First Ninjatunes’ Fink, now Ian Simmonds, aka Juryman, puts out an album of catchy roots-inspired tunes. Acoustic guitars meet heavy acoustic kit-based dance beats in ‘Lord’, which in turn give way to Simmonds bluesy vocals and jazzy pianos on The Ballad of Den the Men.

Animal and water samples flow into the mix in ‘Back from Somehow’ and — just as the tempo seems to be suffering — the album takes a turn for the heavy, twisting away from the first two, dark and moody tracks. However, the nu-electronic, jazz and downbeat elements you would expect of a Simmonds’ release are very much in effect.

Writer, prolific re-mixer and DJ, producer (of Leftfield and Pressure Drop) Simmonds recently relocated to the eastern parts of Germany, presumably chasing inspiration from Goethe and some other serious-minded writers. Well, whatever he found, it’s a direct, funky — flowing from lounge jazz to folk to downbeat dance — and it’s infectious.

The Ballad of Den the Men is released on Crammed Discs.

Links:
Crammed Records