Ammoncontact - New Birth

Carlos Niño, the mastermind behind the Dwight Trible project, "Love Is The Answer", obviously never sleeps. On the same day that Trible single "Equipoise" hits the shops he returns with a mini-album from Ammoncontact, titled 'New Birth' (Itself only 6 months after the release of the 'One In A Infinity Of Ways' album). Mind you, musical partner Fabian Ammon probably isn't sleeping either - he's a new dad and so this is a record with its conception in conception, a whole series of births within births.

Heavy, funky, groove-based minimalism with a dash of cosmic Black Power politics, a love of jazz and enough bass to flatten planets - that's the Ammoncontact formula. Although to call it a formula is to deny just how many different shapes "instrumental hip hop" can be squeezed and formed into over 34 minutes. "Omniverse" parts 1and 2 are examples of Niño's hybrid production style, which fuses drum machine programming, sampling, live instrumentation and voices. "Futuro" and "A Satelitte's Return" are classic cut-em-up, sample-chop constructions by Fabian Ammon that Niño arranges with a film editor's eye for the cinematic. "Naeem" (named for Ammon's new son) is a clear-eyed afro-funk shuffler. "My People" sees the return of Lil Sci (originally of Scienz of Life) dropping consciousness over a marimba-driven beat, while "Temple Jam" feature's another Niño project, the big band Build An Ark.

Ammoncontact once again prove the power of simplicity, of the working man's virtues of craft and knowhow over hype and inflated ego. And, of course, of the groove, of constant rebirth through rhythm. Listen.

Be the first to review this record. Best reviewer each month gets £10 off their next order!