Henry Wu - Good Morninf Peckham (Rhythm Section Intl.)
After releasing EPs on Odd Socks and Ho-Tep, West Croydon’s Henry Wu has ticked all the boxes again on Rhythm Section’s seventh release, captained by DJ, promoter and Boiler Room man, Bradley Zero.
The album makes use of spoken word pieces, live bass guitar and broken beats; the B1 for example, sounds like the improvised claps are going to slide off the glossy vinyl as I sit here writing this review.
Wu contends with house-focused tracks well, ‘Dubplate Special’ and Croydon Depot, yet it’s clear that his speciality lies in the more spaced out tracks. What I find so amazing is that I can play this album in the evening at a friend’s house after a few drinks, yet it doesn’t feel out of place on hazy mornings at eight o’clock.
Some would say that this means that it is a well-rounded album; that there are some tracks that suit certain situations and some that suit others – and that’s true, but Wu delves deeper in my opinion. His talent for bringing so many different musical layers together makes this album stand out.
The only criticism I have is that I’d love to see an extended version of Croydon Depot and Dubplate Special.
This varied album, brilliantly arranged and stitched together by spoke word interludes is the kind of record that will have people arguing for hours over just which track is the best.
4.2/5
Words by Matthew Barnett