Album: Bootsy Collins, Tha Funk Capitol Of The World (Mascot)

In a world of shifting values, it's comforting to encounter an oasis of stability – which, despite his flamboyant musicality, is what one gets with Bootsy's Tha Funk Capitol Of The World.

It's not simply that his musical approach remains intact from P-Funk times – a churning stew of psychedelic funk grooves driven by that growling, propulsive fuzz-bass – but also that his collaborators have been chosen for their positive attitudes, whether it's the Rev. Al Sharpton eulogising James Brown or Dr. Cornel West sermonising on self-respect. The densely-textured arrangements can get a bit stodgy in places, and the last few tracks slip into dreary bubblebath-boudoir mode, but Bootsy's blithe drawl, the vocal equivalent of a bubble, is usually around to lift one's spirits.

DOWNLOAD THIS Freedumb; Kool Whip; Don't Take My Funk; Minds Under Construction