Faithless' lead singer Maxi Jazz experiences a change in direction as he delivers an album of ten funky and jazzy songs including a re-imagination of a classic Faithless tracks, all presented a way in you'd not expect: out has gone the fast-paced rap-like delivery, and in comes something much more lounge-like. The 52-minutes of jazz and funk kicks off with the catchy and instrumental-heavy 'Change Our Destiny' which sets you up for a fun and uplifting show.
The album continues pretty much in this vibe. 'Back to the Bottle' mixes in guitar breaks with more country-tinged influences and Maxi Jazz's incredibly listenable, melting vocals. 'Chasing Shadows' and 'Homesick Blues' continue the slick, jazzy vibe of the record but with a slight more focus on the lyrics than the earlier tracks.
'We're Alright' interpolates 'I Put A Spell On You' and weaves a song around it, Maxi Jazz's confident swagger all over the piece, becoming my second favourite track on the album. My favourite, of course, comes next, in the jazzed-up version of Faithless classic 'Mass Destruction'. Taking what is already a great song and completely changing it up, it's great to hear the lyrics and riffs turned into a jazz song, and it's a real wonder to here and a strong centerpiece for the album.
The strong middle section continues with the quirky and catchy 'Stop Apologising', which has a very singable chorus all tied up in a pop-jazz vibe. With 'Sieze Your Power' out of the way, penultimate track 'Bitter Love' kicks things up a little thanks to the simple but hooky chorus whilst 'Like A Samurai' ends the album on a real high note.
'Simple... Not Easy' as an album full of jazz, hooks and interesting instrumentation is great and well recommended. (7.5/10)
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