A timely, if long time coming, release, Reel People's 'Second Guess' album is stuffed full of summer warmth and good time vibes.
It opens with the recent 'Can't Stop' single, a thoroughly pleasant slice of old school garage, sung by Angela Johnson, and flows into the more contemporary sounding 'Second Guess' title track - this time featuring Jag on vocals.
But it's not until the third track, 'Back 2 Base', that the LP really hits its stride through a laid back mid Seventies funk-out featuring Dyanna Fearon, who fulfils most of the vocal duties on the rest of the album.
True there's not much here that isn't derivative, but Oli Lazarus, Tom Davidson and Mike Patto have mixed their influences into an exceptionally well-delivered LP.
'Positive Over The Negative' throws hip hop into the cocktail as Miami's Dynas steps forward for MC duty. You can guess the flavour from the title.
'The Light' is equally uplifting, based around pulsating nu jazz beats, a tight guitar solo and Vanessa Freeman's easy flowing vocals.
'Runaway' drops the bass again, but supercharges the Eighties funk b-line, while 'Second Guess - The Journey' adds some noodley stuff before 'Washing Away' adds more cerebal, soulful jazz.
The album is clearly a deliberate trawl through a certain trajectory of London's dance music heritage, so 'Steppin' sees the trio throwing down a reggae beat, while 'Butterflies' moves through broken beats to a Latin groove.
It all makes for a highly listenable record, but, if you ever get the chance, go and see the People performing as a full live band. That really is real.
