Mattafix - Rhythm and Hymns (2007)



Critical acclaim, while a positive attribute on the surface, can become a bitter pill to swallow and end up becoming an enemy, particularly in

the music industry. Dynamic London-based duo Mattafix, consisting of Marlon Roudette and Preetesh Hirji, experienced that exact

predicament with their 2005 debut Signs of a Struggle, driven by the evocative lead single Big City Life. While it may have appeared that they

had become casualties of that very fate, Mattafix have returned triumphantly with Rhythm and Hymns.
For those unfamiliar with the Mattafix sound, the potent opener Shake Your Limbs, featuring African vocalist ZOLA, will get you up to speed.

Lead by a hard-hitting drum sound, which would be perfectly at home on a straight-up Hip Hop release, it is complimented by the socially

conscious lyrics of Mattafix and ZOLA.
Perhaps the best track of all, where all of their musical influences are perfectly meshed, is the powerful Freeman, which covers the topic of

being wrongfully incarcerated. You can truly feel the emotion seeping from the vocals, as the track runs the musical gambit, with elements of

Hip Hop, Reggae, Soul and Calypso present.
Another shining moment of the CD comes in the form of Things Have Changed, which at times resembles the up-tempo cousin of their initial

hit Big City Life. One of the qualities that initially attracted listeners and critics alike to Mattafix was their ability to craft unique and

universally appealing music, a trait this track has in spades; the beatboxing element and middle eastern-style strings that appear throughout

also add to that aura.
The cinematic track In My Life sums up their musical approach quite aptly, “I blend roughneck elements with eloquence/it’s evident and soon

becomes clear, the price of success is too dear”.
Quite simply, with Rhythm and Hymns Mattafix have put together a well-rounded and magnificently crafted listening experience. Vulnerability

and emotion may not be popular character traits in the increasingly macho world of urban music (particularly Hip Hop) and while this release

may come off as a little syrupy to unaccustomed listeners, when the music is this unadulterated and enjoyable it is hard to deny. Refreshing!