Hu Vibrational Beautiful: Boonghee Music 2

• Words: Dave Segal
• Label: Soul Jazz
• XLR8R Rating: /10

It's impossible not to feel cleansed and peaceful while listening to Beautiful. Master percussionists Hamid Drake and Adam Rudolph realize that the harder it is to pronounce an instrument (qarqarba, dusu'ngoni), the better it sounds. As Hu Vibrational, they unite jazz and African music with a stealthy rhythmic verve. Most tracks consist of simple melodies that glint like sunbeams hitting wet hippo flesh, while the rhythms mesmerize through repetition, exotic timbres and intricate interplay. Don't be surprised if Timbaland strips Beautiful for its raw materials on his next production.