(Buzzin Fly/Stomp)

I’m going out of my hip hop/breakbeat comfort zone to review this little number – but I figured to take a chance here peoples…  There were big raps on the last couple of entries in the Buzzin’ Fly series – the brainchild and labour-of-love of ex-Everything But The Girl songsmith turned deep-house-aficionado Ben Watt.  The raps quite large in particular on volume 2 in the chain – which scored a rare five star review from the influential DJ Mag and contained the catchy-as-herpes Estelle team-up – “Pop a Cap in Yo Ass”.  So with a hubbub like that surrounding it how could I fail in volunteering for its reviewal?

As well as serving as a platform for exclusives and rarities from the label itself, the Buzzin’ Fly compilations are a showcase for Watt’s fine tastes in minimalist electro, afro/Latin beats and deep house tracks.  Volume 3 sticks agreeably within the parameters of said styles and genres – delivering nice stuff with several fortuitous high points:  the bouncy/bleepy “Gazebo” by Fairmont;  the slight electro bump of Darkmountaingroup’s “Lose Control”;  the rich African tang of Rodamaal’s “Insomnia”.  Things tend to sag a little in the run home however – as the tracks become so minimal as to be practically horizontal.  As well, Watt’s own contribution – a collaboration with Philadelphia MC Baby Blak – revisits the spoken-song formula of “Pop a Cap..” with over-familiar results.

As a whole it balances quite evenly and fuses together with a generous courtesy.  If you’re into this type of fare then chances are you already know what to expect from a Buzzin’ Fly/Ben Watt compilation.  There’s a high probability then that you’re already dropping your absolute shit over its imminent release…  On the other hand if you’re like myself – you’ll probably find yourself yearning for a little bit more grunt than what’s on display.  Something that’ll rear up out of your stereo and grab you metaphorically by the throat; twat you viciously in your figurative forehead; stomp all over your allegorical balls…  But to each their own I suppose.