The El Michels Affair – C.R.E.A.M.

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I’ve been a fan of the “retro-soul” movement coming out of New York for a while. A New York bands–The El Michels Affair, which is made up of members of other instrumental soul bands Dap Kings, the Budos Band, and Antibalas, have made a name for themselves by working with such artists as Jay-Z, Amy Winehouse, Adele, and Iggy Pop. Now El Michael’s takes on its best challenge ever–Wu Tang.

The album, Enter the 37th Chamber, and obvious play on Wu’s Enter The Wu-Tang (36 Chambers), the band reinterprets “Can It All Be So Simple,” “Protect Ya Neck,” “Cherchez La Ghost,” and “Incarcerated Scarfaces,” and even includes Old Dirty Bastard’s “Shimmy Shimmy Ya,” and Raekwon’s “Heaven & Hell” in the 15 song lineup. Inspired by the best selling (in this market 7,000 copies is huge) 7” single for C.R.E.A.M., the El Michels Affair have created what might be the best Wu-Tang tribute album that has dropped so far.