David Myles

East coast favourite Myles is both prolific and adventurous. Released just five months ago, his Live at the Carleton disc looked back on his folk-rooted catalogue. With Into the Sun, he ventures further afield, drawing heavily from world music. In the liner notes, he credits the likes of Jorge Ben, Paul Simon and Thomas Mapfumo with inspiring this project. The influence of Simon is definitely audible on "Don't Look Back" and "Run," with a nod to Ben on the sweet "Nina." Myles' warm, infectious voice is well suited to the vibe of Brazilian and African music, but this experiment isn't a total success. He has scored a hit with "Simple Pleasures," a collaboration with Classified, but these ears find this song (and its stutter gimmick) annoyingly banal. "Long Dark Night" and "Time to be a Man" are far more substantial and satisfying. Myles' skill as a trumpet player is showcased on two pleasant instrumentals, while album co-producer Charles Austin (the Super Friendz) adds to the world music vibe with marimba and kalimba. This stylistic detour may get Myles invited to some world music festivals, but a return to more familiar terrain in the future is hoped for.