Brenda Ray: Walatta

Another odd little sidebar brought to the light of day by the folks at EM, featuring UK postpunk everywoman Brenda Ray singing and contributing her own tracks to a set of heavy roots rhythms provided by Roy Cousins. Brenda's overdubs on these tracks were laid in the late 90s and 00s, but the rhythms originate from apparently earlier sessions Cousins cut in Jamaica, and feature a heavyweight roster that includes just about every Kingston musician anyone could hope to have featured in their rhythm section, from Family Man Barrett and Sly & Robbie to Horsemouth Wallace and Ranchie McLean. Ray wisely doesn't try to put on a rootsy hat, but offers up her own style of mellow breathy vocals, and keeps the overdubs complimentary too, so in the end the album's more of a fusion of deep rootsy tracks and modern UK pop. (Dusty Groove)

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