Roots Manuva

Roots Manuva
Slime & Reason
(Big Dada)
Roots Manuva possesses one of the most underappreciated flows and remains one of the most interesting production minds in the business but often, on this fourth full-length release, it feels as though the London rapper is phoning it in, lyrically and vocally. (Often, backing vocals/choruses are more interesting than verses/rhymes.) Unfortunately, this is most apparent on the latter half of the album---some five of seven tracks---which just grinds to a halt. The musical score for "I'm a New Man" is vintage Manuva, employing that awesome analog and stripped-down effects, but for a declarative tune saying, "I'm back, yo," he sounds tired or disinterested.
Sean Flinn