Voo Doo Phunk
Lionize

The substantial project Voo Doo Phunk, with a pleasant mix of downtempo, fusion, reggae, and nu jazz, is currently one of the numerous Italian realities that remain in complete anonymity in a country where the so-called "talented" Marco Carta, Giusy Ferreri, and Bastards Sons Of Dioniso vie for the top spots in the charts, to the detriment of those who might truly possess talent.

With numerous appearances in industry compilations and 2 albums that went almost unnoticed in Italy, due compliments must be given to the Italian collective, which with the debut "Lionize", [Irma Rec. 1999], conceives a work of undeniable quality, that today can be classified under the chapter of "Italian discographic rarities"!

Rarities that are certainly worth seeking out, from the captivating dub cover of Marley's "Exodus" to the exquisitely noir charm of "Blue Shot", moving on to the reggae tones of "Irie Shot" and the surprising "Lion", there are many elements this platter has to offer, as it is wrapped in that unsettling and never too hidden hypno-dark mood (always well embraced in the genre), which finds fertile ground in "Muse", the orientally-inflected breakbeat "October" and "Acholi Shot" (the work of percussionist Leonardo Di Angilla does not go unnoticed).

The funky component is very present: "New Love" evokes the Headhunters of Straight From The Gate, with a pleasant alternation of male and female singing; "Do It Again" reprises the well-known success of Steely Dan, adapting it into an elegant electronic version, while the engaging "Hutch" seems to be taken directly from a 70s police series (Luca Toso's work on sax is appreciated here, an instrument that will appear several times within the album). The jungle-influenced tracks "Yidaki" and "Journey's Journal", the latter rapped, are not disappointing, heavily influenced by the teachings of sacred monsters like Sofa Surfers and Thievery Corporation.

Among the most successful episodes, we find "Dreamer", a seductive trip hop enhanced by the unusual use of the vocoder, confirming the excellent credentials of a project always ready for new solutions, able to act on multiple fronts, without ever allowing excessive tone drops. A separate note goes to the outstanding contribution of Daniele Concina and Deborah Gitani on the microphone, who bring their splendid and never intrusive voices with a black soul (malleable and powerful from the former, delicate and sensual from the latter) to the team.

A little gem that demonstrates that even Italy, despite the lesser publicity enjoyed by the genre, can compete with the great northern capitals regarding certain downtempo.