Artist: Build an Ark
Album: Dawn
Label: Kindred Spirit
Year: 2007
Reviewed By: Woodstock Slim
This what hippies in the early part of the 21st century are biding their time with when Psy-trance does not have them at their throats. I fell not old enough to have this leaking out of my musty old-books and leather smelling study but it have relevance in my collection I guess. Where you ask? Right up there next to my John McLaughlin records? yip, right there. This is essentially what you hear if you only play the left channel of McLaughlin records, he plays guitars on the other channel. Strange hearing it with the guitars but then again its also refreshing. Dawn is my first introduction to Carlos Nino and his gang. I need to really hear more albums of theirs to judge for real.
Nino says, "we came together to make music that hopes to inspire peace and love in this world".
Led by Nino and the Leon Thomas sounding Dwight Trible, their membership includes Tribe Records founder Phil Ranelin, the Pan Afrikan People Arkestra’s Nate Morgan, and co-founder of the Pharaohs, Derf Reklaw.
There is said to be quite a few cover songs in ranging from Willy Wonka to Michael White. I couldn't tell. The album is spiritual, warm and has an overwhelming sence of freedom... or release. I fell it's forced in places but like I said earlier it would be nice to get hold of some of their other stuff. I rarely favour multi track recordings, this is one of them. Hang a mike from the cieling in your basement and you'll rip the should from the listener I Always say. This is the reason I don't like Band of Horses, great band... but records on too many tracks, it looses that rawness, authenticity and organic feel. My valve amps and valve speakers from the late 60's can't tone this correctly.
Dawn is mature and wise beyond the contemporary. Nino has something here, something the pioneers of Hip Hop had in mind but lost as they lost their way in the confusion with class and money and values.
