C’batch Builds a Sprawling, Multi-Genre Landscape on New Album The Vault 3

It was only last month that I was singing the praises of sonic innovator Stephen H. Cumberbatch, better known simply as C'batch. He'd just delivered a rich and soulful tune called Trapped (I’m Doin’ Fine), and the genre-blending offering was one I quickly fell in love with. 

Hoping he'd return quickly, I certainly wasn't anticipating a comeback of this speed, or of this magnitude - arriving just weeks later, and in the form of a twenty-track epic. Introducing The Vault 3.

Split into two discs for the purists who still hold a soft spot for double albums, C'batch's new release spans a wide sonic spectrum - to put it mildly. From house and techno to contemporary R&B and alt-pop, Stephen covers an impressive amount of ground, and it's this fearlessness to explore that makes The Vault 3 so truly compelling.

Tunes like Breaking My Heart and I Am the Right Guy showcase that sweet blend of synthy, soulful goodness, but then songs like The Club Song or A Funk Groove come along and send you into deeper, more hypnotic grooves that are completely immersive.

Other personal favourites include Too Hot to Handle, Hit Me with Your Love, and Hold on Now. That said, it's a record that really comes alive when experienced from start to finish! Superb!