Album Notes

This album is the long-awaited follow up to 2002’s STUDIO DON, originally released on Jazzanova’s offshoot label Best Seven. Whilst the first album took its inspiration from Jamaica and Cuba – specifically dub, reggae and Latin music – the new album looks further back to the source of black music and draws heavily on the music that came out of West Africa during the mid-70s.

This is the sweltering era of high action guitars and warped neck bass, psychedelic organs, primitive funk and heavyweight rhythms overlaid with barnstorming brass sections, where feel takes sway over tuning and FIRE comes before technique.

This raw feel was retained in sessions at Bigga’s farmhouse studio in the South of England where he laid down all the rhythm tracks and worked with a live brass section prior to collaborating with musicians in New York, Dublin and London.

Thus we have deep dub poetry from Earl Zinger (aka Rob Gallagher, Gilles Peterson’s live MC, 2 Banks of Four and Red Egyptian), NYC rap attitude from Candice Cannabis, Latino consciousness from Blanquito Man (King Chango, Up Bustle & Out) and Nigerian MC Lariman Ojelade.

Some reactions to 13 Faces of Lightning Head:

Brilliant record – recommended.
Gilles Peterson, BBC Radio 1

Nice afro-dub infused grooves by the man biggabush - always fresh! Richard Dorfmeister

I can live without ever hearing another Afrobeat record, but this is among the best I've run across by a modern outfit.
Charlie Gillett, Sound of the World, BBC Radio

LOVE IT.
Raphael Sebbag, UFO, Tokyo

Great work.
Will Holland, Quantic, Flowering Inferno, QSO, Tru Thoughts

What a great album bro! Absolutely love it...Right down my Strasser....
George Evelyn/DJ EASE, Nightmares on Wax