Amazon.com essential recording

If techno ever does become the sound of young America, don't expect Richard James to be its poster boy, deserving though he may be. A native of Cornwall, England, James is obsessed with the mechanics of music making: As a kid, he took apart and reassembled the living room piano. Under the names Aphex Twin, Polygon Window, AFX, and other aliases too numerous to mention, he showed that he could make entire tracks with the sounds produced by tapping on a Coke can. Like the indie rockers of yore, he revels in his marginality because of the creative freedom it gives him. His full-length U.S. debut, Selected Ambient Works Volume II (1994), includes some of the most serene sounds this side of the Orb, but his favorite hobby is the not-at-all-blissful pastime of driving a Daimler Ferret Mark 3 tank through his parents' backyard.

None of his recordings have captured the competing impulses to lull you to sleep and blast out your eardrums as well as Richard D. James, his third and best album. As the title indicates, James has turned inward for inspiration, painting aural pictures of real and imagined scenes from his west country childhood. "Goongumpas" is a fanciful, playful tune that wouldn't sound out of place on the soundtrack to Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. As his adventures with the family upright indicate, James was a bit of a devil even as a child. "Beetles" is the sound of a boy frying bugs on the sidewalk with a magnifying glass, and "To Cure a Weakling Child" shows flashes of the sort of sadism found only on preschool playgrounds. If you still doubt that young Richard developed early on, the romantic Nino Rota-style strings on "Girl/Boy Song" are just made for passionate seductions, and the tune appears in three mixes, each one hot and hornier than the one before.

The raucous undercurrents of even his calmest tunes and the sources of many of his most common sounds are what link James to the rock tradition. With Richard D. James, the artist solidifies his position as an electronic music mastermind who has earned a spot beside such well-respected innovators--whether or not he's destined for stardom. --Jim Derogatis ... Read more

Reviews (115)

Just a note:
Richard D. James Album is the first ten tracks of this album:

1. 4
2. Cornish Acid
3. Peek 824545301
4. Fingerbib
5. Corn Mouth
6. To Cure a Weakling Child
7. Goon Gumpas
8. Yellow Calx
9. Girl/Boy Song
10. Logon Rock Witch

When bringing the album to America, the record companies decided that 32 minutes was too short for an album and added on the (entertaining, but IMO inferior) 5 tracks from the Girl/Boy EP.

11. Milkman
12. Inkeys
13. Girl/Boy Song [£18 Snare Rush Mix]
14. Beetles
15. Girl/Boy Song [Redruth Mix]

Those five tracks are BONUS TRACKS - they are NOT part of Richard D. James Album. Please consider this when reviewing the album.

As for my opinion, RDJ Album is a masterpiece of Drill n Bass, which is the term for the lightning quick, spastic drumming that is so prominent in this work. Note that this rather up-tempo drumming isn't always intense...it can actually be quite soothing (For the best example of this, see Flim from the Come to Daddy EP). For this, I couldn't do anything but give it 5 Stars. Once again, Aphex Twin has released something completely alien to my ears and I love it.

Absolutely Amazing.
I recently purchased "I Care Because You Do" and this album and already I'm addicted to the work of Richard D. James. Although this album is somewhat short, it still packs an immense impact on your ears.

Songs like "4" sound like he took music from the nintendo game "Zelda: The Adventure of Link" and completely rearranged it and added some fast, happy beats. "Peek ..." is my favorite song by far, however. I can't explain it except that it is chaotic and beautiful at the same time - which I can only imagine is hard for any elektronik artist to acheive. "Corn Mouth" is insane - enough said - but I do like it. "Cornish Acid" and "Fingerbib" are great as well - and "Milkman" is HILARIOUS. "Logon Rock Witch" is a compilation of noises and bings, bongs and rings. It's cool. "Girl/Boy song" is cool - but actually, it's one of my least favorites. Sorry.

Also, the import version of this album ends after "Logon Rock Witch." The American version of this album has added the "Girl/Boy EP" after track ten which includes tracks 11-15. I hope that that clears up some questions. Also, to find out why RDJ is a genius - play this music on a disc player and put in headphones. When the albums over with you'll know why he's a genius... but - only if you have an open mind.

way too overrated
the sound of this cd is incredible. Aphex Twin made it off of his analog studio but where did he get this sound. If you read the back of squarepusher's "Feed Me Weird Things" Richard D. James gives him all the credit. I love this cd but i don't like the fact that all of his songs are under 4 minutes. He couldn't hack it. Here he is doing drum loops on an 808 through a filter bank while squarepusher has cruddy equiptment making the most out of it and doing 6 minute long drum solo's. Thats talent.

