Herbaliser - 'Nah Mean Nah'm Sayin' (Ninja Tune) Released 21/11/05

With a track lifting from their latest album 'Take London', Herbaliser are joined by Jean Grae, 'Nah Mean...' takes no prisoners. With sonics a mix of Inspector Dibble of Top Cat night-patrolling the streets of Gotham, toots and squeezes of trumpet and brass like treading on squeaky toys, its an old-school pastiche given the contemporary menace, Jean Grae giving the vocal equivalent of kick-boxing her way onto the bus, punching out the newsagent for a creased paper, and you'd better not jump the queue with this lady. Minceymeat mann, nah mean. "...sorry the tongue wasn't placed right, but I covered it late, like a rubber on date-night, and nine months later...", fast’n’furious. Remixes abound by Platinum Pied Pipers who candy-coat Jean, rounding the edges, taking away the irksome brass and adding sonic-doodlery and turntablist-fingerwork, giving the track bounce and funk. 'Gadget Funk' is a jammy workout - funky, brassy, sassy and respite from the lyrical cuts. For Ninjaists and turntablists, a good indicator of Herbaliser's sonic-sweep.