Who would have thought that the Japanese market would become so upfront and important to soul/jazz releases. The new Incognito album Who Needs Love is just a prime example of a record that's been released almost half a year ago in South Asia (November 20^th, 2002 to be exact) before it sees a domestic release in Incognito's homeland UK March 17^th, 2003 (a German release will follow March 31^st). To add even more confusion the new album is released on different labels, depending on which country you live in: Pony Canyon in Japan, Dome in the UK and Boutique/Universal in Germany. So in some way Incognito are back with Universal after they've closed Talkin Loud. But this is just a funny licensing policy of Bluey's own Rice imprint
With more than 24 years in the musicbiz Incognito and Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick have created their own niche with soulful, jazz-influenced songs and really have developed their own sound and sometimes help out others with producing (like on the recent Terry Callier album or for Kloud 9). So avid fans of Bluey and his music know what to expect and believe me, they won't be dissapointed with this, Incognito's nineth studio album.
Once again Bluey teams up with great singers like Joy Malcolm (who also sang on the 100° And Rising album in 1995), Kelli Sae (who sang on Life, Stranger Than Fiction in 2001), Joy Rose, Tony Momrelle or Brasil's musical wunderkind Ed Motta. Ed, who seems to be everybody's darling these days since he did Cenario on Mondo Grosso's MG4 album (and a duet with Paula Lima on her album), starts the album with the title song Who Needs Love and he does some incredible singing/scatting on it.
Can't get you out of my head features the voice of Joy Rose and is just an epitome of an Incognito song with warm instrumentation, a soulful voice and great background vocals. Lyricwise it focuses - like the title suggests - on a lost relationship.
Another issue is addressed on People At The Top, that deals with unemployment and how strange people can react towards those who have only a little ("She's lookin' for a way out of this hole/ She's out on her own, with hungry mouths to feed/ The precious little she scratches on the dole/ Is barely enough to cover all their needs/ It hurts to see her once strong frame/ Broken down, by the constant blows of rejection/ And now in place of the sweetest smile/ She wears a frown, of worry and dejection")...good to hear some social conscious lyrics on a midtempo song that comes with horn section and vibes.
With Morning Sun Bluey enters the territory of soulful uptempo house and thus this Joy Rose sung song sounds like its own remix if you keep in mind that previous singles has been remixed by the likes of Masters At Work or Roger Sanchez. This just cries for a simply extended version with more of the magic flute already included here and it'll be an instant hit!
Incognito has always been influenced by many music styles. If you remember Barumba from the 100° And Rising album you know about Bluey's love for Brazilian music and one listen to the bossa influenced and Joy Malcolm sung Stone Cold Heart makes it clearly what great results this influence can create.
Equally appealing is the swinging jazzfunk of Cada Dia (Day By Day) with vocals by Tony Momrelle who tells us that he's dreaming of Bahia day by day by day...and again a reference to Brazil.
There's so much more great music on Who Needs Love like the midtempo soul of If You Want My Love with Joy Malcolm on vocals again, the strong ballad Don't Be A Fool (sung by Kelli Sae) or the house influenced Where Love Shines (again sung by Kelli Sae) with it's Fender Rhodes and strings.
You better discover the rest of the 13 songs on this album, that's chock-a-block filled with good grooves and songs, for yourself at a record store near you.