The Scotch aren’t slowing down. Their collaborations with Major Lazer and Prince Fatty are still fresh and yet we get a double LP on which we can hear meeting of modern sounds with classic ones straight from Studio One. It’s also a meeting of vocal legends and high-flyers of sound system scene – on the one hand Peter Metro, Cornel Campbell and on the other Charlie P or Pupajim, the leading young vocalists of the last years. Although I don’t listen to sounds presented by Mungos Hi Fi in high doses, I approach every their release with a big curiosity and, what’s best, I’m hardly ever disappointed. I found them masters of connecting the old productions with the modernity and their own, original style.
On the beginning of “Serious time” we get a huge shell from YT himself, then also on a classic Studio One rhythm appears Warrior Queen, one of the best female chatters, just like Soom T, who’s in her element on Mungos’ rhythms. We slowly approach half of the album with Pupajim, who chats about loveliness of driving a bike (my favorite tune from this album), although the next one also causes you smile and blush. All of that because of the initial theme from 80’s hit song “Axel F” by Nil Rodgers, which has also been used in “Beverly Hills Cop” movie, in Mungos’ version vocally enchanted by Mr. Williamz. After a hit like that we stay in dancehall-ish climate with Speng Bond and then Soom T flows on a dubstep rhythm, just like Marina P, who sings about nowadays slavery. Solo Banton also presents us a beautiful story in ”Dancehall school” on a classical, but spiced up with a modern sauce Sleng Teng, then Charlie P takes the reins and chats about “green tea”. The next track is a bow to 80s UK sound systems by a veteran Peter Metro. Blackout JA perfectly flows on a dancehall riddim and then you can listen to Charlie P for the second time, here he tells us story of his attraction to sound system scene. Second to last is a fat tune with Parly B, but it surely does not eclipse the last one – Cornel’s “Jah say Love” – amazing rhythm and the best, harmonical voice of a legend (that tune is another pearl from the album). If you love strong bass rhythms, you can’t pass this album by, and if you still aren’t convinced, maybe the guest list will tip the balance.
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