Homecooking
Lewis, 2019
8/10
A turntable artist who is also a producer, England’s DJ Yoda is as likely to work with classical sounds just as he is modern hip-hop, and on Homecooking he brings in luminaries from around the globe as they unleash an exhilarating and diverse body of work.
“London Fields” starts the listen soulful with Joel Culpepper’s R&B singing highlighting the rhythmic affair, and “Thornton Heath” follows and brings Omar to the beat friendly, hip-hop fueled setting that leaves an immediate mark.
Elsewhere, “Kingswood” recruits Andrew Ashong for the stylish and dreamy delivery, while “Roxbury” finds a scratch friendly place to reside as Edo. G’s rapping prowess and Nubya Garcia’s saxophone adds much to the energetic climate. “Afrika”, with Jungle Brothers, then brings some classic old school hip-hop mixed with blues that we will never tire of.
Near the end, “Croxley Green” injects plenty of atmosphere to the playful jazz meets hip-hop hybrid, and “Boundary Gardens” exits the listen with plenty of hazy melody, soothing brass and dynamic musicianship to the eclectic finish.
An extremely meticulous record, DJ Yoda comes through with an innovative and fun listen, where each track brings new surprises and plenty of lasting power.
Travels well with: Kid Koala- Music To Draw To: Io; Jungle Brothers- Keep It Jungle