Every year there is one record that comes out of nowhere and before you know it, that record has become part of your daily musical rotation. There is a strong chance that once you start listening to Electric Wire Hustle, it will become a part of your rotation too. The debut album from the New Zealand based trio successfully merges old school soul with an eclectic array of nu-soul, psychedelic funk and thick ear splitting beats. With the silky soulful vocals of Mara TK, EWH hits on all cylinders. The opening track “Test The Waters”, has Mara’s expressive vocals complimenting the brooding hypnotic with overwhelming results. “Walk On” is a sensual psychedelic gem augmented by the pairing of Mara and Stacy Epps. The song is delivered in a laid back manner and may lull you into a dreamy state of mind and you’ll find no fault with that “This World” is future soul accompanied by uber talented Georgia Anne Muldrow. While the guest appearances would certainly aid any project, make no mistake this record stands firm on the strengths of the trio. Taay Ninh’s multi-instrumental talents are all over this record as are the trio’s production skills and Myele Manzanza’s drumming is felt throughout. How refreshing to play a disc from start to finish with nary a weak track in it’s path. Quite simply, this is one great record that deserves a space with your collection. As for EWH, the future looks very bright.
