THE BLUEFOOT PROJECT: Brave

The Bluefoot Project

Brave

© 2004 Chocolate Fireguard Music (634479656125)

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Chocolate Fireguard presents: gorgeous soul funk trip hop from the UK featuring the outstanding vocals of Rachel Modest. Critically acclaimed over in England, while recently in the US it was the 5th most requested CD on KCRW radio in LA.

notes

"Brave" is the debut album from The Bluefoot Project on UK independent label Chocolate Fireguard. It's gorgeous soul funk trip hop from Yorkshire with an outstanding vocalist in the shape of Rachel Modest. Check out www.myspace.com/chocolatefireguardmusic and www.chocolatefireguard.com for more info.......

- one of only four imports chosen for British Phonographic Industry's "Best of British" campaign in Virgin Megastores USA

- 5th most requested CD on LA radio station KCRW for September.

"Fans of Massive Attack and Grand Central your new favourite band is here...stunning" Muzik

"This girl could sing the telephone directory and still break your heart" DJ

"Hands down, the most powerful album I've had the pleasure of listening to this issue....anyone with a heart needs to hear these sounds. Soulful music with a breakbeat edge has never sounded so good. Buy this today." Knowledge

The Bluefoot Project are an amalgamation of urban heads based in West Yorkshire, England. Formed in 1997 and sharing a variety of musical backgrounds they set about fusing many different styles into a vocal-led, beat-driven, 21st century soulful funk with nods in the right direction to reggae, hip hop, gospel and leftfield.

In 1999 they approached newly formed Chocolate Fireguard, developed by Kava Kava singer Pat Fulgoni and at that point running as a live booking agency. They started gigging the club and festival circuit in the UK. Following an amazing set at Glastonbury Festival in 2000 it was decided that the time was right to record their debut "Observations EP' Released in 2002, it hurdled the likes of Jill Scott and Jamiroquai to the 'sureplayer' review in DJ magazine (R&B page) while top tune "Soma" found its way onto the essential Chocolate Fireguard compilation "Taster ....... Sounds From The Funky Underground Volume 2" (also available here) as well as "Best Of British" Virgin Megastores USA.

The band also feature on new compilation "Interesting Flavours" (Chocolate Fireguard) alongside tracks from artists including Bentley Rhythm Ace, Freddy Fresh, Jason Sparks, Kava Kava and features the new remix of Bluefoot Project material by the Awayteam!

Over the years, The Bluefoot Project have grown musically together and are now widely known for their unique sound which combines influences like Massive Attack, Squarepusher, Lamb, Goldie, Stevie Wonder and King Tubby.

Straight to the point and distinctly urban, they kick out a cool live soul with deep grooves over lush sample based technologies and produce clever, but airy song structures with enough space to let Rachel Modest's nebulous vocal experience shine through.

Needless to say, their debut album "Brave" has been receiving some serious critical acclaim from the UK press (see below)
and while the band work on their second album, Rachel has been notching up sessions for the likes of Jason Sparks, Kava Kava, LA Cedille and other labels like Robsoul, First In Flight and Emotif. But remember ... you heard the soul first on Chocolate Fireguard !!!

REVIEWS:

"what an magnificent piece of work" Mary Anne Hobbs, BBC Radio One (track "Concrete" was her "Breezeblock Bomb" of the week!)

"Fans of Massive Attack and Grand Central your new favourite band is here...stunning" Muzik

"This girl could sing the telephone directory and still break your heart" DJ

"Hands down, the most powerful album I've had the pleasure of listening to this issue....anyone with a heart needs to hear these sounds. Soulful music with a breakbeat edge has never sounded so good. Buy this today." Knowledge

".......all the hallmarks of a chilled classic" Record Collector

"something special to witness here...a voice that is made in heaven, lyrical content that reflects a social conscience and an exploration into arrangement that has you hooked before you could utter Burt Bacherach is how to view Rachel Modest" Straight No Chaser

"captivating" MOJO

"Impressive debut, a collection of songs that rewards repeated listening" IDJ

"An early contender for album of the year" DIVA

"Smouldering fusion of raw soul, tortured blues, slick jazzy break beats and gritty funk" Metro

"...with a voice that could turn a gentle breeze into a hurricane, this will without doubt blow you away" (album of the issue) Undercover

nb For vinyl junkies there's limited edition samplers of both "Brave" and "Observations" available.......

