ALBUM REVIEW: FLAMINGOSIS - BRIGHT MOMENTS

When Flamingosis (pronounced flamingo-sis) arrived on the scene with his first major release KahunaStyle, his unique blend of hip-hop sampling techniques and old-school funk sensibilities went largely unnoticed, but I knew the day would come when he would finally get the attention he deserved. That time is now. Bright Moments, his third official and newest release, is nothing short of funkadelic. Flamingosis' sampling techniques take the leading role here, propelling jamtastic beats and head-bobbing rhythms into an IV connected directly to the heart of the listener. Featuring the help of artists and producers like The Kount and Birocratic (who have also been attracting attention), Aaron Sanchez has found the perfect balance between soulful RnB and head-bobbing disco. Songs like "What Went Wrong" hook the listener with a melting melody of horns, and features a great dialogue sample in the middle that not only lessens the repetitiveness but also adds context and story to the work. "Brunch at the Bodega" changes up the vibe by sampling salsa and latin grooves, and sounds like the best restaurant you've never heard of. For the die-hard fans who know him only as a beat-master, lo! Beat tracks abound, largely because beats are Flamingosis' bread and butter. "Feelings of Sentimentality due to Getting Curved" is the 'crusing down main street in my chevy impala' song you've been waiting for. "An 8 Ball Affair" is a great concoction of Sanchez's beat sensibilities and 70's soul, sampling Earth Wind and Fire and adding a righteous horn solo that transforms into the soul of the beat. No matter if you're a hip-hop hound looking for something new, or an alien from outer space looking to explore Earth culture, Bright Moments will not dissapoint; indeed it would make even the worst alien look at Earth real-estate. 10/10

Written by: Bobby Schenk