The hard-throttle energy of Timo Lassy exalts and cusses with funky aplomb with a tone so broad it causes cross channel ferries in the fog to swerve. It's a sound that communicates, a sound that's most at home in a hot sweaty, jazz club at midnight, rousing the crowd onto the dance floor for a good time – I know, ‘cause I've seen him do it on his home turf in Helsinki. This is his new band with just bass and drums accompaniment, and Lassy is well up to the demanding challenge in a context that leaves him nowhere to hide. On some tracks he's augmented by the strings, while on others he's incorporated subtle electronic shadings. While he's thoughtful and subdued on ‘Sointu’ and ‘Sunday 20, he's at his expansive best on tracks like ‘Pumping C’ and ‘Subtropical’. The key to all Lassy's work is its combination of accessibility and integrity – there's no selling out here, it's solid, hard swinging stuff that leaves the listener with a feel-good factor.