Lexi Love

"A spectrum of sounds that is totally coherent" brags the bio, and it's right! Alexis Worrall has created a well-travelled, sly and sophisticated dance record that connects the obvious dots between pop, dub, early acid house and breakbeat. Having grown up and partied in London, promoted and produced whilst living in Bristol, and developed a studio upon return home, Worrall was part of deep dubby house trio the Camberwell Butterflies, MCed with the Headrillaz, collaborated with junglist Freq Nasty, and eventually morphed into his Lexi Love solo entity. "Dreams" encapsulates this history, bringing together early '90s beats with descending dub-tech bass lines, bouncing keys and the gorgeous vocals of Mark Oligopoli. A full decade of clubbing is also evident on "Love 1," a dance floor stormer with its hooky, happy keys, "dub specialist" vocal loops, and UK garage influences. Wicked! The chilled, dubbed-out "Red Times" grabs ya hook, line and slinker with its thick beats and stretched bass. The land of electro-funk is visited for both "Fire & Ice" and the more raw 'n chunky "Burn," again propelled by Oligopoli's voice. Whether making it moody à la "Ring da Bell," dubbing the house with "Danger," or paying tribute to African musicianship on the fresh and lovely "Nigeria," Lexi Love is firmly in control. Fans of early 3 Stripe releases, Justin Robertson (Lionrock), Underworld and the like would do well to be on the lookout.