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Written by Maria Kriszt Thursday, 01 February 2007 03:05

Hobex comes out with a nice, mellow funk beat and lyrics that tell you to loosen up and enjoy the sounds, which helps set the mood for the rest of the CD.

Take a flashback to the past of mellow funk and soul music with this North Carolina band. Hobex puts you at ease with their new CD, Enlightened Soul, a mix of funk and soul-inspired music.

On "Free the Music," Hobex comes out with a nice, mellow funk beat and lyrics that tell you to loosen up and enjoy the sounds, which helps set the mood for the rest of the CD. It's easy listening, but other tracks that have that same sound are "Don't Waste Your Time," "I'm Not Ashamed," and "You Set Me Free." All nice tracks, but they sound a little too similar for me.

Hobex finally switches it up with "Man and a Woman," which talks about the relationship between two who may not have a lot, but as long as they have each other, they will be all right. On "Hold Tight," they come with a more up-tempo beat and speak on how love can make things right. The title track switches from the usual mellow funk sound to a country music beat, which I found to be a weird transition. The song sounds odd to me, kind of like the black sheep of a herd.

The good listening comes in with "Behind the Door"; it has a very nice sound to it and there is more to the lyrics then on previous tracks. I enjoy this track because it says there is more to life then diamond rings, flashy cars, and money. "Push It Off that Hill" is another track that ties in with life and its changes. The top song on the disc would have to be "Natural Child"; the up-tempo, country-rock beat here recalls the '70s. It's a feel-good song, and that's exactly how I felt after listening to it.

Despite the similar sound and limited lyrics on some of the songs, Enlightened Soul put me at ease and made me relax. If you're the type who likes to wind down from a crazy day and put your mind at ease, this is a good choice for the player. C | Maria Kriszt