Prince Umberto & The Sister Of Ill
The Sunday Age
Sunday September 16, 2007
3/5
Prince Umberto & The Sister Of IllThe Bumblebeez, ModularAfter being dropped by Geffen Records and rescued by Modular, the Bumblebeez, aka Christopher Colonna, sister Pia and friends, have finally delivered their first long-play release. Co-produced by James Ford (Arctic Monkeys, the Avalanches) in Braidwood, NSW, mixed and mastered in Paris and London, no wonder it's a bit scattered. With nostalgia for the '80s, this album traverses just about every style of music imaginable. From the noisy intro, it launches full throttle into a chaotic mix of hip-hop, early electro beats, grime, rock, scattered dub and punk. With unlikely detours into tracks such as My Girl, a sweet but warped love song, the transitions are not always smooth (that might be the point), but this album certainly reveals a rare talent for diversity. Key track: Dr Love's digital-meets-analogue feel is complete with soul-clap samples and a fat bass line.
© 2007 The Sunday Age