BIGBAER Urban Alternative

For any who have yet to experience the state of U.K. Rap, it is time to meet the Head of State, Roderick "Roots Manuva" Smith. Roots is raw in the Brit sense with style and skill to match anything and anyone on this side of the pond. "Awfully Deep" was a great release so it is no surprise that two of the best tracks from that top-selling LP got some luv in the studio resulting in the "Awfully De/EP" EP. Roots Manuva in the studio with Blur/Gorillaz frontman Damon Albarn and labelmate Diplo? Come on man, you know it's going to rock! - jack 'papa' baer 2005/10/11

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ROOTS MANUVA "Awfully De/EP" EP

“It’s the R O D, the N E Y, that’s that bloke, that geez, that guy.”

Roderick Manuva returns with a blood ‘n’ thunder EP inspired by but not totally in thrall to the magnificent “Awfully Deep” album, now MOBO-nominated and generally agreed to have been a very surprising omission from the Mercury shortlist.

Awfully De/EP kicks off with a brand new track, “Seat Yourself,” a Manuva produced, crazed banger of a beat, the kind of off-kilter madness that works as soon as you hear it and then works even more with every repeat listen. Over it, Manuva and Ricky Ranking splatter lyrics of complete defiance, some anger and not a little humour. It’s a blinder.

Labelmate Diplo - fresh from production work for Kano and M.I.A. and a remix for Gwen Stefani - leaps into the fray and transforms the tune into a squelchy stomper with his trademark booming timpani kicks...

Now flip over. “Awfully Deep (Lambeth Blues)” is a live-in-the-studio re-work of the title track of the LP. After a successful UK tour ended at a sold out Brixton Academy, Rodney decided that he wanted to make a version of some of the album’s tunes with his live band. To help out in the studio (his experience with live musicians in a studio set-up being somewhat limited) he drafted in Damon Albarn, the pair having formed a mutual appreciation society after Manuva’s guest slot on the Gorillaz album. Having tried out a couple of thrashed out punk versions of the tune, Albarn sat down at the piano and started pumping out some wonky Clayderman, the band fell in with him and this marvellously downbeat, deadpan re-work was born.

But before the mood becomes too, too deep, check out the Metronomy remix. Joseph Mount is apparently an ex-rock drummer now living in Brighton. Who cares? The truth is he has turned in the funniest, funkiest slice of eighties-style lofi white boy soul you’ll have heard since Paul Morley was chucked out of Hall & Oates (he was, wasn’t he?) . It’s silly but in a kind of sublime way.

And to round off, the original tune in all its headcase glory. Still about as raw, heartfelt and emotional as anything you’ll hear this year. It’s the Awfully Deep EP. Get to the bottom of it. [ Release Date – 24th October 2005 ]

Awfully De/EP TRACKLIST

1. Seat Yourself feat. Ricky Ranking
2. Awfully Deep (Lambeth Blues) [Real Audio preview]
3. Awfully Deep (Lambeth Blues - Metronomy Remix)
4. Seat Yourself (Diplo Remix)
5. Awfully Deep (Album edit - Radio)

KEYWORDS [ Roots Manuva | Ninja Tune | BIG DADA | U.K. Rap ]

Links [ Roots Manuva BIO | Roots Manuva - Colossal Insight Video | http://www.rootsmanuva.co.uk ]