Laroca – Friends in Far Away Places (Just Music)

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This is an album that inspires easy travelling – to lovely, dreamy far-away places (just as the title suggests). Rob Pollard and Olly Wakeford have crafted a cinematic siren, sounding from an exotica that only exists in our hearts and minds. Never rushed, the album cruises along from beginning to end with a groovy hypnotic lull. I’d bet that if Thievery Corporation paired up with Nitin Sawhney the result would be something like Laroca’ signature track, “Looking Like Lions’.

Pollard plays some flamenco-inspired guitar and liquid bass. Olly tinkers on the keys, bass and the ever-present funky flute. With a little extra help on congas, trumpet and the occasional vocals, they create a rather lush atmospheric sound. The track, “What’s Odd About Chess’ branches out a little with a “who put the jazz in the hip-hop g?’ vibe, thanks to the lyrical feats of MC Mantmast (Grooverider, Friction). Sadly, most of the lyrics don’ add much depth to this already chilled island. What with “Manmast rockin’ from the top of your dome’ and “bringin’ back the beats’ and Anna Snowman telling us “IT feels so right…can you feel IT? ” on the track “Latin’, I guess you’ve got to respect that this is music for a “fragile’ audience. At times, teetering terribly close to the “mood music’ category, “Friends in Far Away Places’ is the musical embodiment of an afternoon swaying in a hammock on the beach. Enjoy it before the sun goes down.

Renae Mason.

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