KEY POINTS:
Herald rating: * *
Until now, Sleepy Brown was better known for writing music for other people. His most famous was Waterfalls for TLC. Later came tracks for Goodie Mob and Outkast. Big Boi liked his stuff so much he signed him to his label.
Here Brown sings over his own spaced-out mash-up of soul and hip-hop with as much get-up-and-go as you'd associate with a guy who added the adjective for fatigue to his name.
Opening track I'm Soul is an indication of what the rest of this is like: one pleasant but monotonous 70s synth-pop loop that doesn't go anywhere. In fact, much of it sounds like it was cast off by the Neptunes for being too dull.
Even production by the Black Eyed Peas, and Brown's group Organized Noize doesn't do much to pep up this slow, mid-tempo ride.
No surprises either that Pharrell, everyone's favourite cameo man, shows up on the second track with Big Boi. Instead, this could have done with some live instrumentation.
Underwater Love is a warped deviation from the mould but with its unsettling sound effects it just makes you want to go to the toilet. No wonder he's called Sleepy Brown.
Label: Virgin
Verdict: Synth-heavy, dull debut from a previous hit-maker.
