Very Mercenary

Very Mercenary

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

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