**Gatefold double vinyl** "DJ Vadim really comes thru with his tenth album, 'Don't Be Scared'. It's easily his best in years, embracing a 'floor-full of dance sounds while staying true to his hip hop roots in forward thinking style. From the top it's classic Vadim, all dusty bollywood and krautish wax samples fused with neck snappin' drums on 'Hide N Seek', but there's also more space and a steppin' lean perhaps owing dues to dubstep. It's a vibe that percolates throughout the record, from the smudged synth flutters and off-kilter step of 'Lemon Haze' thru the lovers 'step of 'Lost My Love' featuring Jazz Bailey, and the unruly 'This DJ' toasted by J Man. But it never strays too far from what he does best, keeping it slow and ruggedly soulful with the swaggered vibes of 'Just A Lil' Bit' with Karen Be and 'Set Them Free' featuring Sabira Jade, and especially on the dissolute dub-hop bumps of 'Teardrop' with its Massive Attack-sampling woodblock snares and the futuro bounce of 'Leader' with longtime vocal spar Yarah Bravo.
