New York Afro-soul collective the Budos Band isn't quite ready to bless listeners with a new album just yet. But on its self-titled EP, a handful of mostly unused tracks prove to be enough reason to keep this vintage-minded act in rotation.

The minialbum doesn't kick off with the most charged Budos track, but on “Hidden Hands,” the suspenseful horns and keys slowly draw you in. By the time “The Proposition” hits, it's hard not to get re-hooked on the Budos formula. With the aforementioned number, the Latin-styled percussion and sax stabs warm things up before the trumpets come in to complete the '70s-soundtrack-esque soul sound.

“Nobody's Bulletproof,” though, might be the most fun with its high-voltage rhythm, suitable for the best car chase scene that never was—that cinematic feel is clearly what this group does best with its instrumentals. Comprising just a handful of tracks from past recording sessions, this EP really leaves a craving for something newer that might document the next step in the Budos Band evolution. [3.5 out of 5 stars]