Freddie Cruger Soul Search

• Words: Derek Beres
• Label: Ubiquity
• XLR8R Rating: /10

There's an undeniable buoyancy to Freddie Cruger's "Over the Ocean" when the beats come in like giant bata drums punctuating the air and Desmond Foster's patois emerges atop the bass-heavy groove. It‘s just one of 13 exceptionally tight tunes on this full-length debut by the Swedish producer also known as Red Astaire. Cruger invites a slew of guests to display their skills above his dub-, hip-hop-, and jazz-inspired tunes. Atlanta soulster Anthony David sounds great with his choppy scats on "I Wanna Make You Move" and even better on the big beat "New World New Time." Foster returns, as does Swingfly, Linn, and Cee-Rock. The deeply Jamaican "Running From Love," with a brilliant lyrical display by ADL, proves to be the most soulful in Cruger's Search, but that doesn't take anything away from the other dozen; on any day any one of them could claim that title.