Opa knows best… Every now and again the good folk at Monaberry invite their eldest family chief, Grandpa Herbert, around for a spiritual sonic powwow. A chance to galvanise the forces and energies that have become the label’s signature over the years, these collections have become a Monaberry tradition. And this is its seventh… Label founders Super Flu take the lead with ‘Bebey Love 1’; a mystic moment of deep desert hypnosis, calling and responding to its own momentum. It’s followed by ‘Handmade’, a spiralling, foot-stamping tribal slice of cosmosis from new friend and MoBlack affiliate Sobek. Deeper again we strike ‘Urban Linien’ from label lifer CIOZ; a hip-slinking late night narrative laced with deep dreams and psychedelic flourishes, things take a serious level-up from four minutes in. Chapter 24 associate JOBE follows with a similarly lavish yarn ‘Maasai’. Subtly theatrical and laced with nuances of dark bass and a restrained sense of theatre, it’s doesn’t so much as grab your attention but arrests it and gives it a life sentence. He’s followed by old Monaberry flame Ole Biege who brings the ‘Heat’ in every sense. Strutting on a sweet shuffle and gently paced with beautiful piano chords and a sultry vocal, its borderline spiritual in its allure and sets us up perfectly for brick-talking MULYA who makes a swift return from his recent label debut with the moody marching safari ‘Hamune’. Finally Bebetta and Douglas Greed bring this life-affirming chapter to an end. The former delivers a stunning slab of subversion in the form of ‘Gattara’ which balances spine-melting arpeggios and warm, bouncy bass. The latter takes us right back to the source with ‘Arpo33’, a trance-tinged hair-raiser that’s powered by a cathedral-like lead that doesn’t promise new dimensions… It guarantees them. Eight inspiring journeyman adventures from eight of Monaberry’s firmest friends and most kindred spirits. No one picks them like Opa Herbert. Less old school, more vintage university, it’s detailed excursions like these that keep the old timer alive. Long may they continue…