Album Review: Invisible System – Street Clan (Harper Diabate Records)

<World Beat> Dan Harper aka Invisible System is known for fusing Ethiopian, dub, reggae, techno, trance , drum & bass with rock, folk and well, just about anything else that makes the music psychedelic. His album Punt (Made in Ethiopia) released in 2009 was met with wide critical acclaim as it challenged the conventional. Street Clan continues this trend of mixing up cultural styles as he delivers a mix of dark Ethiopian folkish songs with hippy electronica. The album is jam packed with  so many well respected musicians;  Adrian Utley (Portishead), Skip McDonald (African Head Charge, Grandmaster Flash, Little Axe, On-U-Sound / Adrian Sherwood, Tackhead etc), Merv Pepler (Eat Static/Ozric Tentacles etc); Stuart Fisher (Hole/Courtney Love), Zewditu Tadesse (Ethiopiques) and Dennis Wint UK/Jamaican Roots Reggae vocalist all participate amongst others. Street Clan is a lot more frantic than its predecessor, Punt, but nevertheless it has a certain charm and irresistible attraction that makes for an absorbing if not challenging listen. Thrashing guitars and frenetic beats meet Ethiopian folk songs in what can sound very cohesive at times and at others quite messy. An interesting listen nevertheless, particularly the quieter moments.