Soul Of A Viking – now there’s an LP title to conjure with – but you know what they say: free your mind and your Asgard will follow! It’s the second studio LP from Soul Tune Allstars, a band whose core consists of producer and bandleader Niclas Wretelid from Sweden and Finnish guitarist Mikko Räisänen from Chicken Grass who MB readers will know from single Snakebites featuring NOLA singer Princess Shaw which came out on Tramp Records a couple of years ago. This album delivers an eleven track set and the sound is defined by what the PR refers to pretty accurately as wah-wah soul and flute funk – though it’s pertinent to add, with a seventies rather than sixties flavour. Four of the cuts are vocal, Looking For Trouble (featuring Carlton Jumel Smith), the Mr Loverman soul of Love Come Easy (featuring Desmond Foster), slowie Oh Your Love (featuring Maria Sanchez) and slightly tongue-in-cheek James Brown-ish closer featuring Jumel Smith again. Unsurprisingly, the best one is the first one which ploughs a blaxploitation-esque furrow. Of the instros – particularly keep your ears open for the uptempo funkiness of Chicken Chase and the cinematic soul thrills of Sunday Afternoon. Take it to the Bifrost baby!
(Out now on Soul Tune Records)