The prolific Manchester-based artist known as Robot Needs Oil has been found covertly recording downtempo, reggae, and hip hop fueled beats under the curious name of My Neighbour Is. Buddha Fly is the latest album for the Cold Busted label under this moniker and it serves as an immersive downtempo / hip-hop hybrid. Half pitched-up and pungently stringy, half laid-back and enveloped by a smoky haze, the album could be the soundtrack to a fable … and a funky fable, at that. This split sees the release's ten tracks teeter on the edge of trip-hop at times while flirting with antique sounds from days gone by at others. Anyone looking for an out-of-body experience traveling partner will find their match in Buddha Fly.
Nightmares On Wax - “Nice selection of tracks.”
Kid Loco - "'No 1' is a really great old skool beats track."
DJ Moneyshot (Solid Steel Radio / NinjaTune) - “Boom bap bidness … gonna put ‘No 1’ at the head of the crates for sure.”
Ohmega Watts (Ubiquity Records / Lo-Fi) - “I really dig this record! It takes me back to the mid-late '90s … yet, with a twist of the modern beat era. It in no way sounds dated, but, as all good music, remains timeless. Pleasant surprise!”
Inland Knights - “More top jams from Cold Busted.”
Quincy Jointz (Timewarp Music) - “Perfect funky downtempo beats … as good as Nightmares on Wax and all the other big names from the ‘90s … full support.”
Minus 8 (Compost / Stereo Deluxe) - “Nice downtempo with a slight exotica touch.”
Mojo Rising (Journees Music / F.A.M.I.L.Y.) - “Excellent work all the way around … hard to pick a favorite, but those Asian strings in ‘Buddha Fly’…”
Dima Studitsky(Headz.FM / Compost) - “Great album … in the best tradition of classic downtempo.”
DJ Tomas (Friday Night Session / Google Play) - “Damn, the flute on ‘Wah Love’ is a fantastic accent to an already great arrangement. Each of these tracks shines in their own way and the drum programming absolutely snaps and cracks … a very thorough production.”
Robin Parris (Parris & Vanucci / Dancefloor Outlaws) - “Another solid selection of lazy Sunday beach beats.”
Sam Hopkins (AccuRadio) - “Love the album … this sort of jazzy, instrumental hip-hop is perfect.”
Mark Reynolds (Just Chillin Podcast) - “Hypnotic, sexy, and smooth … soundtrack to the summer (well, the southern hemisphere at least)!”
Amrisha Prashar (IAMRISHA / Radio 79 New Delhi) - “Laid-back smokey vibes … feeling this … especially ‘French Toasts'.”
riccicomoto (Ibiza Global Radio) - “Very nice tunes with soul and a movie ambience … begs a deeper listen!”
David Bassin (KUSF / Space Invader Radio) - “A bundle of boss beats!”
Clive Craske (RadioReverb, UK) - "A wonderfully laid back album, worthy of The Big Chill in its heyday. Becoming deeper from the outset, until we get to the title track of meditative excellence."
Lemar Soulflower (Soul Deep NYC) - "Top notch party rockers and cinematic soundscapes. Definitely a release not to be missed."
Clairvo (Tilos Radio FM90.3) - “Essential … nothing less than essential!"
Available now from Beatport, iTunes, and The Cold Busted Shop.