Witch Doctor is the opening effort on Niq Reefman’s new album, A Selection of Musical Tales. The track links together alternative rock, reggae, and funk in a unique fashion. There is a powerful set of vocals that sit at the top of the track, while the inclusion of horns adds further variation to an already deep effort.
Close Shave sounds as if a traditional sea shanty was melded seamlessly with Flood-era They Might Be Giants. The presence of the horn in this single acts as a second narrator, a trend that continues well into A Selection of Musical Tales.
I got my Mojo back is one of the high-water tracks on this album, and it is due to the larger than life sound that is crafted within. There are hints of Arthur Brown, Taco, and Voltaire. I’m a good boy is a laid-back, more introspective style in the vein of Hall and Oates; a hooky synthesizer line distinguishes this song from others being released concurrently. The horn of fate has the brooding intensity of a 1970’s cop movie score, moving into a high-energy, electro-funk sound as the effort continues to play.
Storm at sea destroys the notion that late-album tracks are less important than the lead-off tracks; this effort is built off of the work of Enigma, Yaz, and El Debarge. There are nods to the seafaring past, the halycon days of the 1980s, and the current day. In Australia is the final effort on Niq’s A Selection of Musical Tales; the narration that is presented here is delicious. The harmonies that are provided listeners during In Australia are unparalleled, and will tattoo themselves deep into the psyche of anyone that has listened to the full album.
Top Tracks: I got my Mojo back, I’m a good boy
Niq Reefman – “A Selection of Musical Tales” / 2017 Self Released / 11 Tracks / https://www.facebook.com/niqreefman/ / http://www.niqreefman.com.au/
John Sargeant, writing on NeuFutur as Sargeant, is the founder and editor-in-chief of NeuFutur Magazine, where he has covered independent music, PC hardware, consumer tech, and gaming culture since 1998. With over 25 years of continuous digital publishing experience, he has written thousands of hands-on game and record reviews, conducted in-depth hardware field testing, and analyzed digital media monetization trends. His work prioritizes first-hand evaluation and long-term product testing.
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