Black Gold Massive - Stories

 

Every so often a new album comes along by an unknown group which for some reason you know will have quality written all over it. The reasons for this are never straightforward but in the case of BGM its down to the individuals fronting the project. With a pedigree stretching back over 20 years with a variety of projects including Down To The Bone, Mr Gone and Whats Happening you know that you are in for a musical treat. In this case its an album that mixes neo-soul, jazz-funk, Urban RnB and even hip-hop together. Best demonstrated in the sublime cover version of the Bygraves original 'Set Me Free'. With the vocals of Cindy Mizelle added to the musical pedigree the album reaches new heights of musical ecstasy.

 

As others continue in the same boring formalised fashion BGM refuse to be pigeonholed and have already found the next level of musical advancement. Listen to the smooth jazz-funk of 'Cast No Shadow,' add to it the heartfelt lyrics of Cindy's vocals about life's ability to drag you down to mediocrity which really hit home and THEN there's the piano break! The track itself fades after 7 glorious minutes but all you want to do is press the play button again and again. YES, the album is really this good!

 

On certain tracks one can think of a similarity to Incognito, but even that is not meant as a criticism. Looking back to the sound of Whats Happening in the eighties one is hard pushed to remember who actually came first. The laid back funk of 'Let It Flow' remind me of when I first heard the sound and now some twenty years later not only does it sound just as fresh but it also still sounds ahead of its time. Simply because music of this quality is timeless.

  

BGM make you feel good, touch your soul and entice you to dance all at the same time. File under Original, heavenly and sophisticated. Its an essential purchase for all lovers of real music.