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Yungun & Mr Thing - Grown Man Business...

Published by Warren Dell under on Thursday, September 28, 2006

Fed on a diet of soul, motown and rare groove, Mr Thing and Yungun have combined to create one of the UK Hip-Hop scenes most mature and original long players.

Grown Man Business is 11 tracks of Yungun's most mature and introspective work, combined with Mr Thing taking you back with a soundtrack dripped in retro soul.

That's not to say these two live in the past as they combine their present day style with a heavy nod to their musical influences.

The catalyst for the album were the tapes Mr Thing would put together covering 70's funk and soul, motown and rare groove which would be the soundtrack to their journeys to gigs in what Yungun dubbed the 'thingmobile'. Speaking in the latest Hip-Hop Connection magazine Yungun revealed that pretty much the whole album was conceived from those journeys to save on studio time.

The intro is a bit strange with scratches of American mc's lyrics over a classical sample, when it would have perhaps been better suited with some classic UK lines. The real intro is G.N.B (Just Like That) which drum beat rattles along with a chanting sample flowing all the way through as Yungun lays down the law.

The albums single Forget Me Not really deserved to be blowing up mainstream radio with it's soulful instrumental and chilled out lyrics. The more I listen to the track the more I feel like I'm listening to an Avalanches tune.

The album is quite short at 11 tracks with guests in the form of Devise & Doc Brown on the violin led This Is Who We Be and Lowkey and Stylah drop by on the remix to Spit Fire, which was originally on the Essence album.

Although quite a short album there is still plenty to sink your teeth into and the rich blend of soulful beats make this a pleasant listen, although you feel as nice as it is to see Yungun show more of a mature side you just yearn for a few more uplifting party tracks. This isn't to put himself or the albums concept down at all but it definitely makes you want the proper solo album from Yungun to be coming soon.

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