VI

The final album that MIT’s released in 2016 as part of their song-a-week endeavour was a collection of expertly realised cover versions which the band deliver as slow-paced funk, thematic R’n’B, and instrumental soul-jazz, bringing in hints of psychedelia and that slightly queasy feel of 60s/70s library music too. It’s a potent combination that they’ve pretty much perfected and that works well with covers as well as their original material. Including a brilliant reimagining of The Syvlers’ Only One Can Win that owes a debt to J Dilla’s Two Can Play version from his classic Donuts album and a rock-solid rendition of the JBs’ summer soul swinger Sportin’ Life, VI was an accomplished end to an impressive year of recording and releases, and another highly listenable Magic In Threes album.