| From the cover it's clear that, graphically speaking at least, Fat Jon's going for the Afrodelic vibe of mid-70's Miles Davis or Stevie Wonder albums, and sonically he succeeds in harnessing the buttery feel of Innervisions. Fat Jon makes beats for the Five Deez and has worked with Rakim, Talib Kweli and Anticon's Doseone, but Wave Motion is his first instrumental album. This is true instrumental hip-hop, far more than rhythm tracks shorn of vocals; every cut holds its own, building and morphing according to an internal logic. Not unlike Soulmates, Nobody's album last year for Ubiquity, Fat Jon draws on the folky side of soul; the clarinets on "Watch Out" suggest the English avant-pastoralism of Talk Talk even as the backwards guitar recalls Hendrix. The way the all-too-short "1975" captures a moment makes me think of a photograph by Garry Winogrand; the vocal sample ("Dr. Jon, call your office") suggest some unknown drama, while monotone keys and woodpecker snare create an unresolved tension. It's a soulful, versatile record with broad appeal. And it's generous: Fat Jon has hoarded up more than his fair share of moments of startling beauty and laid them all out for the taking. - Neu Music |
1XLP/Out Of Print