IG Culture presents Zen Badizm

New album from IG Culture, Co-Op founder and innovator of the so-called West London scene, and the first under his own name. If you heard the New Sector Albums before, than you have to adjust your expectations a bit. Don't get me wrong, as IG is one of my favorite contemporary producer and I certainly think this could be album of the year!

Recorded in different parts of the world, it features the likes of Corey Wilkes and Tom Ashe (both on trumpet), Pino Palladino (bass), Josh Deeps (vibes) or Ernest Dawkins (reeds). On the vocal side you get Bilal Salaam, Heidi Vogel, Sacha Williamson and Dee Alexander. The result is one of the richest sounding, most versatile concept albums of the year. Its political, its dance-able, its angry, its soulful, its bebop to acid jazz, house to broken beat.

Black
Revelation
Ra Bops in Blacknuss

The musical richness reveals IG Culture's musical background, as the album combines any of the periods he's been involved in. There's the vocals reminiscent of the Young Disciples and New Sector Movements, the mad keys of Quango or Likwid Biskit, the tight beats of Son of Scientist. As illustrated on the brilliant cover artwork, you will also find his influences from the likes of Sun Ra, Marvin Gaye, Fela Kuti or J Dilla.

Girl U Need a Change of Mind
Consumed (Refit)

Though divided into three pieces (Zen I, Zen II and Zen III), it's an album to listen to from start to end. Still there's material that has the potential as a single, like the Eddie Kendricks cover of Girl You Need A Change Of Mind. Being released through DJ Kentaro's Freedom School label, the album is available in Japan only. However, you can find both CD (FSCX-0002) and gatefold LP (FSLP-002 - two extra tracks!) via Juno Records or Dusty Groove.

Update: There's a video of the release-party available at Dax TV!