1年半ぶりの新作は〈ブラック&メロウ〉がテーマのコンセプチュアルな作品だ。LAの地下MCバンブーが小気味良くフロウし、ニア・アンドリュースの歌声が華やぎを添える冒頭の“By Your Side”は90年代のジャズ・ヒップホップを思い起こさせる。さらに、ハービー・ハンコック“Cantaloupe Island”のカヴァーでは、US3への20年越しの回答なのか（?）ハード・バップとブレイクビーツを行き来するクール極まるマナーを提示。長岡亮介が歌う“Connected”ではネオ・ソウルとジャズの完璧なハイブリッドを聴かせ、タヒチ80のグザヴィエ・ボワイエを迎えた“In2 My Soul”ではAORとソウルの境界線上を行く絶品のメロウネスを披露する。他のインスト曲では彼ららしい爆音デス・ジャズのギラつきを要所で発揮するものの、今作から聴き取れるのはアシッド・ジャズ～ヒップホップ～ネオ・ソウルなど、新世代ジャズの養分にもなっている黒くメロウな音の歴史だ。それらを彼らの流儀で一枚の作品に織り込んだような意欲作。
[English Translation]
Their first new release in one and a half years is a conceptual work with the theme of ‘black & mellow.’ “By Your Side,” the track at the beginning reminds us of jazz hip hop from the 90s, in which the LA-based indie MC Bambu raps with a nice and rhythmical flow and Nia Andrews’ voice makes the tunes colorfully animated. Additionally, in the cover of Herbie Hancock’s “Cantaloupe Island,” they demonstrate extremely cool manners of tactfully going back and forth between hard bop and breakbeat, which may or may not be their answer for US3 after 20 long years. They also show off the perfect hybrid of neo soul and jazz in “Connected” sang by Ryosuke Nagaoka, and in “In2 My Soul,” the collaboration track with Xavier Boyer from Tahiti 80, they display the excellent mellowness on the line between AOR and soul. While the eagerness of their roaring ‘Death Jazz’ style are found at various key points in their other instrumentals, what we can see in this album is the history of black and mellow sounds that is nourishing new-generation jazz - such as acid jazz, hip hop, or neo soul. All of those elements are woven into this ambitious collection in their own fashion.
