Ray Barbee and the Mattson 2
Ray Barbee, like former Galaxia labelmate Tommy Guerrero, achieved some fame as a skateboarder for Powell Peralta in the '80s. And like Guerrero, Barbee now lays down mellow, earthy grooves that provide great accompaniment to his smooth street-skating footage. Barbee achieves his light, Afro-Latin-influenced sound by sprinkling together delicately picked guitar, softly caressed keys, and soft, rim-and-cymbal percussion. The result is kicked-back rhythms topped with sweet, airy melodies, a sound that reminds you to slow your roll a bit and enjoy the vibrant city sidewalks that Barbee used to shred so capably. -JEFF PALFINI
