Birthrights

HMC"

Artist : Head Mix Collective
Title : Birthrights
Label : Own Label
Release Date : June 98
Format : CD/Tape

Head Mix Collective were originally formed by ex-members of Tofu Love Frogs, Doo The Moog and The Cheap Suit Oroonies. All these bands were synonymous with festivals and having a good time. This makes HMC possibly the world's first festi-diddldum supergroup. And with this recent history in mind, when they formed they had a lot to live up to and, boy, do they do that!

Head Mix Collective really are a band and one to see live. Seen live, they really are awesome: perfect for the green fields of Glastonbury.

They are festi-skank complete with melodica, tin-whistle, didgedoo and accordian. Their music will have you dancing to deep dub style bass and melodica lines one minute, then jigging up and down to penny whistles and irish fiddle the next; but always with that groove-conscious rhythm-driven thang backing it up.

Obvious comparisons would be to Back To The Planet and Afro-Celt sound system, but those comparisons really would be too obvious. HMC are more than that and I suspect in times to come HMC will be band that we cheap hacks use as convienent signpost for the unenlightened.

Personal faves then:

So far I've dealt only with the music of HMC, but with song titles such as 'Job Creation', 'Peaceful Protest' and 'Reclaim The streets' you can gather where these guys are at. None of the above comes across at all clichéd or tweee - which isn't always the case with bands brave enough to try and cover subjects such as these. They use the space within the cd booklet to set down their vision, and list contact numbers of like-minded others also trying to achieve it.

To sum up, I'd say HMC are one of those bands that you stumble across at a festival. And before you know it you're grooving along with the infectiousness of it all. Then all too soon they're gone. You didn't quite catch their name so you wander off cussing to yourself and promising that you'll definetly find out who they were, if you ever come across them again. If this scenario has happened to you recently then there's good chance that it'll have been 'Head Mix Collective' that you were grooving to.

'Birthrights is an excellent second album from a band going from strength to stength. And what's more, in these times of so much programmable music it's refreshing to come across a band that really can cut it both live and in the studio. They will (I hope) go far.

Peace and Love

Bimble 98


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