AL DOBSON JR レコード& CD

Review: Before finding fame as part of the extended Rhythm Section International family, Peckham beat-maker Al Dobson Jr. caught listeners' attention via the IZWID released "Sounds From The Village Volume One". Five years on, he's finally produced a sequel. Like its' predecessor, "Volume 2" contains a dizzying number of short-but-sweet workouts that mix-and-match elements of blazed instrumental hip-hop, tropical drum music, bass-heavy electronica, jaunty jazz-funk, dusty jazz, dub riddims, spaced-out soundscapes and almost Balearic musical positivity. With short tracks coming and going at a furious pace, it's sometimes hard to keep up with Dobson's imagination let alone what's coming out of the speakers. That, though, is undeniably a good thing, because "Sounds From The Village Volume 2" sparkles from start to finish.

Review: ** REPRESS ** The third instalment on Kutmah's experimental IZWID imprint, south London DJ and producer Al Dobson Jr. creates a 15 track deep, exploration of soulful, tribal drums and abstract musical curation.

Otherworldly and nuanced beats re-imagine the score of the sampledelic funk tale. One that's non-geographical but rather lost in loops, journeying through the time and space that exists within your headphones. Alternating between cosmic vocal rips and a myriad of loose, soul-infused beat tape-style sketches with its digital flourishes, "Sounds from the Village Vol. 1" sees the sunrise and sunset over a bohemian musical vista.

Review: REPRESS ALERT! Having previously impressed with the inaugural release on Bradley Zero's Rhythm Section Intl, South London beatmaker Al Dobson Jr brings his particular brand of tropical-influenced goodness to Kutmah's impressive IZWID label. Given Dobson's association with Mo Kolours, it's perhaps unsurprising that Sounds From The Village covers similar territory, with equator-warm melodies jostling for attention with African and Caribbean-inspired rhythms, deft MPC beats, cut-up samples (we detected Marvin Gaye and Surface, for starters) and rich, immersive basslines. For the most part, the results are impressive, making this a particularly potent debut album. It comes highly recommended.