– GUERRILLA WARFARE –

Bass playing virtuoso Robert “Bubby” Lewis’ first solo album, 1UP! Adventures & Quests Episode III was released in 2017 and, in and around that time, Lewis has collaborated with, amongst others, Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Lupe Fiasco, Jhene Aiko, Tha Game and Stevie Wonder.

Now he returns with Game of Life, thistime joined by Kamasi Washington’s keyboard player and fellow super-weirdo Brandon ‘Professor Boogie’ Coleman (on vocoder) and rising-star drum master Joe Otis.

The track is the first release from an upcoming album entitled Hero Dynasty.

Lewis is a self-proclaimed lover of Japanese anime, comic books, video games and ‘all things nerdy’. And you can tell it in his music.

This is the soundtrack to an acid trip.

To attempt to try to break it down and analyse it would be futile, firstly because I’m not that clever, really, but also because what’s happening appears to change literally every bar.

According to Hero Dynasty’s publicity materials, “What sets the album apart and makes it compelling to anyone with ears are the songs… songs that explore [Lewis’] interests without self-indulgence.”

Which, on the evidence of Game of Life is, quite frankly, bullshit.

But lovable bullshit. Because as much as this track is absolutely the most self-indulgent jazz freak-out you can imagine, you get the sense it’s doing it all with a wry smile and a knowing wink.

Hero Dynasty is scheduled for release on 19 July and will be released through the excellent Ropeadope label.

MORE FROM THIS WEEK’S MIX

ABSTRACT ORCHESTRA: AIR
SAMPA THE GREAT: FINAL FORM
KINKAJOUS: JUPITER
SANS SOUCIS: UNCHAIN

P.S. You can find all of the tracks reviewed above in the 45 Revolutions per Minute playlist below or click to access the 45 RPM Playlist on Spotify itself.

If you like what you hear (or even if you don’t), please engage in dialogue with me @45rpm_Reviews on Twitter. And, if you’d like to receive updates weekly, please subscribe to the email list to get these recommendations sent to your inbox weekly.

– SV –