Review: Coldcut - Sound Mirrors (Record Store Day 2006 Re-issue) (Ninja Tune)

It's that time of year when we get totally overwhelmed with Record Store Day so lets look back 20 years for a significant 'Ninja Tune' release that's due another look/listen as 'Everything Is Under Control'?

The original album came out on 2xLP in 2006 when CD's were all the rage.   So, with a cast of 1000s (well quite a few) including some who continue to challenge us like Roots Manuva (as recently seen with Oliver Night on 'Boss' - see review HERE), Soweto Kinch (see HERE) and Phil France (see HERE).

The RSD reissue comes as a 'eco-mix marbled 2LP with a mirror board printed sleeve' but hee's a chance to look back when I was scribbling away for www.flyglobalmusic.com in pre-bandcamp days.

Internet Archive link:  COLDCUT - SOUND MIRRORS | FLY | EUROPE: REVIEWS

Artist: Coldcut

Title: Sound Mirrors (Record Store Day 2006 Re-issue) 

Release date : 18th April, 2026

Label : Ninja Tune

Catalog Number :TBC

Format: LP Vinyl 

Coldcut are Jon More and Matt Black and they have received as much promotion for their long-awaited album as any band could expect of their label. It’s a good job then that they are also the boss men at Ninja Tune.
With the release of Sound Mirrors, even if they weren’t the top dogs, no one could criticize them on the grounds of quality. True, some of the early reviews were a little less than ecstatic, but this is a great album and one that’s going to stand up long after Classic Gold radio stations stop playing their earlier chart hits. Having said that, this is no elitist album either. Of course, we’ve had a head start with the singles including the opener ‘Everything is Under Control’ (Jon ‘Blues Explosion’ Spencer and rapper Mike Ladd), ‘Man In A Garage’ [folky John Matthias] and ‘Mr. Nichols’ (Saul Williams). Not only do these tracks sound better on the album, they bind the album together along with some particularly catchy tunes. Such as the Indo-pop-dancehall rap with Roots Manuva, which is getting crossover support from the likes of Bobby Friction & Nihal. Roots is fresh from his own Awfully Deep success of last year on Ninja Tunes, the hip hop offshoot, Big Dada. The mixing on ‘Walk A Mile’ is great and it features the vocal house favourite Robert Owens. Based on the (worn-out) theme of walking in other’s shoes (Depeche Mode, Alwyn Evans, etc) it builds from a blues to a chill-out feel. The first half of the album is completed by the instrumental title track, ‘Sound Mirrors’ — no doubt inspired from somewhere within a Japanese Zen Monastery. The next trio of tunes goes to the other extreme and are firmly in the Club. ‘Boogieman’ is a techno-afro-funk version of ‘True Skool’ with another poetic contribution, this time by Amiri Baraka. ‘This Island Earth’ shows off Mpho Skeef’s soulful side and mixes up the afro/broken/house influences. And how many Club-Rave tunes have lyrics by a leftfield jazz stalwart? Try ‘Just For The Kick’ via past ECM artist Annette Peacock. Saxophonist, Mercury-nominee, Jazz Jamaica member and ex-Jazz Warrior, Soweto Kinch serves up a rap-rant on “Aid Dealer”. Former Ninja Tune Andrew Broder (aka Fog) joins in on downtempo ‘Whistle And A Prayer’ which is a bit strange in the saw-violin way and leads us into 60s Byrdslike tripness of ‘Colours The Soul’. So forget all that Yazz and Lisa Stansfield Coldcut history or the cutting edge stuff like computer programmes, VJing, art exhibitions, collaborations with minimalist composers and the like, just put on Sound Mirrors and enjoy an album. The best thing they’ve ever done. Reviewed: Coldcut - Sound Mirrors (Ninja Tune) Cat. No. ZENCD 115 Tracklisting: 1. Man In A Garage - Vocals - John Matthias 2. True Skool - Vocals - Roots Manuva 3. Just For The Kick - Vocals - Annette Peacock 4. Walk A Mile In My Shoes - Vocals - Robert Owens 5. Mr. Nichols - Vocals - Saul Williams 6. A Whistle And A Prayer - Vocals - Fog 7. Everything Is Under Control - Vocals - Mike Ladd , Jon Spencer 8. Boogie Man - Vocals - Amiri Baraka 9. Aid Dealer - Vocals - Soweto Kinch 10. This Island Earth - Vocals - Mpho Skeef 11. Colours The Soul - Vocals - Dom Spitzer 12. Sound Mirrors Press Quotes: “Has the cutting edge that modern day contemporaries couldn’t create if they had full instructions. Sound Mirrors is remarkable… truly a master-class in beat science from start to finish.” NME 8/10 “Still passionately engaged with future music… a feast for the ears” Mixmag “Never sounded so good. Sound Mirrors is mightily impressive; the production flawless and the songwriting exhilarating.” Blues & Soul “Coldcut are the influencers not the influenced… classy” Time Out “Coldcut come again - full blooded and schizoid… Still as fresh and relevant as ever.” Straight No Chaser Links: Coldcut www.ninjatune.net/coldcut Ninja Tune www.ninjatune.net Annette Peacock Bobby Friction & Nihal Tracklistings 01/02/2006 1. Coldcut feat. Roots Manuva - ‘True Skool’ (Ninja Tune) —Gerry Hectic Saturday 4 February 2006

