A CERTAIN RATIO Vinilo y CD

Review: Manchester mavericks A Certain Ratio have been on a rare run of form of late, with 2023's 1982 counting as one of their most vibrant and endlessly entertaining albums for decades. Of course, all their albums are of a consistent quality, but It All Comes Down To This genuinely crackles with energy. From the word go, the veteran band's inherent funkiness is present, but this time it comes cloaked in fuzzy funk-rock guitar riffs, acid-fried effects, and vocals that are amongst the most forthright they've committed to wax (or, in this case, CD). In many ways, it is - as the band and producer/Sopeedy Wunderground boss Dan Carey intended - a 'back to basics' sound that focuses on the key aspects of ACR's sound. When those 'basics' are so strong, it's no surprise that the results are this impressive.

Review: A Certain Ratio, Manchester icons, are back and in fine style with the new album It All Comes Down to This, which arrives here on eco vinyl. This record, while nodding to their roots, delivers 10 succinct tracks infused with the group's distinctive electronic touch and marks the first recording featuring the core trio of Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop, and Donald Johnson without additional collaborators. The album exemplifies the band's ongoing evolution with short and sweet cuts like 'All Comes Down To This' next to the compelling likes of 'Bitten By A Lizard' and plenty in between.

Review: It All Comes Down to This is the album latest release from Manchester icons A Certain Ratio, and it's a record that is helmed by producer Dan Carey from Speedy Wunderground. Somewhat returning to their origins, the record presents ten concise tracks with a hint of the group's signature electronic flair. Notably, it's the first recording featuring the core trio of Jez Kerr, Martin Moscrop, and Donald Johnson, without any additional collaborators. From their celebrated 1982 album and right up to their dynamic last EP in 2023, this album shows the band's still evolving and still committed to new musical advancements. A testament to their enduring legacy, It All Comes Down to This solidifies A Certain Ratio's place among Manchester's finest.

Review: The album 1982 stands out as one of the finest moments in A Certain Ratio's story. When you're talking about a band that started half a decade before the year 1982, that's saying something. Following on from the landmark ACR Loco, the outfit's 2023 record is packed with multidimensionality - dipping toes into everything from gritty post punk (a sound from whence they first came) to Afrobeat, all realised with exceptional attention to detail and the highest possible standards. 2023 EP, as the title suggests, builds on the impact of that latest long-from release. Opening on the jazzy late night club workout 'Day By Day', a brand new number, the package then jumps into work from the aforementioned LP, redone by contemporary dons. So that's Werkha on a stepping, garage-hued version of 'SAMO', Emperor Machine emphasising the exotic disco grooves of 'Constant Curve', and Jade Parker offering a highly percussive cosmic take on 'Waiting On A Train'.

Review: Let's face facts, the trilogy of releases that ACR:EPR completes have helped win over a new generation of fans for the band while reassuring established followers that A Certain Ratio can still do the business. They've been heartfelt and honest, truly innovative and - when all is said and done, at some point in the near future - destined to be considered collector's items.

The final chapter is certainly winding things up triumphantly. '$ouls In The City' seems to go straight for the mind's eye, an enrapturing track that chugs its way through layers of funk groove, with acid details just about audible on top. 'Night People' is a far more sticky, treacly affair, while 'Big Boy Pants' ushers in a kind of nocturnal seduction, brass and rolling breakbeats setting the scene perfectly for the ska-infused melodies of 'Downtime Vibes' that follow.

Review: A Certain Ratio have returned with their most tight and funky album, possibly ever, recently, and it is steeped in 40 years of ACR DNA. Now you can grab two of the standout singles on this fine, limited edition white 7" thanks to Daniel Miller's essential Mute. Opener 'Berlin' is the second single from that album, ACR Loco, and has breezy vocals and Trillin riffs over tight drum work. 'Dirty Boy' is riddled with squelchy synth funk, with popping drums and a great vocal performance that will get any party vibing.

Review: A Certain Ratio's core trio of drummer Donald Johnson, bassist/vocalist Jez Kerr, and multi-instrumentalist Martin Moscrop make ACR Loco a perfectly fluid and funk album. In fact, on this, their first album in more than ten years, the Manchester post-punk outfit are as funky as they have ever been. Their tried and tested sound gets nicely updated with modern beat driven sounds and plenty of redefines to today's political strife in the lyrics. There are plenty of smooth and cool synth led grooves like 'Get A Grip' and messages of unity on 'Family' that we can all relate to.