Jamie Lidell – Multiply Additions (Warp/Inertia)

Jamie Lidell’s Multiply album was one that took a while for me to warm to. Perhaps I had wanted it to be obviously ‘experimental’, perhaps I wanted a rehash of his antics as Supercollider. The last thing I had expected was a white soul Motown/Stax tribute album, at least that’s what it sounded like on the surface. Whatever the reason for my tardiness, by the time the heat of summer hit properly and the sun shone down on the garden Multiply became an album that got played a lot and it grew and grew on me. Lidell’s lyrics almost defy their bright summery delivery – it is dark introspective record in bright extroverted clothing – much like Lidell himself one presumes. Anyway, as a filler between the next album or even the long promised ‘live’ DVD which was initially supposed to come with Multuply, Warp has decided to issue an album of remixes and live recordings – almost, but not quite, track for track. Most remix albums are great for DJs to pick the eyes out of but not much good for the average listener. Multiple Additions succeeds for the most part but still feels disjointed despite high points. The live recordings capture Lidell’s amazing live voice and re-arrangements, whilst of the remixes Luke Vibert’s slowed down analogue funk remix, Freeform Five’s typically floor filling electro-disco version of When I Come Back Around, Four Tet’s squiggly Krautrock freakout version of The City and Matthew Herbert’s humourous country square-dance reworking of Multiply are probably the best. That said, if you didn’t dig Multiply then there is nothing here to convince you otherwise.