Mark de Clive-Lowe's latest transmission, "Tide's Arising" is a journey from West London through deep, cosmic-soul grooves. Combining spacey synths, jazz keys, smooth hip hop and lively soul vocals, with upbeat, afro-soul percussion and mellow, hip hop breaks. This is some funky spice to hold down but Mark de Clive-Lowe controls it.

1. Masina's World
2. Slide
3. Traveling
4. State Of The Mental
5. Quintessential
6. Syndrome
7. Pino + Mashi
8. Tide's Arising
9. Sila's Theme
10. Traveling (interlude)
11. Heaven
12. 4.Y.V.
13. Heaven Part II

There are a number of stand-out tracks and the brightest among them are "Slide", "Traveling" and "Syndrome".

Aside from a brief instrumental, "Slide" opens the album with a room full of soul vocalists (Abdul Shyllon, Bembé Segué, Lyric L) syncopating various lyrical lines over nicely bubbling electro-percussion and low-key synths (with an essential note descent at the end of each measure that just does it). If any of the elements in this song were missing, it wouldn't make the same impression, because the whole thing comes together as a perfectly funky, minimal, electro-soul piece.

"Traveling" drops nice mid-tempo beats and a smooth rap (Capitol A & Bembé Segué) with sweet female backing vocals and heavy, disco-soul funk.

"Syndrome" has a bit of People's Court (U.S. television show theme) swagger, but turns into a deep jam of disco-soul funkness with heavy disco chorus cool. You just can't say no to this groove, and if you can my friend, your mojo has no soul.

I could easily go on to talk about "Quintessential", "Pino + Mashi", or "Heaven" (parts 1 and 2), but you should experience them yourself. If your musical taste lives on a diet of electro-soul, jazz and funk, "Tide's Arising" is essential.


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"...the man behind a million great tunes" - Gilles Peterson/Radio 1 Worldwide [UK]

"Firmly at the front of the nu-skool jazz and beats movement" - The Times [UK]

"Call it nu-jazz, call it nu-house, call it future-jazz, in fact call it what you want, I'm sticking with the words awesome and genius” - Wax Magazine [UK]

"Nothing but quality. MdCL's future-soul is taking us deep into the 21st Century for real ..!" - Bugz in the Attic [UK]

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Released by Abb Soul/Antipodean Records

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