Moors & Christians

Former jazzy drum’n’bass bod James Hardway embarks on a world music voyage and immediately the alarm bells start ringing. Cynics that we are, such adventurous projects are usually a sign of a creative dearth or a serious coke habit. Or both. Happily, Hardway’s new album, which involved eschewing sampling or electronic instruments in favour of collaborations with Cuban musicians and Channel One selectors in Jamaica, is well worth a listen. Moors & Christians boasts one duff moment, the pseudo ragga nonsense of Crystal Ball, but it pales into insignificance on hearing the percussive salsa groove of ‘Survivor’ and the brassy, jazzy ‘Los Locos Inglis’. There are some beautiful lyrical tracks here too, with the deep, female vocals on the organic, tribal ‘Choco Blanco’ and the reassuringly familiar, feel good vibes of ‘Sunshine’, standing out. Hardway has made a brave move, taking a giant step into an unknown music sphere, but has emerged with his integrity intact and an album full of fresh, exotic grooves.