Ninja Tuna

by John BushAndy Carthy's Mr. Scruff project is that rare beast in trip-hop and breakbeat circles -- an act who's enjoyed plenty of commercial success (relatively speaking), but still hasn't worn out his welcome. Ninja Tuna comes after a long break in production records, although Carthy kept his name current with great mix albums and popular commercials for Lincoln and Volvo. The album begins normally enough for a trip-hop record, with several different genre exercises and some intriguing guest features (Alice Russell, Quantic, Roots Manuva) -- nothing that hasn't been seen from a dozen different breakbeat producers of the '90s or 2000s. But Scruff has a different endpoint in mind, and Ninja Tuna gradually evolves into a pleasant grind of house and funk that relaxes the affair and makes for a surprisingly subtle listen (especially compared to the dynamic first half of the record). Late in the program, "Give Up to Get" reveals itself as the highlight, a mellow slice of jazz-house that would be welcomed by any Theo Parrish fan looking for more in the after-hours funk vein.