I remember watching the making of the ‘We Know Something You Don’t Know’ video on The Amp, and actually seeing DJ Format, a gangly white English guy, and wondering how he could possibly produce a sound this damn funky! Still, he does, and while it cannot be classed as ‘proper’ rap music, or indeed R&B, Hip-Hop or soul, it has a lot in common with all four, and pays heed to classic funk such as James Brown, Booker T, and Stax soul, with a modern twist. This record sounds fresh and funky, and despite the homage paid, as I have said, to earlier artists, it sounds modern and new, honest and raw, but polished and classy. This album is well named, as it is directed at the more mature hip-hop listener who is all about having fun rather than messing about with hos and Escalades. Word. I believe.

Format brings to the table irresistible loops and samples selected from what must have been thousands of hours of listening to records, and he presents us with the cream of his crop. Starting off with a swirling keyboard riff, and a “Ladies and Gentlemen, once again, it is my profound pleasure to introduce – DJ Format”, the album welcomes you into its arms like an old friend with a doorbell ring and a ‘Hello!’ from the inimitable and amazing MC Abdominal, as the listener is taken through as a guest into DJ Format’s world, comparing their beats, rhymes and songs to cooking for a dinner party, taking you through the courses, and dishing out some advice to the kids…innovative and slapstick.

The awesomely laid back funk of ‘We Know Something…’ rolls along perfectly, augmented by the addition of Chali 2na and Akil from J5, and turns into a thumping, catchy tune, even more funny when you see the video, with guys dressed in shark, tiger and turtle outfits breakdancing on a basketball court, and ‘rolling’ down an L.A. street in a ‘drop-top’! Haha, hilarious!

MC Abdominal is a true microphonist, and his raps are astounding: full of wit, wisdom, charm, and awesome delivery, and he pauses for breath a lot less than can possibly be healthy – “breath control unparalleled”. For example, on ‘Vicious Battle Raps’, is punctuated by 41 breaths in 2 minutes 55 seconds of dense, solid rapping – the listener can’t help but hold breath along with him, and feel the relief when he actually does breathe!

True, there are instrumentals and vocal tracks on here in equal balance, but they are both punctuated by slices of humour (like a woman singing about her breakfast) and nods to Format’s influences, including, as mentioned above. James Brown, which serves to segue the tracks together in a stiched-together fashion, but also provides a little breathing space between songs so things don’t get too claustrophobic. It is defiantly old school in approach, with plenty of bongos and cowbell alongside groovy bass loops and enough horns to, well, it’s anyone’s guess really!

Other artists appearing include Aspects and MC Fatski, both of whom deliver well, and place their own stamp on this album, but it really belongs to the duo of Format and Abdominal who deliver a beautiful 1-2-3 combination with their collaborations and add the icing to the cake. Every time you listen to it you are aware of a different dominating instrument, sometimes the drums, sometimes the keyboards, sometimes the horns and so on – it’s fantastic.

This is a classic, and is well worth the money. If you need something to kick-start a summer party, this is the weapon – no fillers, eleven fresh and funky beasts destined to get the face smiling stupidly and the arse moving after a few beers on someone else’s back garden…summatime!