KEY POINTS:
Rating: * * *
It doesn't get much smoother than Moving On, the opening track on hip-hop-soul-jazz producer and musician Oakley Grenell's second album.
On this title track, Grenell blends the muscular soul voice of Christchurch singer Mark Vanilau with keyboard sprinkles, scratchy guitar, and strangely soothing off-kilter beats, then on Hydration (featuring the steely coo of Wellington singer L.A. Mitchell), flute, deadpan beats, assorted farts and squelches conjure up the perfect late-night head-nodder.
The son of country legend John Hore Grenell, this Grenell is a clever chap, writing, producing and playing almost everything, as well as organising 11 collaborators across 15 songs.
However, Moving On loses its way a little on some of the MC-driven tracks, especially the clumsy and banal offering from Britain's Dynamite MC who talks us through buying his tube ticket and riding the District Line on Day In the Life.
Elsewhere the staunch and surging We Don't Play is one where the MCs work; there's the cheeky and smiley dancehall of Bam Bam and Roots Rock comes with snake-charmer backing.
Grenell, who plays with Yes King tomorrow night at Bacco Room and at Khuja on Saturday, has been ambitious with the number of collaborations - it's just that the weaker ones upset the mood and flow of the album.
Scott Kara
