Nuspirit Helsinki: S/T

With any luck, this album will receive the kind of acclaim that releases from the likes of Zero 7 and 4Hero have. While it combines ingredients already well-used – soul, jazz, broken beat and more, the collective has added their own magic, making this album original-sounding and accomplished. Nuspirit Helsinki is a multicultural collective of Finnish DJs, musicians and producers. Since 1998 the group’s founding members have steadily recruited an assembly of talent that play their concoctions live. Far from abstract experimentalism, Nuspirit create solid song structures, are sublimely melodic and effortlessly blend soulful vocals with jazz, funk and electronica for a completely organic sound. This is their debut album and displays how remarkably all the elements have gelled. "Subzero" is an evocative, jazz toned track perfect for setting suns and a wistful mind. A seductive haze of horns blanket a briskly fluttering beat, and simmer with atmospheric keys creating a subtle mood. "Silent Steps" moves into the realms of funk with a hip-hop-ish beat, a Rhodes organ and funky horns for attitude. These days, genres are as easily intermingled as records are sampled and beats cut and paste, but Nuspirit create organic tracks with production that is rich in depth and sonic variety. This one should have some longevity in your player.