sound In Colour)
4. Geology feat. Mos Def — ‘Superstar’ (White)
5. SA-RA — ‘Jumbo’ (Jazzy Sport)