Mo Kolours & The Co-Operators - Fruits of the Diaspora (Herbnest) [Reggae]
*** This blog post first appeared in TSMM's September 9th Newsletter, where you can get all the tips (and more) first ***
What an inspired collaboration this is. I’ve been following Joseph Deenmamode, aka Mo Kolours, with interest ever since his Drum Talking EP from way back in 2011, when he emerged from London’s cultural soup with his unique blend of Mauritian sega - celebrating his father’s heritage, with all the usual UK suspects: soul, jazz, dub, hip hop and electronic music. It was a genuinely fresh roots fusion sound
Anyone who has been following the newsletter and blog will be up to speed with The Co-Operators by now, but if not then they’re a hand-crafted, real-deal roots and dub reggae outfit hailing from Bristol, led by Eeyun Purkins out of his Waggle Dance Studios, so a collaboration with Deenmamode is something of a roots music dream-team.
The album opens up with a transmission straight from the hills of Jamaica and Mauritius, the raw hand-played percussion of “Le Morne” building bridges across oceans to remember both islands’ shameful slave histories, whilst celebrating the proud, timeless, resistance music that it spawned. History lesson complete and reparations called for, the vibe then goes distinctly seventies Jamaica with the timeless roots reggae of “Watch H.I.M move”. Praise is then given on “Jah Know”, a sweeter, less militant roots celebration, before it’s back to the deep, percussive, soulful roots fusion of “Climbing to the Top” that digs deep; closely followed by the primal, ritualistic dub of “Soon Come“. A seriously languid vocal roots tripytch then ensues, the tracks sounding like late night recordings - tired, emotional, honest. The lolloping, ceremonial sounds of “Bare Feet” then see the album out nicely.
For more deep, classic vibin' reggae check out what Nat Birchall is doing when he's not making some of the best spiritual jazz around.
Playlist Companion
Find them in the Slow Dub Playlist.
