Quantic and Alice Russell - Look Around the Corner Review

Formidable in their own right as artists, the eagerly awaited full-length album combining the extensive musical talents of Quantic and Alice Russell Look Around the Corner doesn’t disappoint. Both are signed to Tru Thoughts, based in Brighton, UK, a label that continually delivers quality music for discerning listeners. Look Around the Corner adds to their roster, combining soul, cumbia, Latin jazz and even boogaloo on this beguiling album.


While Alice Russell has developed into one of the great contemporary British blues, soul and jazz vocalists over her four albums, Will Holland, aka Quantic, has been on a slightly more eclectic musical journey. Having discovered Colombia, and its music, chiefly Cumbia, a mix of indigenous Colombian, West African and European (mainly Spanish) music, Quantic upped sticks from England and moved to the city of Cali in Colombia where he built a studio and immersed himself into his new surroundings, soaking up the culture, sounds and musicians of his adopted homeland. The results have yielded four high quality albums, 2007’s Tropidelico 2008’s Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno 2010’s follow up Quantic Presenta Flowering Inferno Dog With a Rope and 2009’s Tradition in Transition with Combo Bárbaro.


For this last album, Holland brought together the cream of Latin American, and particularly Cali, musicians and it is their virtuosity, and authenticity, that gives Look Around the Corner such a deep, almost vintage, Latin sound. On piano, delivering devastating bluesy bugaloo rhythms is Peruvian Alfredito Linares, joined by bassist Fernando Silva and conga player Freddy Colorado. Wilson Viveros, from Buenaventura and Larry Joesph from Cali, were the invited drummers for the album. The final piece in this jigsaw is Russell’s long time guitarist, Mike Simmonds, who joined in with the fun at Holland’s Sonido del Valle studio in Cali....full text The collaboration between vivid producer Quantic and vocal gem Alice Russell was never meant to happen. Even in a perfect alternate universe, Look Around The Corner exists in a fractured state as two equally appealing albums–one instrumental and one soul. Listeners might notice a similar resonance between the two works, but never fathom a combined fantasy. Although in an another alternative universe, our universe, these two musicians found one another, wrote an album and subsequently ripped a hole in spacetime. Perhaps this is how they achieved such a rich genuine sound. All they had to do was reach back 40 years and pull it though. It’s obvious, this is how Quantic formed The Combo Bárbaro, their backing band.

If by some cruel act of God, all soul, funk and latin music were erased from history, and only this album existed, one could faintly hear the echos the Buena Vista Social Club, Bernie Worrell and La Lupe. Instrumentally, this album is authentic to a variety of genres. From the pitchy latin guitar tones, to the funky Fender Rhodes keys. The track “Su Suze” is the modern day blue-eyed latin soul. “Boogaloo 33” is a perfect take on vintage rock, complete with Buddy Holly tones and tight-wristed jazz percussion. Add this to Quantic’s warm analog sounding production and a genuine glint catches the ears of the most casual listener....full text Today, if you do anything with your money, aside from buying gas, make sure you buy Quantic and Alice Russell’s new album, Look Around The Corner. This album, is a beautiful collaborative effort from the two and definitely a good gift to fans of the two who have been waiting for the album. If you have not yet, make sure to read my album review of the site via SoulCulture, great, great album. Also, the available this week for streaming on AOL/Spinner, which you can check out here.

The project is said to bring back the sounds of Rotary Connection (Minnie Ripperton‘s group with her husband one of my personal favorites) and Minnie Ripperton and etc. The project is soulful, while infusing latin sounds plus beautiful vocals from Russell, and great production from Quantic. With that being said, in celebration of the album release, here is a beautiful shot one-take video of Alice Russell and pianist doing a stripped down version of the song “I’d Cry.” The audio from this video, is a bonus track on the album, exclusively at iTunes. The video was shot and directed by B+ for www.Mochilla.com....full text