Yes, yes y’all, Cote Ouest y’all! It’s the return of Soul Rev (Bordeaux-based Brother Lion and Dreego) with phat beats, grooves, rhymes and life from the Atlantic coast of France and this – Soul Rev Strikes – their eleven track follow-up to their One More Time LP. Soul Rev Strikes? Are they on the picket lines? Well, maybe the Wilson Pickett lines since, if you caught them before, you’ll know they rock a Quannum-style vibe of chunky soul and funk-laced hip-hop. They rap in English, they rap in French, they even rap in Spanish – if only there were someone who could sing some soulful hooks…oh – hang on – step forward again Brother Lion who also fronts Bordeaux based funk-soul outfit Shaolin Temple Defenders.
Expect plenty of soulful head-nod and groove with a solidity that comes from MPC-beats then. Best cuts include the heavy blaxploitation-esque opener and title track, the surf-hop feel of Fried, the Tex-Mex cholo-styled Outlawz, and the stripped back soul-hop of Simplest Pleasures.
(Out now on Diskover)