Review: Mr. Scruff - Ninja Tuna (Vinyl Debut Edition) (Ninja Tune)

It's that time of year to look back and we've definitey seen 'Ninja Tuna' before, whether it was when it came out in 2008 as a trendy gatefold CD cover or Memory Stick to this years' repackaged triple LP edition that came out in March!

That was never going to hang about for long as a special 3 x LP edition as Mr Scruff has been as busy as ever as a DJ, especially with his big festival and back-to-back appearances with Aroop Roy (last seen on YATM on remix duties for Beb Lee Harding - see review HERE).  

Anyway, here's a quick look back to 2008 when I was scribbling away for www.flyglobalmusic.com in pre-bandcamp days.

Download the expanded edition and for a bit more Ninja Tune retro, don't forget The Cinematic Orchestra's 'Every Day' that come out last year, see review HERE.

WeOutHere Festival 2024 - Listen Back: Mr Scruff, Charlie Dark, MC Kwasi & Vanessa Freeman at Love Dancin’ HERE

Artist: Mr Scruff

Title: Ninja Tuna (Vinyl Debut Edition)

Release date : 29th March, 2023

Label : Ninja Tune

Catalog Number : ZEN143XX

Format: 3 x LP [Sold Out] / Digital

It was only the other week that Gilles Peterson was interviewing Mr. Scruff (aka Andy Carthy) and he definitely said there was no forthcoming album, well he was wrong because here is the first plate of hot Ninja Tuna
That’s no typo, Scruff is now on his new label Ninja Tuna (as you know, when he’s not drinking tea, he’s drawing pies and fish) so after the release of some single “bait”, here’s the full album catch. It’s nearly ten years since Keep It Unreal that first got Mr. Scruff into the hearts of the nation, six years since Trouser Jazz (as an aside, I was in France when this came out and they couldn’t get enough of it) and since then we’ve had the re-issue of his debut Mr. Scruff on Ninja and various compilations (Mr. Scruff’s Big Chill Classics) so it’s about time you’re thinking. And I must admit, I’ve missed the cheeky Mr Scruff jazz wobbly funk. And it looks like his music bizz mates have too as they’ve all turned up to help out. Roots Again & Again Manuva, Tru-thoughts finest Quantic and Alice ‘Lemon’ Russell, the girl of the moment Andreya Triana, that man Pete Simpson [see more of him HERE), soul legend Phillip Mitchell and loads more. The brand new video for “Music Takes Me Up” featuring Alice Russell can be watched right here. The first track is like his mission statement ‘Test The Sound’, “Who wanna mess around?, Scruff rockin’ the drums” as the whole album is his usual mix of jazz-soul-funk dance floor fish and chip supper boogie; everyone loves Mr Scruff. If you get Scruff and Will ‘Quantic’ Holland together on a Latin trip wobble, that’s a ‘Donkey Ride’ on a dancefloor tune (fans will also enjoy the curry mile of Brazil for the ‘Stockport Carnival’). Ms. Triana has just appeared on TM Juke & The Jack Baker Trio album (check out HERE and her other appearances on FLY) and ‘Hold On’ adds to her every growing reputation as a sweat soul singer. Talking of soul, Mr. Simpson is on his usual immaculate form and funkers can just ‘Get On Down’! That one hurts so much - Scruff and Prince Phillp Mitchell we salute you. Really this is so good you’ll want to ‘Bang The Floor’ with delight (classic Scruff bass line) and ‘Whiplash’ gets silly as a hairy bumpercress jazz sandwich. Mr Manuva is as reliable as always and joins in the fun ‘Nice Up The Function’. Nowhere near as prolific as Shawn Lee, Mr. Carthy has got the same Miles Of Styles mentality. And it’s all dancefloor tested and approved as when he’s not making his own music, he’s out DJing improbably long sets sustained by pots of ninja tea and a giant pickle or two. Ninja Tuna is now on tour and loads from the album and the usual mix of jazz, funk, soul, northern soul, disco, house, hip hop and the occasional Scruffy “odd-ball” leftfielder. All very recommended. Forthcoming Dates: November 2008 1/11/08 - Manchester - Music Box 6/11/08 - Swansea - Sin City 7/11/08 - London - ALBUM LAUNCH @ Matter, 02 Main Room Mr. Scruff all nite Room 2. Jazzanova (Sonarkollektiv) DJ set & Kelvin Brown (Eyes Down/Electric Chair, Manchester). Tickets £15 advance from matterlondon.com, ticketweb, ticket-text.com. Tube: North Greenwich River: Thames Clipper from central London to Queen Elizabeth II pier. 8/11/08 - Bristol - Academy 13/11/09 - Leamington - The Assembly 14/11/09 - Sheffield - University 15/11/08 - Cambridge - The Junction 20/11/09 - Edinburgh - Liquid Rooms 21/11/08 - Glasgow - The Arches 22/11/08 - Dundee - Okupa December 2008 5/12/08 - Brighton - Concorde 2 11/12/08 - Cardiff - Solus 12/12/08 - Nottingham - Stealth 16/12/08 - Val D’isere - Dicks T Bar Reviewed: Mr. Scruff - Ninja Tuna (Ninja Tuna) Cat. No: ZENCD143 Release date: 6th October 2008 Tracklisting: 1 Test The Sound (1:41) 2 Music Takes Me Up feat. Alice Russell (5:28) 3 Donkey Ride feat. Quantic (5:14) 4 Hairy Bumpercress (6:31) 5 Whiplash (6:01) 6 Nice Up The Function feat. Roots Manuva (3:56) 7 Bang The Floor (3:43) 8 Get On Down feat. Prince Phillp Mitchell (5:54) 9 Hold On feat. Andreya Triana (5:04) 10 Give Up To Get (6:45) 11 Kalimba (5:21) 12 This Way feat. Pete Simpson (5:32) 13 Stockport Carnival (5:30) Links www.mrscruff.com www.myspace.com/mrscruffofficial www.ninjatuna.com www.ninjatune.net Dolphin-friendly tuna? Don’t believe it - Independent Thursday, 12 October 2006 Gilles Peterson :: 31.07.08 :: Mr Scruff In The Studio Mr Scruff feat Kaidi Tatham - Give Up To Get - Ninja Tunes (60:00) Mr Scruff feat Alice Russell - Music Takes Me Up - Ninja Tunes —Gerry Hectic Tuesday 4 November 2008

