New Release : Inspiration Information, Vol. 4 Strut’s Inspiration Information series moves on from the critically acclaimed Mulatu Astatke / Ihe Heliocentrics collaboration with the fourth album in the series. a mouth-watering head to head between Finnish maverick Jimi Tenor and Afrobeat drumming legend, Tony Allen.

Jimi Tenor remains a fascinating enigma in modern day music. Consistently one of the best and most unpredictable live artists around, his work since his breakthrough album Intervision’ Warp, 19971 has involved open-minded projects ranging from live film soundtracks and orchestral pieces to a series of Afro-based albums with his band Kabu Kabu.

Tony Allen continues to attract new fans as one of the greatest drummers alive today. Celebrated as the creator of the Afrobeat rhythm and a lynchpin of Fela Kuti’s Africa 70 band, his recent work has included The Good. The Bad & The Queen collaboration with Damon Albarn and his first album for World Circuit Records released earlier this year, Secret Agent.

Recorded at Lovelite Studios in Berlin during November 2008 with further sessions this year in Finland and Paris. the Tenor / Allen collaboration whips up a raw, heavy analogue sound mixing the full range of Allen’s Afrobeat repertoire with Tenor's off-kilter brew of dark humour, tongue-in-cheek lyrics and tight, firing musicianship. The sessions involved key members of Tenor's Kobu Kobu band and Berlin-bosed guest MC Allonymous with tracks evolving from jamming ideas put together over five intense days of recording, fuelled by plenty of African food and whisky.

Tenor’s trademark range of home-made instruments rub shoulders with vintage keyboards and traditional African percussion. The resulting set is one of the best recordings that both artists hove produced in recent years. Tracks range from Jimmi's sado masochistic tableau, 'Darker Side of Night’ to apocalyptic commentary on our times, 'Path To Wisdom' and the hilarious lampooning of the UK immigration system, 'Mama England’, composed on the Tenor tour bus.

The album also features fusions based around traditional Afrobeat structures (‘Sinuhe, Got My Egus’) and ends with the extended freestyle builder, ‘Three Continents' a life affirming, mesmeric groove built around another belting Allenko rythm base.

Topical, biting, funny and always funky, experimental but never straying from 'the one', this is another high quality addition to the Inspiration Information series, a 'no rules' set that brings the best out of both artists.

Buy a copy of Inspiration Information, Vol. 4 on cd or vinyl.