Let us take a trip on a Space Shift. Bumping, head-noddin' soul like we grew up to in the 1970s is our fuel. The smooth Shift rides, reminiscent of Billy Paul from the outset; in fact, I thought Billy was singing on the second track, "Dollar," it sounds so much like a "War of the Gods" song when the lyric: "Let the Dolla Circulate!" is delivered. But I guess it is my bad, which lets you know of Spacek's production values and musical genius. This CD also plays like a Marvin Gaye album throughout – oh...my...Godd, reality hits: I'm listening to the formerly almost unknown Steve Spacek's "Space Shift" [Backspin Records]. As we journey through the tracks, we encounter harmless musical asteroids and cosmic dust between the planets of this solar system, mark my words.
This music is a throwback to the big, soulful, fully-orchestrated and movie theme-like arrangements of the post-Motown era on Black radio, and when I read that legendary songwriter Leon Ware is onboard this project, it all made sense to my ear holes. It has been a long time since an artist pulled off this sound successfully. Steve Spacek definitely has a good chance at longevity because with every spin it is more listenable.
Of course, the Marvin-Gaye type groove offered here, like Marvin, is sometimes hard to decipher (which helps make it authentic) with that slurry-cool type of croonin', and subtle jazzy hip-hop "beatology" which can disguise some of the words.
In fact the press release also mentions Donny Hathaway and Leroy Hutson as influences. "Futuristic, robotic, hip-hop based soul" is how the writer, formerly of K7, describes it. I also hear it as dreamlike, and anything but "centric" as his release says. If we were around back when this sound was born we would probably use "avant garde" or like Spacek says, "Simply there was no concept, I just ended-up in LA soakin' up the vibes, and [had] a good experience." That sounds like positive spontaneity, always a fine quality when you are creating "future soul" music. Often that is what happens when we unbind our souls in favor of self, and that is what was going on when he "did something purely for myself without having to consult others/I'd forgotten how good it felt/Pure Freedom!"
This has a mélange of traditional R & B feel with today's orotund bass beat appeal and a healthy dose of repetitiveness. With diverse, mass-appeal promotional marketing, and a little luck, it has a good chance to get airplay. Upon further review, the call on the field is overturned: Four Stars.
