Digital Underground now make just a little more sense. There was never any doubt that they brought the funk, and an interesting and innovative musicality. Shock-G and Money-B are best kept secrets as rappers and lyricists – they are half men, half amazing. Alongside the dilemma of trying to reconcile them as political social activists and radical women disrespectors, trying to decipher the esotery of their ideology and argot at times proved just as difficult. What is a Body Hat?

The muggy headache, the pore-choking patina of pococurantism and the bouts of aphasia that all developed upon listening to this album, it is clear that The Red Inspectors are infectious, a virulent symptom of F.A.D.E.S (Falsely Acquired Diluted Education Syndrome), a debilitating condition discovered by Digital Underground. Soldiers in the permanent attrition of the anodyne, that includes music television, radio, reality television, play-lists, debates in text speak and derivative nostalgic jazz-lite. In this deluge an umbrella will not do, an all over prophylactic makes sense. A Body Hat!

‘Grand Union Carnival’ with its vocalese chorus and slight Latin feel is a decent tune. ‘He’s A Menace’ and ‘The Apology Squad’ have a passé 1960’s pop garage sound accompanied by horrible vocals, and titles that just lend themselves to easy jokes. You will understand this when you hear this album. ‘Monochrome’ is the pitifully indigent progeny of ‘Son of a Preacher Man’ and ‘Clutching At Straws’ is the even more destitute relation of Paul Weller’s ‘Indian Vibes’.

The conjunction of this album and its title provokes a hostile syllogism; to the two propositions proffered I conclude, “I do not care who you are”. However, healthy disdain is not enough. F.A.D.E.S is too contagious. Acid Jazz was considered a fad, but 25 years on, it is not fading. Part of what constituted Acid Jazz was that it incorporated elements of Hip Hop, thus I reference Digital Underground and in concluding I also reference the Wu-Tang Clan. The Red Inspectors will suck the life out of you so “Protect Ya Neck”.