Film of life

"The ticking hi-hat on "African Mind" introduces the set's most ferocious track. The spirited dialogues between horns, guitars, fractious bass, vibraphone, hard snap breaks, and circular rhythms goes completely over the top. Fans may not have realize it initially, but Film of Life provides us with what we've missed sorely: Allen as Allen. Here, the master drummer has used his entire musical history to create a sound that is vital, urgent, powerful, and sexy as hell".

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"His laid-back voice dominates the first two tracks here: the glorious light and slinky Moving On, and Boat Journey, a warning about the dangers facing illegal migrants. This theme is repeated in Go Back, one of two tracks he co-wrote with Damon Albarn, who provides lead vocals and keyboards on a powerful, drifting ballad. Elsewhere, there's a bluesy song from the US-based Nigerian singer Kuku, and rousing, brass-backed funk from the Nigerian female vocal group Adunni and Nefertiti, driven on by a master-drummer still in glorious form".

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