After an EP of multi-instrumentalist studio camaraderie, Ryan Michael Block and Mariya May are at it again with their project for the Ten Dollar Recording Co. label. Theme From Cousins Night invites Mongoose Thompson to join in the fun, making this affair some sort of Ten Dollar triple threat. Known for his relaxed demeanor within his own music, Mr. Thompson provides some comic relief for this cut, getting silly during studio time and turning this selection into a jam session that’s worth repeated listens.

You would be forgiven for saying that Ryan remains forever locked within a dub trance. The bouncy keys from the song’s opening bars shout back at you, 'guilty as charged.' As rim shots fade out into an echo abyss, Mariya’s voice and flutes dance around the bass and percussion, her slightly seductive 'ooh' turning into a boisterous 'hey' by song’s end. As for the Mongoose, his microphone check almost prepares you for freestyle rap verses, but that never happens. Instead, he moves from unintelligible ramblings dipped in fuzz guitar effects to falsetto croons as the mood strikes him. Whatever Cousins Night is, he apparently doesn’t want everyone to get wind of it. "Don’t tell J.J., don’t tell Rachel," he warns as the elasticity of the reggae vibe stretches out and works up to a crescendo within the last 30 seconds of the song.

Sometimes the best way to ensure that your creative juices don’t run dry is to keep good collaborative company in the studio. It’s safe to say that Block, May, and Thompson may have stumbled upon something with this single. With just the right amount of silliness to give it that Ten Dollar stamp, it’s good to hear these three artists come together and further collaborations are certainly welcome. (Jason Randall Smith, Aug 28, 2012)

Release Date: August 13, 2012

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