The group’s frontman Tommy Lindgren aka Father Metro shakes you up musically – but in a good way. An Amnesty International-ite, he inspires credibility in a class all its own: he’s the Clint Eastwood of hip-hop. His artistic talents on the domestic music scene are totally sovereign.

The lyrics of Breaking Daylight are often political, as in “Jah Jah Blowjob,” a cuttingly ironic take against the war on Iraq. In “Nightman,” Lindgren contemplates life from the point of view of the aged, disenfranchised and outcast. Rest assured, there’s also lyrically lighter fare, including “One MC, One Delay” and “Harlem Davidson,” which both grab you and make you want to move and groove to their infectious beat.

Quintessence’s Emma Salokoski guest stars on a few pieces. Particularly in the hypnotic “Nightman,” her poignantly beautiful voice works perfectly with the bass. The instrumentals throughout the album are exceptional, as are Pekka Mikkonen’s saxophone solos. Throughout the CD, styles change and on some level it’s difficult to categorize DJBB’s unique brand of music. If there’s one style that it’s frequently associated with, then that’s groove. With their jaunty hip-hop and jazz that's rich in atmosphere, DJBB radiates above all a fresh and positive F***-off attitude.

Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t come up with any minuses about Breaking Daylight. With this album, an exceptional live band enters the foray as one of Finland’s best bands. To that end, I’ll crib a quote from the album sleeve: “Thank you all, all of y’all.”

Rating:

JUHANI PITKÄNEN