Rick Bull (aka Deepchild) has spent the last few years moving towards this latest album. He has been DJing eclectic sets embracing funk, soul, and dub, delving deep into the treasures of these styles. At the same time, though, he has travelled to Europe, spent some time in Berlin, and brought back a considerably subtler but also edgier production style that now much better incorporates his funk and soul inspirations. Where on his earliest work he was clearly coming to terms with his equipment and far ranging ideas (Chocolate Dubs), and then working with his brother, singer Andy B, on his rather syrupy coffee-table-ish last album (What’s Going Wrong), this new album is far more complete and satisfying.
Opening with a collaboration with Gauche, the album begins in broken beat/vocal territory familiar from his last release. It isn’t until really takes off mid way through with Always & Forever, a deep glitched up electro workout. Greifswalder Strasse is mutant chopped up electronic funk whilst No Disgrace, the album’s standout track, with Ras Roni on vocals is deep in Rhythm & Sound dub techno territory. Although the influences come through clearly, Lifetime is the most interesting Deepchild album so far and offers some new directions for future developments.
