Love Mission (Inity, 2006)

Taking intentional misspelling to the extreme, I Yahn I Arkestra ("I and I Orchestra") is a roots outfit hailing from Philadelphia with a lush, vintage sound. Seven members strong, the group sports an engrossing full-band flavor that's the main selling point of Love Mission, their debut album. The songs are free-flowing and "jammy," and combined with the spiritual lyrics and layered drums, they create the feel of an old-fashioned Rastafarian groundation. As engaging and tight as the musicianship is, though, the vocals deaden its impact. Having a male and female due sing lead is an intriguing, fresh concept, but the female, Kasiopia, sounds stiffly formal to the point of borderline operatic, while the male, Ras Jah-D, is flat and not engaging. It's a shame, because the music is strong and the production crisp. A dub version of Love Mission -- which I think may actually exist -- would be a better bet. Judge for yourself at iyia.com.