[rating=3.00]
The Afromotive get freaky on their debut album Scare Tactics with nine tracks of funky polyrhythms that could summon James Brown’s ghost. The 10-piece North Carolinian ensemble is lead by Kevin Meyame, who lends his west-African heritage to the band’s authentic Afrobeat sound, driven by a commanding bass loop and complemented by a frenetic assortment of ever-changing drum-beats, playful organs and a robust brass orchestra.
Scare Tactics opens with the hypnotic "Yakom," a sprawling effort at almost ten minutes long that employs a repetitive style, but manages to stay fresh throughout. The epic "Lies" gets the blood pumping with an upbeat call-and-response chorus and the laid back "On the Cuff" has the feel of an improvised live jam brought back to the studio and reworked with precision by professional musicians.
Triumphant, eclectic and self-assured, The Afromotive effortlessly chug through "Scare Tactics" with the same energy that has made them an explosive touring act and a rising presence in the world-music scene.
