Ninja Tuna by Mr. Scruff

Welcome to another review! This time, we’ll look at Mr. Scruff’s album Ninja Tuna.

Test the Sound: The intro of the album begins with a rap, which I am not too fond of as a genre. Despite my usual disdain for rap, I found this song serviceable because of the catchy beat and the short run-time.

Music Takes Me Up: A song about how music improves the quality of life. The lyrics of the song are what resonate with me the most, as music is indeed uplifting to me. The song also has a charming piano loop.

Donkey Ride: An instrumental that begins with a nice piano and a vocal sample that was annoying when I initially heard it, but grew on me after a few more listens. After the song adds more instruments and a nice drum beat, it improves.

Hairy Bumpercress: Opening with a nice piano and a minimalist beat, this song gradually builds up with stronger drums and clapping. It also wins the prize for the most unique song title in history.

Whiplash: A song containing low synths and trumpets that jump out of a quick drum beat, creating a real feeling of whiplash. The song then drastically slows down, which does drag on a bit, but the song remains decent.

Nice Up the Function: The song I enjoy the least. As previously mentioned, I’m not a fan of rap songs and the beat isn’t enough to salvage this track.

Bang the Floor: This instrumental song improves on the last track. While the beat is a bit vanilla, it benefits from the lack of rapping and a shorter runtime.

Get on Down: Another great song on the record to dance to, despite its slow tempo. The synths and guitar riffs, along with the vocals, give the song a funky edge that makes it perfect for the dance-floor.

Hold On: A song that fuses jazz elements with electronic elements to create a nice blend. The vocals on the song are also pleasant, with lyrics about holding onto love.

Give Up to Get: A song that tells the listener to give up what they don’t want to get what they do. Benefiting the song is a nice dynamic instrumentation accompanied by complementary samples.

Kalimba: The definitive song of the album. A variety of instruments are used in the song and some portions of the tune sound borderline symphonic, resulting in an unforgettable listening experience.

This Way: Surprisingly, this song sounds vaguely similar to the previous track, but the song is still unique enough to stand out as it uses fewer instruments and has vocals.

Stockport Carnival: The final track that utilizes more jazz instruments such as trumpets and saxophones, and has an overall upbeat, festive sound that puts you right in the setting.

The greatest strength of Ninja Tuna is its variety, as it does a splendid job blending many different genres together. This album receives an 8/10!