reviews

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  • Bluefoot Project Brave
    author: Popmatters Adam Besenyodi

    When you hear the opening notes of The Bluefoot Project's album Brave, your first reaction will be to keep this musical treasure to yourself. True, this is music as at home in your headphones as coming from your speakers, but there are some things that just demand to be heard by as many people as possible. The Bluefoot Project is one of those things, despite having only produced an EP (Observations), this full-length release, and some compilation contributions. Unfortunately, as a result of their scant output, they have languished in the public consciousness. Sometimes bubbling close to the surface and sometimes requiring multiple listens to be revealed, Brave contains hints of reggae, hip-hop, blues, and gospel. Songs like "Little Miss Selfish" serve as a platform for strong, soulful lead singer Rachel Modest to deliver her lyrics of the urban everyday with emotional intensity. Modest's vocals blend perfectly with Jim Reiss' subtle scratching, Chris Stephenson's drum work, and Ilana Bendel's harmonies, elevating "Little Miss Selfish" from solid soul to a layered, jazz-inflected rhythm. This tune gets a deserved second look on the disc with an exceptional remix treatment from awayTEAM, coupled with the hidden gem "Growing Up" that should have secured a proper track on the album. The work of Oova, The Bluefoot Project's resident MC, Matt Bradley's programming, and Ian Hawkins' bass give a number of tracks an ominous trip-hop undercurrent. Where songs like "Concrete," a superb album opener, and "Does He Love U?" synthesize all the elements of The Bluefoot Project into four- or five-minute servings of beauty and emotion, deeper album tracks like "Try" pull the listener into a gritty, dense soundscape of beats and soul in a Songs in the Key of Life-era Stevie Wonder-meets-Massive Attack kind of way. Modest's harmonies under Oova's delivery provide a vocal layering that complements the musical efforts of the rest of the band. The languid flow of "Soma" is a gorgeous come-down. Like running under water, it has the feeling of everything moving in slow-motion, with short observational challenges delivered by Oova: "It's a brave new world if you're hip enough to swing in it / But if you're not then you're gonna get buried". It's not until the last few tracks that the music starts to slip. While a technically solid song, the dark and spacey reggae undertones of "In a Light Place" feel somehow out of place here. And we're left to wonder how much more powerful the proper album closer, "Hold You," would have sounded had Modest not turned the lead vocals over to Bendel. Though she does not have a weak voice, Bendel suffers from having to not only deliver Modest's words, but also having to follow Modest's ten outstanding vocal tracks. Understandably, The Bluefoot Project took some time off immediately following the initial UK release of Brave in 2003 due to Modest's pregnancy. Here's hoping their frequency of output picks up now that some time has passed since that event and that the pending release of Brave in the United States later this year will help raise their profile. Although their sparse output is partially to blame, up to this point The Bluefoot Project has been criminally relegated to the underground. It would be a shame if they were not to resurface, because this is a band with an interesting way of saying interesting things, but if a follow-up doesn't materialize, we should be thankful for what we've been given.

  • author: squeezer

    Soul funk hip hop sistas supreme! also check Kava Kava from same label for original grooves and moves

  • If you thought Observations was cool.....
    author: John Duckworth

    This band release stuff on the wonderful Chocolate Fireguard imprint. I was blown away by Observations their previous outing, but this album really does hammer the point home that you should not miss any release from this great little label and that one day this band are gonna be BIG BIG BIG!!! "Concrete" is out of this world. "Soma" is a chill out from heaven. BUY and light up a flared one. Its what music is all about.

  • Brave by The Bluefoot Project is a treasure box of smooth vocals, grooving beats
    author: sam jones

    Brave by The Bluefoot Project is a treasure box of smooth vocals, grooving beats and ingenious musicianship. Singer Rachel Modest is not a typical soul-less pop singer - far from it, she definately has soul and its refreshing and inspirational to hear lyrics with content and meaning to them being sung by an amaizing voice. The band as a whole have a slick and interesting sound and have done themselves justice by producing a fantastic album.

  • Brave New World
    author: Rachel

    "Brave" follows on from The Bluefoot Project's stunning debut "Observations". Modest rips up the rule book with her raw soul over the 'foots moody electronic Massive Attack style backing. Its 21st century soul music with trip hop and gospel influences. "Soma" is so chilled its horizontal "In a dark place' is dubalicious while "I don't need you" is a must for any woman whose been let down by their boyfriend! This band are gonna go far if there is any justice.

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