(Altered Vibes/Creative Vibes)

Bristolian producer Ben Dubuisson has had a long-standing passion for old-time soul, funk and blues. His CV includes slaving away on the Akai and Atari for ten years, studio work for notables ‘Cup Of Tea Records’ and ‘Hombre’ and under his ‘Hundred Strong’ guise he has lent a helping hand to All Natural, RJD2 and Dynamo Productions. It should come as no surprise then that Ben’s debut on Altered Vibes, ‘Basement Blues’, is a proper hip-hop album with genuine soul and high profile collaborators.

Presented here are a series of expert cuts, scratches and well-developed beats with street-smart sensibilities and a social conscience, they don’t come at neck breaking speed but their mysteriously rapturous ways tend to linger. The high calibre performers I spoke of earlier include New York songstress Alison Crockett, self-proclaimed “astral-earth balance alliance” Def Harmonic, MC and fellow Harmonic Lunaversol9, soul man Joseph Malik and legendary musician/composer Victor Davies.

With plenty on offer here, this is an album that you will be content to listen to from beginning to end, but there are some standout moments. ‘Hardcore Poetry’ is a real killer for its funk-injected beats, frenzied basslines and Jason Todd’s seamless switching between rhyme and song. ‘Once More’ featuring Joseph Malik delivers heavy scratching and rhymes over deep rock filtered bass and ‘What Shall I Say’ evokes much thought as the truth behind the bling begins to surface.

This is more a chilled out hip hop affair than a booty shaking one, and despite there being a few weaker moments it does hold together rather nicely. Enjoy.