D'Ya Hear Me!: Naffi Years, 1979-83 Vinyl Record

2016 repress. Sweet post-punk, with a heartfelt reggae/funk influence, analog dub effects and lovely femme-vox. A unique slice of late-70s/early-80s goodness, starring Brenda Ray, whose previous release on EM Records, Walatta [EM1071CD], has been embraced by a large number of listeners. Recorded in North West England, D’Ya Hear Me! is warm-hearted, open, fresh and slyly experimental.

With an independent spirit and a true D.I.Y. soul, these thirteen tracks, originally released in various formats by Ray a.k.a. Brenda Kenny a.k.a. Natalie Sand a.k.a. Polly Rith’m and her musical friends under the moniker(s) Naffi/Naffi Sandwich, were recorded in a simple home-made studio, making full use of the creative options opened up through the full use of simple means – although the warm, full audio belies any notions of primitivism. Far from media-crazed London, Naffi created a musical world free from lust for the spotlight, focusing solely on the music, and the results are fittingly pure.

D’Ya Hear Me! is a wide-ranging release, with lovely vocal tracks, warm dubs and pleasingly odd instrumentals, all knitted together with a special trans-Atlantic rhythmic sense. Two songs of special interest here are “Moonbeams” and the Young Marble Giants-esque “Everyday Just Another Dream”, which are early versions of “Starlight” and “Another Dream” from Walatta. Also noteworthy are several previously unissued longer versions of some songs.

2016 repress. Sweet post-punk, with a heartfelt reggae/funk influence, analog dub effects and lovely femme-vox. A unique slice of late-70s/early-80s goodness, starring Brenda Ray, whose previous release on EM Records, Walatta, has been embraced by a large number of listeners. Recorded in North West England, D’Ya Hear Me! is warm-hearted, open, fresh and slyly experimental.

With an independent spirit and a true D.I.Y. soul, these thirteen tracks, originally released in various formats by Ray a.k.a. Brenda Kenny a.k.a. Natalie Sand a.k.a. Polly Rith’m and her musical friends under the moniker(s) Naffi/Naffi Sandwich, were recorded in a simple home-made studio, making full use of the creative options opened up through the full use of simple means – although the warm, full audio belies any notions of primitivism. Far from media-crazed London, Naffi created a musical world free from lust for the spotlight, focusing solely on the music, and the results are fittingly pure.

D’Ya Hear Me! is a wide-ranging release, with lovely vocal tracks, warm dubs and pleasingly odd instrumentals, all knitted together with a special trans-Atlantic rhythmic sense. Two songs of special interest here are “Moonbeams” and the Young Marble Giants-esque “Everyday Just Another Dream”, which are early versions of “Starlight” and “Another Dream” from Walatta. Also noteworthy are several previously unissued longer versions of some songs.

• A year-round collection of summery breezes

• Released: 10/20/16
• Format Detail: LP Black
• Format: Vinyl
• Genre: Funk