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Manchester's sugary streetsoul hip-hop heads Rae & Christian stirred up quite a degree of notice with their lush longplayer Northern Sulphuric Soul. Its follow-up, Sleepwalking, offers obvious evidence that they used their popularity to good effect. Key collaborations (and collaborators) on the record suggest that Mark & Steve set out to work with their heroes this time around. Notably, there's Califresh rhymes-and-sunshine crew The Pharcyde on a couple lyrical turns, a somewhat surprising contribution from reggae outcasts the Congos, and two appearances from the grand old daddy hi'self, Bobby Womack. The effect is similar to Northern Sulphuric Soul, but the vibe is perhaps a little more chilled this time, so to speak, with a less eager demeanor and a more warm-and-warming tone in the sound; it shows the pair's "development" as producers, if you're into that kind of notation. The record maps for, and makes for, an unhurried listen, stringing between buttery grooves with an apparent smoker's-delight vibe; the set only goes up a notch when The Pharcyde step up to the microphone, their goofy, lithe lyricism upping the relaxed pulse for a pair of fine moments.
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