Sinkane: Mars LP

Full length debut for Sinkane on DFA!. Though you might not have heard of Ahmed Gallab (aka Sinkane) before, you might’ve heard him on some records you own. The Brooklyn-based producer/multi-instrumentalist has served as a session musician for bands like Yeasayer, Caribou, Of Montreal, Born Ruffians, and others, and here on Mars, his solo work really takes flight. Impressively, Sinkane plays most of the instruments on the album himself – save for a few guest spots (including a wicked guitar solo from Twin Shadow’s George Lewis Jr.) which makes the sound truly his own. It’s hard to really pinpoint, but I would describe the sound as a chilled combination of afrobeat, krautrock, jazz fusion, all topped off with a dash of tropical disco. Check “Makin Time,” “Jeeper Creeper,” and “Runnin” for starters, then dig into deeper cuts like “Caparundi,” “Mars,” and “Warm Spell.” Really refreshing stuff! Comes in matte pic sleeve.

• music label: DFA 2012

reviewed by TKB 12/2012