A Truly entrancing artifact of the past few decades, Evan Pyramid snuck up on us here at the office. Now a mainstay in mornings lacking energy, its mid tempo groove odysseys have us zipping around with a newfound efficiency. The story goes, from the comprehensive and enjoyable gatefold liner notes, that a late 70s Andre Evans, a sort of journeyman session musician, suffered so heavily from a breakup that he confined himself to glasses of wine and Marvin Gaye. What came out was "Never Gonna Leave You", a highly unique piece of futuristic soul that refuses to unlock itself from its passionate, if somber, momentum. From the liner notes, to pique intrigued ears, "Andre was able to achieve an undeniably unique sound by overdubbing rhythmic guitar parts while using the technique of muting guitar strings." A vague enough citation sure, but I can't justifiably give away too much about the song, its mysterious hypnotic quality has to be heard to be fully understood. Beyond "Never", the rest of the album continues as a collection of Evans' singles and unreleased material throughout the 70s and 80s. "Dip Drop" and "Rubber Band" play out as the dancefloor anthems, ready for any barbecue afterparty or birthday party shakedown. The clear rival to the burner-quality of "Never" comes from "No I Won't", a more upbeat showcase of Evans' hypnotic soul-step. With a soaring female lead, a warbled, synth-string melody, and the same guitar-magic employed on "Never", the song will sneak its way into your head. Tailor-made for the end-hours of DJ sets. All told, a good collection, and story, of rescued obscurity. Recommended.

• Music Label: Cultures of Soul 2012

reviewed by A. Tomorrow 09/2012