Spinner RPM: The Herbaliser

Posted on Jun 23rd 2008 9:00AM by Mike Spinella
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More than a decade-and-a-half ago, Ollie Teeba and Jake Wherry bonded over their obsession for soul and rare groove, which sparked what we now know as the Herbaliser. Their self-described "James Brown meets James Bond" sound is constantly evolving and filling dancefloors of those in the know.

On their latest album, 'Same as it Never Was,' the Herbaliser hit their stride with the addition of young soulstress Jessica Darling tending to vocal duties (not unlike those of Sharon Jones). In a single-driven market the Herbaliser's vision to create an album that felt cohesive, while including a variety of influences and sounds that the band is known for. "When we're making a hip-hop record, we don't feel the need to have everything be at the same tempo, or have rhymes on every track," Teeba tells Spinner.

Having been lumped in with the trip-hop craze of the late '90s, the Herbaliser are making strides to differentiate themselves. "I can't stand when people say the words 'trip-hop' to me. Even electronica, really," Teeba says. "['Same as it Never Was'] is a lot more dance floor-oriented than previous records. We're presenting ourselves in a different way, because people have been confused about the Herbaliser -- are we a band? A production duo? We're very much trying to clear up any misconceptions."

The group's live show features a 7-piece band with a vocalist, and a pair of decks and some brass, clearly positioning themselves as a band. "It's a real live show, whereas a lot of other successful groups' shows are more about lights, dances, visual projections," Teeba says. The Herbaliser also doubles as a DJ duo, having a stake in the prestigious Fabric Live franchise dropping the 26th installment of the series recorded in their favorite club.

With a strong emphasis on their live show, the pair has fully embraced technology so as to enhance both their live and DJ sets. "I think that digital DJing as far as using Serato Scratch Live is concerned is fantastic," Teeba says. "I find that it's utilizing all the skills I've honed for the last 20, and allows me to do more with them. It also allows me to create scratches that are individually tailored to the songs we produce. When I'm onstage, I can actually scratch instruments from the song. I'm actually a part of the composition, instead of an afterthought."

The Herbaliser put together a fresh 'Flavour Mix' consisting of some of their current favorites, plus some urban feel-good classics, exclusively for Spinner. Download and enjoy.

Download: 'You're Not All That' feat. Jessica Darling (MP3)

The Herbaliser, 'FlavourMix'

The Herbaliser, 'Same As It Never Was'
Weldon Irvine, 'Walk That Walk Talk That Talk'
Gang Starr, 'Code of the Streets'
The Herbaliser f/ Yungun, 'Just Won't Stop'
Tricky Tee, 'I've Got It Good'
T Love, 'Return of the B-Girl'
DJ Nu-Mark, 'Cali 2Na Comin' Thru'
Brand Nubian, 'Punks Jump Up to get Beat Down'
The Herbaliser f/ MF Doom, 'It Ain't Nuttin''
Eric B & Rakim, 'Paid In Full' (Coldcut Remix)
The Herbaliser, 'You're Not All That'
The Beastie Boys vs Mato, 'Intergalactic'
The Wu-Tang Clan, 'Take It Back'
Sputnik Brown, 'U Havin' Fun Yet'
Eryka Badu, 'Amerykahn Promise'
Jazz Invaders, 'Up & Out'
The Herbaliser, 'Can't Help This Feeling'
Quantic f/ Spanky Wilson,' Don't Joke With a Hungry Man'
The Wu-Tang Clan, "-" "-"
Funk Shone, 'Purification Part 1'
Million Dan, 'Mic Check Million'
Z-Trip, 'Listen To the DJ'
Blackbusters, 'Old Man'
Red Astaire, 'Tito'

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