Roots Manuva - Awfully Deep

Roots Manuva – Awfully Deep

Released 31^st January 2005

Rodney Smith aka Roots Manuva released his MOBO-winning debut album, "Brand New Second Hand," in 1999 and his Mercury-nominated, gold-certified follow up, "Run Come Save Me," in 2001. With these he developed a reputation as the possessor of a beautiful, inimicable voice, a lyrical density which leaves most mainstream MCs sounding a little flat, and a production ear which constantly finds the unusual - the original - and makes it sound as natural as walking. The whole wrapped up in a UK style that’s so much his own that we should crown him King.

Now, with his third album, he has made the best record of his career, 51 minutes of pure ingenuity, real thought, genuine engagement. When Roots Manuva called his album "Awfully Deep" he wasn’t necessarily talking about how profound it or he is. He just happens to believe that life is deep, that music is deep...

Musically, Smith has developed a more layered sound for this record, experiments leading him to build some of the songs around chords instead of rhythms, melody rather than the beat. It’s also his most ‘dubwise’ record to date, the cavernous echoes adding further dimensions, the barrage of bass, as ever, as deep as it comes. It’s his most accomplished, crafted set of music to date, with a real signature sound that transcends superficial differences in tempo and style to create a consistent feeling.

Opening the album with the Starwars intro of "Mind 2 Motion" sees some intelligent, free flowing rhymes that instantly uphold his worth as one of the few credible UK urban pioneers full stop. The title track goes where no Rodney Smith has gone before, twisted beats and warped bass-lines line the backing for his self-diagnosis when things get "Awfully Deep" in his "Colossal Insight".

His "Chin High" attitude on "Too Cold" and Rebel Heart" withhold the street tale of Manuva's key to survival, quick lyrical jabs over some scratched up beats in a battle for homelands security... Thought-provoking spliff-smoking times when Roots' "Thinking" and "Falling", relentlessly sticking to his reggae and dancehall ties with "Move Ya Loin" and "Toothbrush". On "Move Ya Loin" he teams up with label mate and Musical Director from his live shows, Lotek (off Lotek Hi-Fi) for a valiant back to back combination.

Perhaps it's a sign of maturity, possibly due in part to the recent birth of his son but also a sign that the Roots of Manuva are growing even more, tings r gettin' "Awfully Deep".