Habit

Album Review

Following on the tails of Koop, the Norwegian pair of Snorre Seim and Oyvind Jakobsen continue the Northern European encroachment into the realms of jazz-based electronic funk with Habit, in a genre previously dominated by German producers. With earlier single releases on the high reputable Guidance and Nuphonic labels, the duo's debut album offers up all of the shuffling percussion, liquid bass, and quick-licking accompaniment one has come to demand from this sort of release. Live instrumentalists play along with delicately programmed electronics, with vocals by Emo, Mayia James, and Lucy May filling out various tracks. "Loving You" presents a sitar-friendly R&B feel, while the instrumental "Kongo Mongo" and singsong "Incurable" have a squelchy techno and shaking disco beat, respectively. "Boogaloo" does exactly that, with an extremely familiar Latin percussion and piano refrain that breaks into a driven trumpet solo by Didrik Ingvaldsen. Reflecting on the global tech of Kirk Degiorgio, as well as the organic funk of Rainer Trüby, Butti 49 will certainly find their way into globally conscious DJ crates and style conscious boutiques extremely quickly.