Roska Rinse Presents Roska
For all the ink devoted to the rise and seemingly endless mutations of UK funky, […]
For all the ink devoted to the rise and seemingly endless mutations of UK funky, the genre is notably devoid of full-length albums. Granted, the lightning-quick pace of London bass music doesn’t exactly lend itself to thoughtful, drawn-out masterworks, but other than Geeneus’ tone-setting 2008 LP, Volumes: One, there has been a parade of virtually nothing but singles and EPs, even from the biggest names in the scene. One of those names has undoubtedly been Roska (a.k.a. Wayne Goodlitt), whose steady stream of drum-heavy production, not to mention his ubiquitous “Roska Roska Roska” drop, bridged the gap between bottle-service clubs and the underground and played a huge role in putting funky on the map.
Now he’s released Rinse Presents Roska, and although it does include a few recycled tracks (“Hey Cutie,” “Wonderful Day,” and “Love 2 Nite,” the latter two with vocalist Jamie George), most of the album is new material, and not all of it is proper funky. DJs will undoubtedly gravitate toward the potent strings and big-room percussion of “Time Stamp” and “Tomorrow Is Today, the infectious synth squelch of “Burn in Flames,” and the whistles, stop-and-start beat, and oddball squawks of the already anthemic “Squark.” But those are matched with the compellingly chilled-out “Energy” and “I Need Love,” where respective guest vocalists Nikki and Aneesha lend the tracks a soulful garage feel, not to mention “Messages,” whose clicks, pops, and chirping synths chart a course that’s deeper than many funky artists are willing to go.