- Kuwa Jasiri is a record you've heard before, but it's rarely been done this well. An EP boasting filter disco ("Gonna Make It") and a house jam with a generous funk sample ("Planet Dust") might not seem all that enticing in 2015, but Usio, whose only previous release was a Studio Barnhus album over two years ago, often transform the mundane into the magical. When you hear "Gonna Make It," you'll think of Soundstream. And that's a good thing—the power of Frank Timm's music lies in its economy, and Usio also get great results by keeping it simple. There's an addictive "Oh yeah!" at the core of "Planet Dust," but the producers have the grace not to lean heavily on the sample; by the time the track arrives at its big, trumpeting crescendo, the vocal is discarded altogether.
"Over The Andes" and "Pamoja" loosely trace the Afrobeat house of Kuwa Huru, their debut LP. Midway through "Over The Andes," an acid pulse breaks through the haze of skin percussion and a melody that recalls old TV shows, gently pulling you away from the daydream the track sinks into. "Pamoja"'s meditative thrum ends on a rare moment of calm for this versatile and entertaining four-tracker.
TracklistA1 Gonna Make It
A2 Planet Dust
B1 Over The Andes
B2 Pamoja