Hamburg’s ANGELS OF LIBRA are a prolific little lot. In not a lot of time, they’ve delivered a couple of albums and have just launched a third – a full-blown collaboration with Croatian singer MAIIAH. The band have worked with her before. Between them they’ve released (we think) two singles – ‘No, No, no’ and ‘Kava’ and now those two tracks take centre stage on a full Angels/Maiiah joint album.
The eponymous collection is a 10 tracker and it offers plenty more of the bold, brash, brassy sound of those singles. Not surprising, since Maiiah and producer Dennis Rux share a passion for classic soul, so again, no surprise that one of this LP’s highlights is a cover of Barbara Lynn’s ‘I’m A Good Woman’. Maiiah and the band give it the right amount of respect and deliver a properly authentic take – in analogue, of course!
Other highlights include the simple and less restrained ‘Obey’ (listen up to the sweet and catchy riff, lovely) and the stirring Southern soul tinged ‘Please Come Home’.
Retro soul is enjoying something of a renaissance right now and the Angels of Libra are in the European vanguard of the movement and in Maiiah they’ve found a vocalist who can help them deliver with passion, commitment and real soul.
MAIIAH AND THE ANGELS OF LIBRA – out now via WATERFALL RECORDS
