Regardless of how you feel about Quantic's heavily derivative work as a producer or leader of The Quantic Soul Orchestra, you've got to admit that the artist formerly known as Will Holland has created a pretty impressive career out of slavish reproductions of recycled genres of music. It hasn't always been thrilling, and, personally, Quantic's ersatz funk has always felt to me like a "why don't I just listen to the original thing?" situation. Tradition In Transition, however, sounds like the work of a real pro. It plays somewhat like a Quantic "greatest hits" package, as Will Holland and his cheekily named Combo Barbaro play through virtually every genre of music at which the man has ever tried his hand. There's soul, funk, salsa, jazz, samba, bossa nova, and even David Axelrod-style orchestral pop. Sure, Tradition is entirely derivative of the styles just named (every track feels like a conscious attempt to record in a particular idiom), but the overall effect of the album is marvelously pleasant, yielding more intricacies and standout moments with each successive listen. There's nothing here that's going to replace Al Green, Jorge Ben, or Mongo Santamaría for any lover of the groove, but it's a fine complement to any soul or Latin-centric collection. The emphasis here seems to be on salsa-inspired tunes like the sublime "Linda Morena", but Quantic's talents with other brands of music are immediately apparent, as on the almost trip-hop-esque opener, "The Dreaming Mind, Part 1". Quantic is an artist with a purpose: he strives to keep the flame of the pan-African groove alive, and while some may question if anyone really needs a white Englishman to provide this service, it's undeniable that this producer wunderkind can craft some very fine tunes.
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