Richard D. James: A Genius Of Electronica
I bought this excellent CD a long while ago, and I still love this album. Even though it falls short compared to his earlier works (ex. Selected Ambient Works 85-92), this frenzied fusion of ambient, drum n' bass, drill n' bass, and some hardcore techno elements make this album a must buy. But this album should be heard only by people who are accustomed to the Twin's sound, otherwise newbies might like it, but think, "Good Lord, this is crazy!" It's such a shame that A great country like America is bogged down by (in my opinion) foolish, pop-rap. Techno should get a much bigger recognition. It's about time people listened to more competent music.

My feet, my arms and my ears....ARE MELTED OFF!
I was introduced to the Aphex Twin after I saw the videos on the Chris Cunningham DVD...and was blown away. I couldn't breath after I heard and saw the "Come to Daddy" video. I knew after that, I had to find all of his music. This was the first album I bought because according to most, it is his best. Some people call him a musical genius, perhaps even the next Mozart. I believe it. Richard D. James and his self-titled album are spellbinding. He is a true visionary. James' songs not only have amazing drum and bass beats but have heart and soul. Each track connects the listeners with a different aspect of his psyche and even his soul. I cannot express how much his music has touched me. The Aphex Twin is one of the most influential musical talent that exists on the earth today. Each track is terrific but these are the ones that stand out to me:

4
Fingerbib
To Cure a Weakling Child
Girl/Boy Song
Logon Rock Witch (Most original musical composition I have ever heard)
Milkman

It is a must buy for those who wish to experience the masterful voice of the Aphex Twin. ... Read more

Reviews (50)

Maybe 2- 1/2 Stars on a Good Day
Interestingly, I actually used to sort of dig this cd, what with its massive chugging riffs and grunge-mania aura. Further listening revealed that Sponge is so fake and contrived it's a joke, sort of a catch-22 type joke, because some of the music is pretty grabbing and rockish, but the overall message and sound was even dated in 1994. Sponge let loose on standout tracks like "Rotting Pinata," "Neenah Menasha," "Plowed" and "Molly," but even those reek of hype-of-the-minute concoction. This guy sort of whines about nothing around a swirl of loud sub-Seattle music that contains no message or real melody. I guess it's just a slightly above average band with a little lucky ambition who "made it" for about a year and then got shoved back to Detroit or wherever the hell they're from. I'm sorry, it's just hard to justify this album, although I can tell some of the younger crowd already hails it as a "90's classic." I see Sponge on a lot of future 90's cult compilation cd's. Ya, ya, ya!

The Most Emotional CD, ever.
Last year, it was summer, and I was just laying around. I was flipping through channels and I came across the Music Choice channels, and I left it on the Rock channel. Well, it was on this channel that I had heard one of the most emotional and peacefully-powerful songs. It was Plowed by none other than Sponge. When I heard this song, I fell in love with it and waited for it to come on again. For some reason, though, I finally bought it in January.

This whole cd is an emotional headrush of love, sadness, and guilt. Every song pushes a completely different emotion into your mind. The cd starts with Pennywheels, which is a mellow and calm way to start the cd. Then it goes to the up-beat and exiting Rotting Pinata. Next it goes to Giants, a track that almost screams sadness and sorrow. Neena Menasha is another powerful, yet mellow song. Miles is sweet song that almost forces a guilty feeling upon you after listening to it. Then there's Plowed. Well, not much can be said about this song that hasn't been said. It is so emotional and gives you a sense of pride once it's over. Not many songs can do this. Drownin' is a song that truly is a sad song and is basically a way of saying this part of the cd is the sad part. Molly is my absolute favorite song of all time. This song is based on the movie Sixteen Candles with Molly Ringwald. This song actually made me go out and rent Sixteen Candles just so I could understand the song. Molly gives off a vibe of love and passion, and it is one that shall go down in my history books. Fields is the next song and is a great song with a great mood and lyrics. The somewhat final song is Rainin'. This song may very well be one of the saddest songs ever. The guitars are perfect with this song, they give off such a sad feeling. The actual last song is supposedly called Candy Corn. But, that doesn't matter because this song is the perfect ending to the cd. This song is peaceful and almost a way of coming to terms with all of the emotions you've felt along the way. The sound effects are very organic and add a sense of comfort.

