Search - DJ Spinna :: Intergalactic Soul

Dj Spinna Gives Us Some 'Intergalactic Soul'

Charles L. Hubbert | Milwaukee, WI | 07/11/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Dj Spinna has been around the corner, up the block, down the street, and everywhere in between when it comes to the music industry. After working with the biggest names in hip-hop, R&B, jazz, and dance, it's no wonder his name isn't more known amongst most of the listening audience. This may be due to the fact that he doesn't settle for one particular genre of music. Working his deejaying, production, and remixing skills for projects by Michael Jackson, Les Nubians, Rae & Christian, Mos Def, Mary J. Blige, Soulive, and countless others leaves little room for settling down and concentrating on one thing. It's almost like he's all over the place! That's probably the reason for naming his latest release Intergalactic Soul because you won't be able to label his music as being solely one sound.



This might scare the ordinary listener, but it's a sigh of fresh air for those looking for more creative minds in music. Look at the recent love for the left that everybody has been giving Andre 3000 of Outkast or Cee-Lo Green of Gnarls Barkley. People are looking for something new and innovative to listen to instead of the same cookie-cutter tracks that make up the Top 40. Dj Spinna focuses more on producing with this album, leaning more towards actual musicianship rather than the usual sample frenzy that most other beatmakers resort to. Listening to a song like "Could It Be Too Soon" featuring jazz newcomer Lizz Fields is a perfect example of pushing the envelope in a new direction. The same can be said for the jazzy tunes of the N'Dea Davenport assisted "Where's The Love" and the borderline soul stirrings of Eric Roberson on "Butterfly Girl" Other songs feature jazz vocals, but offer a different twist for the musical backdrop. "Peace and Quiet" features Stephanie McKay on lead vocals in front of a more mellow drum kick, while "Living My Life" showcases Trish Angus singing over a dance arrangement.



But it's not all about jazz fusion on this album by any means. "Current Events" featuring Alphonso Greer and the title track "Intergalactic Soul" featuring Little Brother's Phonte gives us a taste of the hip-hop side of things. And a funk-meets-dance groove is spliced in with the songs "Outta Time" and "Bye Bye Bye" (both featuring The Radicalz) as well as "Back 2U" featuring Selan. Dj Spinna does a few instrumental cuts like "Final Events" and "Computer Love" (not Roger Troutman/Zapp's song) to round out the album's diverse offering. One thing is for sure....Dj Spinna goes global and beyond with Intergalactic Soul. You're guaranteed to have an musical journey that is out of this world.

"