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Blu ACiD feat. John Blake - Blu ACiD feat. John Blake EP - Blu
ACiD Records

Blu ACiD are Misha Den Haring and Jan Mittendorp, two
musicians/producers from Holland. This four track EP also
includes the singer John Blake.

The album opens with ‘Georgia’ a stripped back work song with
minimal backing initially that subtlety increases and the tremelo
effect on the guitar adds intensity to give off a really good old

style Gospel feel. Really liked this one.

‘Gallows Tree’ is another work song in style with various
rhythms and backings, with the guitar helping to keep an old style feel but introducing new sounds
along the way.

A dirty blues boogie guitar riff opens ‘Keep It Burning’ to get your foot tapping whilst a more synth

based electronic music style gives ‘No Time’ more of a pop infused sound.

Listening to these songs brings to mind Moby’s “Play” album where old style blues met a modern
day electronic twist. That Moby album was over twenty years ago now. Blu ACiD do add other
musical styles and modern day technology to an old style of blues roots music but it feels more
organic and raw than Moby's album. You can not overlook the wonderful voice of John Blake too,
particularly on ‘Georgia’ which helps pull this project together.

Clearly Blu ACiD are trying to push boundaries here with songs that are more about rhythms with a
vibe, and the lyrics are an integral part too. This is an interesting album for blues fans, (dare I say
this is ‘Electro Blues’) and I’m keen to see where Blu ACiD take their brand of music next.

Ged Wilson

Ben De La Cour - Shadow Land - Flour Sack Cape Records

Ben De La Cour is a Singer/Songwriter based in Nashville and
‘Shadow Land’ is his fourth album.

Ben kicks off the album with some great upbeat acoustic guitar
on ‘God’s Only Son’ that drives this tale of a bank robbing drifter
along rather nicely, with a hint of a spaghetti western about it.
Next up is ‘High Heels Down the Holler’ with some haunting
fiddle, weaving its way through this one that has a hint of Tom
Waits about it. ‘The Last Chance Farm’ tells the story of rehab.
Ben sings this song beautifully with such a gentle honest voice. I

love the line, “...her words trailed off like cigarette smoke
underneath the door...” real poetry.

The title track ‘Shadow Lands’ is another reflective song with absorbing lyrics. ‘Basin Lounge’ has a
completely different feel about it, it’s a piano infused blues where Jerry Lee Lewis meets Dylan’s
‘Subterranean Homesick Blues’! ‘Anderson’s Small Ritual’ is another lovely tale from Ben whilst the
closing song ‘Valley of the Moon’ is another haunting story with a hint of Leonard Cohen about it.