pH Balance

Call it a blend of trip-hop, acid jazz, and trance groove in the same vein as Portishead, Morcheeba, and Massive Attack. Vocalist Pam Howe and her longtime collaborator/drummer Chris Burte (both former members of Cicada Sings) recruited rapper/DJ Captain Mudfish Starbolt, bassist Aaron Platt, and percussionist Tony James to form this Atlanta quintet. And, by laying sultry vocals over an array of rhythms and rhymes, they strike their balance to a fine effect. The opening tune, "C'est Noire," leads you into a dark, smoky jazz club then comes at you with a mere hint of the attitude that's still in store. Enter Mudfish on track two and things start kicking. The smooth interplay of his more in-your-face raps and Howe's seductive melodies keeps the album fresh and exciting. The most memorable songs are "Flora Avenue," "Come Back to My Arms (And Stay)," and the title track, which, in an ode to Chris Isaak, includes a vocal riff of "You can't do a thing to stop me." Sure Ph Balance tosses in a few samples and loops to help lay the grooves, but they manage to maintain a fine organic and airy feel that is sometimes lacking on records in this genre. This is the kind of progressive and hip, but smoothly mature, record to spin in the background of a dinner party to impress the guests.