No Time Like The Future- Incognito

I still remember being inside of my father's car, travelling without moving direction to the beach, listening to Incognito. The stereo was playing No Time Like The Future, our favorite Incognito album (their seventh work, stronger than its predecessor Beneath The Surface, that is much more smooth). This was like ten years ago, but I never get tired of these recording.

The compositions have as headmaster the acid jazz legend Jean-Paul "Bluey" Maunick (founder of the group, composer and guitarist). Bluey and his team have achieved this time a melting of funky beats, soul vocals, Latin sambas and Moroccan rhythms. Of course all of these spiced with Incognito's traditional electrical acid jazz touch. This combination leads us to a multi-cultural and rhythmic journey to "the future". So, Bluey is not just creating great music, but he is also using al the colors of the palette.

One of the best songs is "Get Into My Groove", where Maysa is the vocalists’ leader. It is about politicians' hypocrisy, excess of affection and lack of understanding of the common man ("Don't shake me by the hand, Pretend to understand, To get into my mind, You got to get into my groove"). It is a vey funky tune that has a highly effective orchestration and a vocal that draws a melody born to be loved, so that the notes remain traced on our mind.

"Marrakech", the track that I most like, is the fourth in the tracklist. I understand it as a kind of dream through the streets of that exotic city that is Marrakech. When you listen to this piece you can feel the ethnic sounds evolving you, combining funk melodies with oriental influences. Nextly, we have a mix of bossa nova and Tibetan chants, "Fearless", the typical Incognito's instrumental groove.

The star and more famous song of the album is "Nights over Egypt", a cover of the Jones Girls one (that was written by Dexter Wansel!). A successful use of house bases and the string section makes this tune a funky cocktail that should explode in flames in every dance floor.

Definitely, No Time Like The Future is a masterpiece: stimulant, energetic and inspirational. It is engaging and relaxing at the same time. Highly recommended!

Listen to it: No Time Like The Future (open in Spotify)