As you listen to the first track of this very skilled and well put together album you might be tempted to think that you’re in for a full-on, busy, exciting journey, but no, as you listen through the tracks you’ll find a lot of variety in feel and mood. Ron Samsom and the Neutrino Funk Experience‘s drums are mixed pretty high, but this is a drummer’s album and I would far rather hear the drums prominent than down in the mix. I think some tend to forget that percussion is the backbone of modern music and if that groove is not there nothing happens, unless of course it is something designed to be out of tempo. Recorded by Jordan Stone at Roundhead Studios the drum sound is very clean and the group at large sounds very well rehearsed.

The compositions are all Samsom’s, but I would guess that the arrangements would be collaborative. I’m not sure if you really need to label this music, it shows influences of jazz, rock, funk, Latin and New Orleans’ vibe. Roger Manins (also part of the 2015 Jazz Tui-winning trio DOG along with Samsom and Kevin Field) is in great form, playing with abandon but never losing the feel or direction of the music. Grant Winterburn plays great organ, shows great support, but funking it up when he needs to. Cameron McArthur is a solid bass player and knows how to accurately support the drum and organ grooves without getting in the way. All the compositions are attractive but I particularly love the dark mysterious mood of Other Brother. All round a very rewarding album to get into.