Track Listing

1. Do You Miss Me - Fertile Ground & Matthew Payne
2. People Need People - Fertile Ground & Jenobe Suma
3. Freedom
4. Space Explorers
5. Anger Against My Face - Fertil Ground & Neila/Matthew Paine
6. Grippin' To Dirt On Rotary Earth
7. Spirit Of Love - Fertile Ground & Jenobe Suma
8. Future Town
9. Summer Rain - Fertile Ground & Zakir Sahar
10. Monkey Boy
11. Lifeforms
12. Time Is Now

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #46097 in Music
• Released on: 2004-11-29
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Fertile ground roll on
Fertile Ground are one of those bands that just make you appreciate music. Not only do they write excellent songs but the music complements it perfectly. Add Navasha Daya's vocals to any group and you are almost certainly guaranteed a successfull formula. This is Fertile Ground's fourth studio album after, Field Songs, Spiritual War and Season's Change and they are still on a roll. There has been a steady progression in their overall sound and they certainly don't disappoint on Black Is... Fertile Ground have a formula that incorporates all of the elements from Funk, Jazz, Afro-beat, Latin and reggae. They are also one of those bands that are absolutely mesmorising live. Yes the albums are great but live they just blow you away.

With their previous album Season's change I was wondering where they were going to go musically. Well they have kept the formula that has served them so well but the afro-beat is probably the biggest change and what a change. The album kicks off with the amazing Spirit World with classic afro beat style horns and rhythms as well as Navasha's vocals. They have really excelled on this album with one of my favourite Fertile Ground tracks "Live in The Light". If this doesn't get you tapping your feet and wanting to step out then I don't know what would. Not only is it very danceable but as always the lyrics are just amazing. Many remixers have got their fingers into Live in the light and it is not surprising. Just listen to Navasha rant and that is the best term to describe her singing about stopping war, stopping hate and living together. Truly uplifting. It is also nice to see Olu butterfly getting more input on the poetry side with "An Artist's Prayer". She has already appeared on a counterpoint Jazz-Bizniz album and she is very much a part of the Fertile Ground family.

Just when you thought can the album get any better they then add another classic "Yellow Daisies". Again this track has been given the remix treatment by the likes of Nicola Conte but in it's original form it is just totally mesmorising. Can they get any better? On this album they do with yet another classic "Black Is.." lyrically as good as anything they've ever produced and again very uplifting. I've only mentioned a few tracks but you do need to hear the album in it's entirety to really appreciate it, it really is that good. If they continue producing music as good as this will it matter whether they get any better? This music really is food for thought and so long as you're hungry for a bit of spiritual uplifting then Fertile Ground will be only happy to feed you.

black is truly beautiful
this has to be one of my favourite albums of 2004. this is the first time i had heard of fertile ground, and as soon as i put it on i knew we'd be friends for life. stand out tracks which are constantly on repeat are 'black is', 'yellow daises' and 'you'. navasha's vocals are beautiful, i cant wait to experience fertile ground live. i urge you to get this cd, and listen to great music that incoroprates latin, funk, rnb, jazz, raggae, african rhythms and much much more. I LOVE IT!!