If Lily Allen can release a swear-free version of her album, then why can't they release a box set of Seinfeld without the slap bass? I'm slap bass-phobic. One twanged string – or photograph of Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers – will trigger my gag reflex.
It's a condition that makes listening to Colourful Radio a perilous proposition, considering their daytime preference for mellow soul and "feelgood" 80s funk. But I toughed it out – even through a 12-inch version of Candy by Cameo – and I'm glad I did; Colourful is a new station with lots going for it.
Colourful began in 2006, on the internet and Sky (channel 0194), and several weeks ago made it onto digital radio sets. Originally pitched as a music and talk station for London's African-Caribbean community, it's now much more than that. No doubt with half a mind on picking up disillusioned listeners who find Kiss and Choice too young or commercial, Colourful's emphasis now seems to be on the music, particularly experts and respected old hands such as Soul II Soul's Aitch B, soundsystem legend Mastermind, and award-winning gospel DJ, Dave P. The later you tune in, the better, more eclectic, and more likely to fulfil its promise of "old school to new cool", Colourful gets.
Dom Servini's Monday-night show is billed as "jazz and breakbeat", but last week incorporated a half-hour segment on Scandinavian pop; Andy Smith's Northern Soul set included Tom Jones and a rare novelty item by the Harlem Globetrotters among the dusty seven-inches. More good news – the website streams music at a quality far superior to most, and the listen-again archive goes back a month.
Colourful struggles when it attempts to appeal to everyone. Breakfast with [Henry] Bonsu and Juju struggles, because it relies on reading newspaper snippets and indulging in anecdotes that trail off without reason or punchline, while the mid-morning slot, Life With Rosemary Laryea, seems too much like hospital radio. Layrea has a past in "demonstrating software solutions" and it showed on Wednesday, when she giggled halfway through setting up an item on exercises to ease irritable bowel syndrome. She also has an annoying habit of commenting on her jingles ("I love Colourful Radio too") instead of ignoring them (which is hard to do, considering how often they're deployed in lieu of ad-breaks).
Colourful is a little rough around the edges, but anyone who likes urban music will find plenty here. If they could just swap the slap bass for the occasional football commentary, I'd be hooked.
