The Herbaliser
Take London

The Herbaliser is undoubtedly a group to be placed among the great musical innovators of the last decade, one of those names that have paved the way for the renewal of UK-made hip hop.
Exactly ten years ago, their first album Remedies (1995) was released, followed by their masterpiece album Blow your Headphones (1997) which offered us a strange mélange of mid-tempo, sophisticated funk, jazz, instrumental hip hop, lounging, DJing, working with the new school of London beat scientists.

Today, their return also aims to claim the credit for The Herbaliser themselves and the London scene, being the heroes of this new school that has even contaminated the United States; indeed, in England, these are matters of great pride.

I have no hesitations, Take London is a great album. It starts with the intro-invitation: "Take London now!". "Nah'Mean Nah'M'Sayin" decisively follows with an urban hip hop that leaves no escape, paralyzing, where singer Jean Grae is majestic. We arrive at the orchestral world of Herbaliser with "Song For Mary" that immediately sounds like a classic. Then a wave overwhelms me, called "Generals", its flow is the most massive I've heard in hip hop lately. "Gadget Funk" continues the dance, moving us to funkadelic frequencies. Then the urban flow resumes with the featuring of Cappo, another school. One of the album's guest stars is Roots Manuva, in "Lord Lord" he brings his brilliant contribution. From hip hop, we return to the magical orchestra with a sequence of tracks, each more beautiful than the last, closing with an intelligent tribute to Serge Gainsbourg.
This is a masterwork! Accattatevelo!