 

Review: The Cinematic Orchestra - Every Day (Reissue) (Ninja Tune)

Regular readers will know that YATM is primarily an eye on new music but we can't overlook this Ninja Tune re-issue, the ground breaking 'Every Day' by The Cinematic Orchestra.

Released 20 years ago, this was/is the most 'Gilles Peterson' of albums.  With guest vocals from Fontella Bass on two tracks ('All That You Give' & 'Evoluton') and featuring Roots Manuva on 'All Things To All Men', these were the big tracks, nay, monster tracks.

A true collage of soul-jazz-conscious hip-hop and OST at a time when such things very new/rare, like the 'Man With The Movie Camera' (for media/art school geeks) was the foundation for what went onto become their next album of the same title released the following year.  

Safe to say, the J. Swinscoe's imagined soundtrack to the 1929 Russian silent film by Dziga Vertov didn't have the commercial success of 'Every Day'.  Thus creating huge excitement for when 'Ma Fleur' was released in 2007 (original review HERE) and then 'Live At The Royal Albert Hall' the following year supported by The Heritage Orchestra (before Pete Tong got his hand on 'em) with the vocals by queens of underground bruk/soul Eska and Heidi Vogel.

This reissue is on three LPs (translucent red vinyl apparently) and include bonus tracks from the original recording sessions, 'Oregon' and 'Horizon' featuring Niara Scarlett plus two tracks previously unreleased on vinyl in 'Semblance' and the unearthed 'Flite' (Original Version)
The release features new artwork from the original designer, Openmind, with "superfan" Gilles Peterson’s original liner notes.

You're not going to pick up one of these in a charity or pre-loved shop so indulge in some nostalgia or if you've never heard this before, prepared to be impressed every day.

PS. Fontella Bass  best known for the 1965 worldwide soul hit 'Rescue Me' and one time wife of Art Ensemble of Chicago member Lester Bowie, hence her jazz opus, 'Thème De Yoyo' from the "Paris set" OST ,'Les Stances À Sophie' reissued on Universal Sound/Soul Jazz back in 2000.

Artist: The Cinematic Orchestra 

Title: Every Day

Release date : 24th March, 2023

Label : Ninja Tune

Catalog Number : ZEN59XX

Format: LP / CD / Digital