"Word on the street is that they put on a really good show. Guest lyricists added a little je ne sais quoi, Bahamdia, British MC Roots Manuva, and Toronto's own Dream Warriors."
The rhythm made me bob my head as I gazed lazily at the television. The lyrics blended into the music adding nicely to the mix. The Herbaliser's "Very Mercenary" is an enticing concoction. Named for their mercenary ways when dealing with the business side of their industry, "Very Mercenary" exhibits deft turntablistic talents, care of Ollie Teeba on the decks. Live, they tour with a 7-piece band. That's cool enough. I could've seen them twice, but didn't. Word on the street is that they put on a really good show. Guest lyricists added a little je ne sais quoi, Bahamdia, British MC Roots Manuva, and Toronto's own Dream Warriors. They're all a definite assets in the whole scheme of things. The music can really get into your head.
Back to the record. It contains lots of clean scratching, a Fender Rhodes, flugelhorn, flute, double bass, alto AND tenor sax, sphygmomanometer and turn signals. They've got an orchestra for their horn arrangements. The duo of Ollie Teeba and Jake Wherry, when single or accompanied with instrumentalists, can produce something with its own groove. This is the third time they've done it. They've got two other albums, "Blow Your Headphones," and "Blend," an EP of five songs. Both are from 1997. That's probably the main reason that I like "Very Mercenary." It is a good mix with groovy beats, solid breaks, big beat and hip hop. If you wanted to call it acid jazz, you wouldn't fail the course. Herbaliser's label, Ninja Tune, is revered for their ability to have a diverse and interesting collection of artists on the label. Founded by British cut and paste artist Coldcut, the label continues to attract unique and peerless artists. Herbaliser is cool for whatever you want to do, whether this is chilling at a lounge, or setting the "mood" (nudge nudge wink wink).
