Niklas' blog

Truthfully, I’ve never listened to Gil Scott-Heron, but his spoken word-style of wording over music is a hip-hop prototype, of you will. I must say that listening to his latest album, I’m reminded of his powerful, singular voice, towering over his recent release from jail, his legendary tome “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” – a modern American reminisce of Ginsberg’s “Howl” – rings back to me. As does the work of The Last Poets, which I really like, harking back to a tradition of quite lucid 60s rock blended with soul and social realism, as with Sly Stone.

That’s also why I’m glad that somebody with quite a fresh grasp of sound has produced Scott-Heron’s new album. It’d be a little bit tragic if it sounded like he did back in the 60s, don’t you think? The new stuff reminds me of Barry Adamson, Saul Williams, Tricky and David Holmes. I’m glad I found it. It’s a short album, different from most of what I’ve been listening to of late. Pretty dark. It’s available on Spotify.

Scott-Heron actually offers listening advise on how you should take in the album, much like Jarvis Cocker:

LISTEN TO IT FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER OPTIMUM CONDITIONS.

Not in your car or on a portable player through a headset.
Take it home.
Get rid of all distractions, (even him or her).
Turn off your cell phone.
Turn off everything that rings or beeps or rattles or whistles.
Make yourself comfortable.
Play your CD.
LISTEN all the way through.
Think about what you got.
Think about who would appreciate this investment.
Decide if there is someone to share this with.
Turn it on again.
Enjoy Yourself.

Here’s the first single.