Fodderstompf Reviews | Jah Wobble: Fly

Jah Wobble:
Fly

30 HERTZ
HZCD19

Tracks:
FLY1 / FLY2 / FLY3 / FLY4 / FLY5 / FLY6 / FLY7 / FLY8 / FLY9 / FLY10 / FLY11

Running Time: 65:33 mins

Fly Evening all. Well, I'm of the opinion that 'Fly' is a highlight in the Wobble canon, if not the best record I've ever heard. I've put together a review for your consideration.

Jah Wobble, as I'm sure you know, has been busy the last couple of years playing and recording in collaborative settings. Primarily as the leader of Deep Space, and also with the likes of Molam Lao, Evan Parker, and Bill Laswell. In the meantime, obviously, the back of his brain has been busy by itself, coming up with many wonderfully unique ideas. Some of these have now been recorded and released as 30 Hertz CD19 called 'Fly'. It's about an hour in length with 11 tracks entitled Fly 1 through 'Fly 11'. Within you'll find many tasty pleasures that will surprise you, and monstrous bass work in all shapes and sizes.

One of the first things to notice is that there's no drummer. Beats, where used, have been fabricated as required. Four of the Flys are showpieces for the mighty trumpeter Harry Beckett. Beckett and Wobble mesh on these tunes much as Evan Parker meshed with Deep Space on 'Passage to Hades'. 'Fly 2' is a catchy pop song featuring singing by Wobble and vocalizing by Cat Vonn-Trapp. Given the immensity of the production, it's astonishing to realise that the only people involved are Wobble and Vonn-Trapp. 'Fly 5' is a one act, one character play that takes place at 11pm in Wapping in November. And sounds like it was recorded at 11pm in Wapping in November. Wobble's treated voice over a backdrop of eerie sounds telling the story of a man on the way to meet his people across town, up in the stars, and at the bottom of the river. I strongly recommend listening to it in the dark. 'Fly 6' is, you guessed it, a piano solo. It's not a tune so much as a conversation between the left and the right hand. 'Fly 7' is a tasty slice of electro-dub featuring Clive Bell. It's about 10 minutes long but is over too soon. Other Flys touch on funk, dub, and general mayhem.