African Head Charge – Songs of Praise – Healing Ceremony

The distinctive sound is still there; atmospheric synth stabs, percolating percussion, stinging, minimalist guitar lines, sturdy bass lines. AHC has progressed since the heady days of MY LIFE IN A HOLE IN THE GROUND, though. The dense, dark soundscapes of that era are supplanted here by a more celebratory air and an open, spacious feel. Several cuts feature what sounds like children chanting, and there’s a more spiritual tone throughout, even reflected in song titles such as “Hymn,” “Healing Ceremony,” and “Gospel Train.” Fear not, Sherwood and company haven’t gone new age. The sonic settings are just as exquisitely textured as ever, they’ve just been given an added depth.

Progressive dub producer Adrian Sherwood first made his mark in the early ’80s as the man behind the boards for groups like African Head Charge, Creation Rebel, and New Age Steppers. His revolutionary combination of dub reggae with a gritty, forward-looking post-punk aesthetic was a breath of fresh air. A decade later, SONGS OF PRAISE finds African Head Charge and Sherwood still fully capable of innovation.

African Head Charge includes: Skip MacDonald (guitar, keyboards); Carlton “Bubbles” Ogilvie (piano); Crocodile, Junior Moses, Martin Frederix (bass); Style Scott (drums); Sunny Akpan (percussion); Bonjo Iyabinghi Noah, Prisoner.