Review Summary: A trippy blend of UK hip-hop, New Orleans Dixieland and cutting edge fusion.
Born out of Hackney, East London this eight-piece group has produced some of the most vibrant and cutting edge music you are likely to hear out of the UK music scene in a long time. They have released several singles and toured profusely playing at the likes of Glastonbury, Bestival and Beach Break Live. The band have a reputation to connect with audience members in the same way electricity reacts with water.
The band has been influenced by a plethora of different musical eras, from hip-hop to Dixieland, trad jazz and funk; this melting pot of styles gives their self titled debut a lot of clout that needs to be reckoned with.
All the previously released singles are here including the jazz thump of ‘Even Out’ with its infectious horn melody and gritty subject matter. The music conjures up images of sordid jazz clubs in 1950s New York but the reality of the lyrics bring you back to sleaze of the deprived areas of East London. Themes including drug use, murder, wasted talents and jealousy. The trend is carried on with ‘Starting Fires’ which is led by a sinister piano riff and fantastically subtle beat with its short breaks. The 6/8 time also gives it a more rolling feel that intensifies with the power of the horns in the chorus sections. The references to broken homes and angst complements the horns perfectly.
The more chilled ‘Memory Banks’ featuring Baby Sol is much laded back and almost feels like a lounge jazz song if it were not for the pronounced snare and kick pattern. A similar ambiance is felt in ‘Fades’ which marks a more reflective and pensive moment on the album.
‘The Road’ lifts the mood telling listeners to find their path in life and follow it regardless of the obstacles life throws at you. The music is much funkier on this track and sound like a cross between Tower of Power and Akala feasting off each others sound in centre of a bustling city. This brief feeling of optimism is swiftly dispensed with in the wake of ‘The Bulletin’ which goes to a darker area of the subconscious, the track gives the feeling of claustrophobia and that of someone trying desperately to escape the life around them (even contemplating suicide in the process).
But naturally it is not all about the lyrics as there are no samples or programmed beats here. The dexterity of the horn section interweave between the vocals beautifully. The rhythm section also provide rock solid backing that include a solid human element that all the programmed beats could not replace. Listen to ‘Perfect Sentence’ and ‘Please People’ to truly feel this.
Lazy Habit’s eponymous debut is definitely a musical journey almost a microcosm of life in a 21st century city and the alienation felt in it. There is no glamorising or self aggrandizing, so in a sense it is quite a humble album. However, the music is so eclectic it adds a grander feeling and elevates any the harsh subject matter giving it a more positive edge.
