Future Flora

This superb third album from the Belgian-by-way-of-the-Balkans five-piece continues the winning formula of combining Afro-funk with Ethio-jazz and then mixing in a healthy dose of groovy psychedelic dub. According to composer, flautist and sax player Nathan Daems, the joyously trippy title-track (think Mulatu Astatke on acid), is a ‘metaphor for the ideas that can save our world,’ which he somewhat bafflingly compares to ‘plants that fight between the city's paving stones, like urban warriors, for their future.’

All the Oriental mystery of their previous release Artifacts is there, as on the pleasingly ethereal ‘Ankor Wat’. Solid, faultless playing from the rest of the group, including Jon Birdsong (who tours with Beck) on cornet, adds satisfying complexity to tracks such as ‘Hora de Aksum’ (which is also released as a single). A collection of songs about flora and fauna might not be everyone's first idea of a funky far-out trip (although that might depend on what kind of plants we're talking about), but this is certainly music that will make you turn on, tune in and turn it right up. What we have right here is a band in full bloom.