Raw Digits

super collider's jamie lidell and cristian vogel have said that their debut collaboration, 1999's head on, was intended to be a house album "shot through with echoes from funk past." the lead single from that album, 'darn (cold way o' lovin)', certainly hit that mark with an electro-lastic bass line and warbling by lidell that fell well within the p-funk/gap band rubric. that being the case, raw digits is by all accounts some slicked-up r&b - which is funny when you think about the fact that lidell's last solo album, muddlin' gear, was glitch-y experimental rhythm, while vogel sports a reputation for punching techno among other things. it's all laid out for consideration on the first track; 'messagesacomin' oozes all the soul stevie wonder might muster thanks to lidell's tawny, echoed vocal delivery. harmonizing synths beam backup atmospherics and a rubber band bass around the room like nobody's business. there's certainly a nod to timbaland wrapped up in raw digits as well - both these guys put technology to work with matthew herbert's bass piano assistance on the sexy ballad, 'gravity rearrangin'.