CD Review: Various Artists' 'Herb Records 2013'

Various Artists
Herb Records 2013
Herb Records

Psychedelic beat-masters at Herb Records brings us a thrilling compilation of funk, groove, and down-tempo dance music with several top artists. You will hear Hydrophonics, Congo Sanchez, Groove Status, and a few featured artists, such as Gil Scott Herron, Das Beats, Jeremy Schon, and J. Robert Opeenheimer. The funky, groove-laden beats are hip, psych-infused, and dance-rich. The sensual vibes and laid-back tones are thought-provoking and modern. As a mostly instrumental collection, the vocals are few-and far-between, but that does not diminish their intensity. The label's founder has ties to Thievery Corporation, which is something that only adds to the multi-faceted recording. Most of the tunes are dance-friendly and trip-hop-heavy without the need for loud and aimless dance beats. Anyone with a knack for down-tempo, trip-hop, and psych-funk-dance music will love Herb. ~ Matthew Forss