Dusty

Although Jazz & Milk label founder Dusty has been dropping bombs on the dance floor by artists such as Free The Robots and Mr. Chop, his output has been relegated to some truly enticing EPs that have left fans of funky jazz with a hip-hop bent salivating for more. Keep It Raw is his first full-length release and it more than lives up to its promise. Cuts like "Revolver Theme" are cabinet-shaking trunks of funk ignited by Dusty's badass acoustic bass lines that are equal parts Paul Chambers and George Johnson. This Raw thing truly excels with the chilled-out grooves of "Just An Illusion" and "Rhythmo" (both featuring the sensual vocals of Carla Vallet), which are so intoxicatingly ambient that they're almost subliminal. There's a bit too much sampling overall, especially on the title track, but that's a small caveat. No DJ or dance floor crowd that digs hip, funky grooves should ignore Keep It Raw.