Discovered last year with "International Dread Arena", a convincing but little-heard debut album, the French band Rockers Disciples were right to persevere. Their second album, "Crossroads", released recently, is a really good surprise. Whereas the first record, made between Rouen and Stockholm, had a catch-all side, mixing diverse influences and different mixes, "Crossroads" aims to be more homogeneous. All the tracks were recorded in France, in the Uptown mobile studio, in the hills above Rouen. Above all, whereas "International Dread Arena" dug a dub furrow, Rockers Disciples' music here serves as a foundation for the soul singing of Chola, a Scandinavian singer of Chilean origin with a lovely voice (and already present on the first record), who gives the album its unity.
Between reggae, dub and soul, the Rockers Disciples recipe recalls somewhat the cocktail developed by Denmark's Junkyard, except for a (much) more marked reggae inspiration. The heavy, rhythmic rockers backbone is carried by a powerful, round bass, against which inspired horn solos lean. The impeccable production perfectly showcases the haunting compositions, mastered from start to finish. The result: a fine album that is worth the detour.
NB: Also available on 12''. Points of sale can be found on the band's MySpace.
