OSUNLADE Paradigm (Soul Jazz) Rating: NNN
Last year Paradigm would have been labelled Afro-house, but since that term seems to have fallen out of favour, deep house will have to do. New York-based producer and Yoruba priest Osunlade makes smooth and sensual house with plenty of jazz references but fewer live instruments and more synths than we’ve come to expect from this scene. At times the keyboard sounds stray toward the cheesy side, but he has a better melodic sense than many DJs. There aren’t many chances taken, but this is well-constructed and mature dance music. Osunlade spins as part of Shifting Gears, featuring a performance by former Arrested Development vocalist Nadirah Shakoor, at Una Mas Saturday (November 3).
