Central Streets Of Soul - Central Streets Of Soul Vol 1: Ruff Beats With A Heavy Message
STYLE: R&B RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 88565-16380 LABEL: Independent FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1 RRP: £7.99
Reviewed by David Ashley
CSOS is a pleasant surprise, offering a wide range of artists from the Midlands urban gospel scene including Dublit, Solar Angelics, Owen Uriah, Spanna and DJ Zorro. Whether deliberate or not the compilation hits pretty much every sub-division of UK urban sounds. There's the more hard-hitting hip-hop - "Galatians 2:20" from TrebleZ is old style reggae; "Were You There?" by Owen Uriah is raga and the more R&B, soulful side is represented by "Laid It Down" performed by The Projects. Overall the beats are catchy and cleverly thought out and the standard of lyrics is generally very high - both intelligent and innovative. It's not perfect - "Bling Bling Crown" by DJ Zorro is a lapse into slight idiocy. Still, clichés about "representin. . ." aside it is genuinely a pleasure when UK artists, against the odds and on a fraction of the budget the American scene works with, turn out urban gospel of such quality as this. There are certainly many artists here worth keeping an eye on.
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The artists on this compilation are definitely an inspiration! xx