EZ Rollers Titles of the Unexpected
The sophomore album from drum & bass collective EZ Rollers kicks off quite as you’d […]
The sophomore album from drum & bass collective EZ Rollers kicks off quite as you’d expect. The first three tracks fit neatly into jungle’s current obsession with disco and house, with the Rollers-one of the premier live d&b acts-managing to add their unique stamp by incorporating original vocals and warm, real-sounding instrumentation. From there, the disc grows into its title, branching into shuffling, funky hip-hop, proto-ragga two-step, and even a few tracks that sound like Fatboy Slim might be on their heels. Drum & bass continues to peek in every few tracks-the Breakbeat Era-inspired “Submission,” the summery “Sunshine People”-but it’s vocal numbers with rapper Doug E Fresh, diva Sharon Brown, and the crew’s own Kelly Richards and MC Jakes that dominate. As a result, Titles of the Unexpected straddles the line between underground breakbeat and catchy numbers that are prime for mainstream radio. Happily, the Rollers move between similar styles with grace. Apparently, when you stick with what you love, sounding good comes EZ.