A name like Rubba J rings with a kind of familiarity we've known from so many hip hop stars like P Diddy, Run DMC, or Jay-Z, however, Rubba J's music transports his sound to a destination that couldn't be farther from their style. In fact, Rubba J hails from Belgium where he is officially known by his true name, Jan Costermans. Jan has worked under several aliases including Mayaku, where he explores various flavors of House. On "Off Pressure", Jan steps over to the world of downtempo as Rubba J and proves that his name shouldn't be mistaken for anything else than his funk-inspired electronic downbeats.

1. Lazy Bones
2. Slowly Chewed
3. Boca Grande
4. Rainbow Gliding
5. Airport
6. Winter Tea
7. Off Pressure
8. Slow Motion
9. Love is On the Run (Funk mix)
10. Togetherness

Jan began testing his skills as a guitar player at an early age and one can tell that his practice has paid dividends on Off Pressure. He melds his funky bass guitar on each track with occasional jazz-inspired keyboards, mellow breakbeats and ambient synths, that prove to be the staples of his diet on Off Pressure and form backbone for this release.

For a crash course into the sound of Rubba J, be sure to check out the head nodding "Slowly Chewed" or the dub-inspired "Winter Tea." As with most tracks on Off Pressure, these two repeat elements throughout but effectively sidestep monotony. At the edges of Off Pressure, one will understand the true variety that Rubba J can deliver. The first track, "Lazy Bones" introduces us to some of his more house-inspired melodies while the last track, "Togetherness" leaves the listener with a jazz-influenced groove.

Off Pressure can sometimes appear like the quintessential "chillout" album, but, its simplicity is bliss as Rubba J refrains from making it sound overly complicated and retains only what is important; a beat unique enough to attract attention.

~ Chris Lindsey

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