Herbaliser - Very Mercenary (1999)

A bit more Carnaby Street than South Bronx (compared to 1997's Blow Your Headphones), the Herbaliser's third album works in '60s spy-funk territory to a degree unseen in the group's discography. Though the emphasis on up-tempo trip-hop with an old-school edge is carried throughout, Very Mercenary also hits instrumental tracks like "Missing Suitcase" and "Goldrush" that include a full band. A bit less necessary than their previous, but a solid record indeed.

Compared with label mates like Coldcut, the Herbaliser doesn't always get a lot of attention. That's a shame, because they might just be the most interesting--and the most accessible--artists in the Ninja Tune Records camp. Working with a bevy of talented MCs--What What, the ultra-smooth woman from the Natural Elements crew; Roots Manuva; the Dream Warriors--and a number of musicians who are touring members of the band, Wherry and Teeba have made a subtle, minor classic here. Assembled from pieces they've worked on for the past few years--selections have appeared on EPs (Wall Crawling Giant Insect Breaks) and mix tapes--the mix is a seamless blend of classy dance-floor jazz and hip-hop; if it sometimes plays like a soundtrack, that's because the entire album is informed with a noir style. The duo has taken the sound it developed over the Herbaliser's prior two albums (Remedies and Blow Your Headphones) and guided it in a more refined direction on Very Mercenary. It's a treat to listen to. --Randy Silver