Soulsec, Desert Soul

Helicopter humming, a male Arabic voice in the background and flashing synthesizer sounds: that's the opening of the new single by the British rock band Soulsec. "Desert soul - your fires are burning" and the guitars are as strong as the burning heat in the Middle East desert landscapes.

The name Soulsec seems unfamiliar, but the people behind the project are pretty well-known. The strong gravelly voice belongs to Paul Roberts, front man and singer of The Stranglers whose name makes one remember classic songs like "Golden Brown" and "Always The Sun". Richard Naiff, the man at the keys usually plays with The Waterboys who are constantly touring in Europe, celebrating Irish folk-rock. Andy Ellis on guitar is busy with several independent music projects, and Brad Waissman on bass plays for the Joff Winks Band, a very cool new British band.

Even though the guys are almost fixtures in the British music world, "Desert Soul" sounds surprisingly fresh, and can easily compete with young bands like the Kaiser Chiefs or Franz Ferdinand.

"Desert Soul is my take on how I feel about what is going on in the Middle East generally", says singer Paul Roberts. Despite the political background, the song is primarily a great pop song with catchy tunes and guitar riffs where you desperately try to keep your feet still.

The second title "Under The Stars" is a more quiet, chilling acoustic track. This song also captivates with strong singing and a catchy tune. It has some fascinating bass lines that are emphasised due to the lack of drums.

Furthermore, the CD features an acoustic version of "Desert Soul", and live versions of the songs "Shy" and "8 Days" that had been released in 2003 on the album "The Pressure Sensitive", still under the name The Faithband.

The single is a very promising preview for the new Soulsec album which is going to be released this year.

Released on March 27th 2006, "Desert Soul" can be purchased through the online shop on the official website www.soulsec.com.