Regarded as one of the innovators of 2step and Garage, Sincere holds all the sounds of a classic offering from a proprietor of such a title. Released back in 2000 after the hype surrounding the single of the same name it was nominated for a Mercury Prize Award, and with that M J Cole produced a little piece of UK Dance history.

Lyrically bubbling, the hook up with rhyming hero, the then younger Fallacy, doesn’t go unnoticed either. A partnership that adds extra spice, it’s probably the only marker in dating the release. Check the nostalgic ‘MJ FM Interlude’.
Strangely you would never know that M J Cole’s first love lies predominantly with Drum n Bass, but after a thorough listen from start to finish it was always clear he was born to make the good stuff.

Mixing acoustic sounds and instrumentals, including piano, guitar and saxophones with sweet vocals from varying singers over an infectious base, Cole renders those feel good vibes. Humanising the decks with his production, mellow ‘Sanctuary’ and vibrating ‘Attitude’ are an example of a rewinding base, inducing those trade mark gasps of breath.

For all the extra’s though it’s the dedication to soul, one rarely even seen on a Sunday church-going morning, and a baseline with more bounce to it then granddad’s bop on road, that really puts Cole in another league.

If you had to choose those big tracks, summer smash ‘Crazy Love’ or maybe rapid piano lead ‘Introduction’ could hold some claim.
But in all honesty it’s legendary underground energiser ‘Sincere’ that offers the greatest fix for any music junkie. The piano notes like rain drops wet seductive verses and chorus, while a catchy upbeat 2step slowly builds like sunrise, warming your toes. Nothing short of a Garage anthem.

Forget what you may have heard in recent revival times, this right here is original baseline. This is M J Cole.

Words Ali Raymond
M J Cole Myspace