Human Nature

With a sound that reflects the diversity of their Brixton background, Soothsayers are finally gaining the recognition they've earned through consistently vibrant live performances. Take a look at their intriguing back catalogue. The band experimented with acid jazz, hip-hop, funk and Afro-beat before settling on a more consistent reggae/dub formula, with Human Nature following accordingly. Reggae would be a lazy label to apply here, though – the album would better be described as a summary of their eclectic history. Fans will be pleased that horns still play a crucial part for the Soothsayers. Vocalists Idris Rahman and Robin Hopcraft double up on saxophone and trumpet, while Julia Biel takes the lead on every track. It's a departure from their previous album's guest vocals from reggae legends Johnny Clarke, Linval Thompson and Cornell Campbell, a routine which put them in a similar bracket to New York's favourite dubbers The Easy Star All-Stars.

Biel instead spearheads a deliciously harmonious singing relationship that never fails to impress. The way tracks like ‘One Day’ descend into intricate soundscapes gives great danceability to the album, whilst the melodica on ‘Judgement Day’ pays further tribute to dub. The loud Afro-beat elements to Soothsayers’ live shows – the band were recently backed by the FELA! horn section – have been toned down, obvious here only on the conga-driven percussion of ‘One More Reason’. Human Nature closes with an excellent guest mix from Prince Fatty, who seems to be on the same wavelength in terms of genre-spanning.