Description
Hollie Cook, a former member of The Slits and heir to the punk and reggae lineage. Created with the master Prince Fatty, this is a modern tropical pop masterpiece where the radiance of 1960s girl groups intersects with lovers rock.
After her time with the legendary punk band The Slits, she rose to become the queen of modern lovers rock. This album, which can be considered her roots, crystallizes her respect for legends such as Janet Kay and Phyllis Dillon into a unique form of "tropical pop" alongside producer Prince Fatty.
Starting with the globally supported classic "Milk & Honey," sun-drenched, blissful grooves dominate the entire album. Even on cover songs such as The Shangri-Las' "(Remember) Walkin' In The Sand" and Rachel Sweet's "It's So Different Here," her supple and sweet vocals stand out, transforming sorrow into hope.
It is also worth noting the participation of top-tier musicians such as Dennis Bovell, Style Scott, and Omar. From the dub-style "Sugar Water (Look At My Face)" with its undulating heavy bass to the briskly rhythmic "Body Beat," it perfectly balances vintage texture with a modern sensibility. A masterpiece that deserves to be loved across generations is now reissued on vivid yellow vinyl!
A1. Milk And Honey
A2. That Very Night
A3. Walking In The Sand
A4. Cry (Disco Mix)
A5. It's So Different Here
B1. Sugar Water (Look At My Face) ft. Horseman
B2. Shadow Kissing
B3. Used To Be
B4. Body Beat ft. Horseman
Mr Bongo presents a yellow vinyl repress of Hollie’s sensational, self-titled 2011 debut album. 14 years on, this timeless debut produced by Prince Fatty fuses Hollie's self-coined ‘tropical pop’ sound with her passion for reggae and lovers rock singers such as Janet Kay and Phyllis Dillon and classic '60s girl groups.
An album that radiates with highlights, it features what would become one of Hollie’s most popular songs, the super catchy, sun-soaked ‘Milk & Honey’ that has racked up over 46 million streams on Spotify alone. Elsewhere, there are distinctive reggae cover versions of the Shangri-Las ‘(Remember) Walkin’ In The Sand’, transformed from a dark, emotive cut into one filled with a flavour of hope, alongside a signature new spin on Rachel Sweet’s amazing, laidback ‘It's So Different Here’. Take to the bass-heavy ‘Sugar Water (Look At My Face)’ for a dub-leaning workout and look to the singles ‘That Very Night’ and ‘Body Beat’ to further feel the synergy between Hollie and Prince Fatty, showcasing songs that are inspired and influenced by the past but with a definitive foot in the present.
Adding further weight to this iconic debut, there are a talented array of musicians featuring across the record, including Omar, Dennis Bovell, George Decker (The Pioneers), Horseman, Style Scott, Black Steel, Mutant Hi-Fi and more. Along with Prince Fatty at the controls and Hollie on the mic, together they crafted a classic sound that feels as fresh (but also as vintage) as it did fourteen years ago. A modern masterpiece in its genre, and the start of Hollie’s journey to becoming the contemporary queen of the lovers rock sound.
