After their success with the funky alchemy of Lab Experiments Vol. 1: Mixin’, what was there for Aussie Hammond funk veterans Cookin’ On 3 Burners to do but return to the laboratory to cook up even more goodness? As with its predecessor, Lab Experiments Vol. 2 turns in eight tracks though this time there is an equal balance of vocal and instro cuts. Arguably chief among the former is what was the LP’s lead 45 single – the crisp, uptempo dancefloor sureshot of Warning featuring up and coming neo-soul voalist Kaiit, while that single’s flip – the b-boy-friendly The Jump-Off – is one of the latter. Other vocal appearances come from long-time collaborators Fallon Williams (who lends grit to the yearning bounce of Force Of Nature) and Kylie Auldist (adding soul warmth and a sense of heartache to One Of The Ones) along with a suitably laid-back turn by the Melbourne-based Simon Burke on mellow closer Garden Of Freedom. Instro-wise, alongside the aforementioned frantic action of The Jump-Off, is the equally lively The Deep End, the slow-burning, lazy, hazy Sunday Mumma and the chunky, downtempo psych-breaks of Howler. It is on this latter that the Burners throw their hats into the library music/ cinematic breaks ring alongside the likes of Calibro 35, El Michels Affair and the Delights label crew with equally convincing results. Players and The Jump-Off video (featuring an impressively athletic international cast of b-boys and girls) below.
(Out now HERE)