Malakai are a two-man dance friendly band from Bristol, UK - Gee (vocals) and Scott (decks/music)- championed by Portishead’s Geoff Barrow.
Rather than trip-hop, the key influence on the Malakei sound is obviously the laid back herbalicious reggae beats as found on any Peter Tosh record . These are embellished. somewhat incongruously, with sounds more befitting a good time sixties pop combo.
In the spoof ad at the start of this disc the healing powers of the Malakai elixir are that they can "take the skin off a rattlesnake and the teeth out a crocodile". The EP also contains a Spitting Image style skit of Prime Minister's question time. These attempts at humour are mercifully brief and add nothing to the four songs on the EP.
'The Battle' and 'Moonsurfing' are more obviously pop-orientated. The latter has the hallmarks of a summer hit with its celebration of simple pleasures like grabbing a beer and enjoying the beach. Just 2 minutes long, it sounds like a fragment of a bigger idea.
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The hedonistic mood of these tracks is tempered by a more socially conscious tone on the remaining songs.
One meaning of the name Malakai is ’my messenger’ and the message of Gee and Scott takes its cue from the 'change is possible' anti-globalisation movement.
'Fading World' has already been used to accompany the star studded 'Stop Climate Change' video (Tagline – “I’m irresistibleâ€). It also has an anti-war theme ("just stop and put your weapons down") as does 'Words Like Humble' . The latter , with its full on dub soul and woozy horns, is the track where their eclectic sound works most effectively.
All in all this EP is a mixed bag with plenty of energy and good ideas but a general lack of a convincing theme or focus.
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