This writer couldn't fail to admire the visual side of the promotional activity surrounding superstar DJ PAUL OAKENFOLD's debut album as an 'artist', "Bunkka." The sleeve designs in themselves were mini-masterpieces, with a strong sense of identity, while the album's high profile collaborators such as Hunter S.Thompson and Perry Farrell couldn't NOT raise eyebrows.
Often, however, the sonic by-products disapponted me, so it's great to discover Oakie releasing maybe "Bunkka"s best track, "The Harder They Come" in a new! improved! form. Originally co-written and performed with Nelly Furtado, "THTC" now adds a new, gutsy vocal from excellent 16-year old discovery Keisha White, while retaining Tricky's exhaust pipe-guzzling growl as the perfect foil.
Indeed, with that Funeral March-stealing descending piano intro, the skirling strings and an electric air of menace, "The Harder They Come" makes you long for another full-length effort from Tricky and his old sparring partner, Martina Topley-Bird. If not, then further outings of this quality with Keisha would be favourite. "THTC" is both Oakie and Tricky back on top form.
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Actually, this one's a real value for money job, featuring a live "Starry-Eyed Surprise", a Kowalski mix of "Hypnotised" and two spooky new tracks called "Mortal" and "The Prophet". This latter features a fire'n'brimstone sermon from the mount courtesy of DJ Judas ("You think you're special...God is not an Israelite!") that sounds uncomfortably scary as the build up continues in the Gulf. Take cover - and quickly!
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