If you are thinking of buying this cd, please do. This is possibly one of the coolest cds I have ever heard. It is so emotional that you may very well have to fight back tears when listing.

Soak it up, like a SPONGE
Rotting Pinata, perhaps the best cd ever made. Song by song review here for this amazing band, that is even better live.
1. Pennywheels - Starts out soft w/ a gentle acousic strumming, then explodes into a song about abandonment, and turns into a heavy yet bitter song,love it. This is Sponge saying, welcome to the best albumn you will hear.
2. Rotting Pinata - This is a punk song, but not your everyday punk at all. Starts out w/ clean jangley guitar and then off into dark depressions of punk rock. Great guitar work by the tagteam talents of Mazzola and Cross here.
3. Giants - Soft alternative rocker about being cheated on. Not a sappy love story, the way Vin writes lyrics is SO refreshing and neat. This song ends very strong with a cresendo of guitar riffs and trade-off solos.
4. Neenah Menasha - Heaviest sponge song yet. Dropped guitar riffs, good hard rock song. They show their versatility on this song being able to go from ultra soft, to hard, and they show off their arena rock skills w/ walls of guitar and pumping bass lines.
5. Miles - Very strange guitar tones, interesting song. I think this one was wrote by the Cross brothers, whom were trained in classical guitar and bass lessons. It's like taking alternative rock and adding classical guitar parts in. The song has a very cold and dark feel to it as a whole.
6. Plowed - Awesome futuristic tune. Way before it's time, and i'm sure you heard this on the radio during Sponge's big days of radio. Great sing along song, big time hit.
7. Drownin' - Softest song on the cd, nice strummed acoustic, fantastic vocalsof depession. Shocked this was not a hit, but loved by all sponge fans around.
8. Molly - You've heard this one too "16 candles down the drain" such a good tune to crank up for road trips. This song just has it all the way around...vocal, drum, bass, guitar...everything just ROCKS it here.
9. Fields - "fields of fallin' angels" Sweet song that has powerful verse chorus stuf going on. Pretty clean guitars all over this song, and such a strong message.
10. Rainin' - My personal fav on this cd...this song builds and keeps on building. Definatly a missed hit, which just has all of the goods of this cd wrapped into one.
11 - (hidden song) Candy Corn - one listen to this, and you realize what a talented band Sponge is. This song is magical, and what i mean is, there is so much going on, it's just insane. It's beautifully a masterpiece. It stats out w/ pretty guitars and just goes ballistic with delayed vocals and dynamic instrument sections.

Classic grunge group for the ages!
Ya' want grunge - ya' got it!! These guys took what STP did in the early '90s and perfected it to a better level. Heavy guitars, deep lyrics, an overall heavy sound - it's all here. Sponge were one of the biggest bands in 1994 for good reason. Unlike other grunge bands, they knew how to meld melody with a hard rock sound, much easier said than done. There are many standout songs on this record, including "Sixteen Candles," which talks about classic actress Molly Ringwold and the dangers of smoking.

Overall, this is a classic grunge album that will go down in history as one of the best releases of the 1990s. If you like Creed, Seven Mary Three, Puddle of Mudd, Saliva and Nickelback, you simply can't go wrong with buying this record.

16 CANDLES DOWN THE DRAIN!!!

SEE YA'!!!!

Rotting has never been so, so good!
There's nothing like being considered a tool. Sure, you can have radio and MTV play (then again, judging by how fake both of those are, that's sure to make people think you're a tool), gain thousands of adoring fans (same as the last comment)... but you still won't be taken seriously. Unfortunately, this was Sponge's fate... even if "Plowed" beats "Smells Like Teen Spirit" at its own game, with a catchier opening riff (and I mean it.), better lyrics, and roughly the same amount of energy. Even if "Molly" is just as fun and catchy, while still as emotional, as "On A Plain" and Soundgarden's "Outshined". Even if "Rainin'" is a fan favorite, and contains some of Vinnie's finest vocals (which is quite a title)... to the public, it doesn't matter. Sponge is considered to be a tool of Nirvana, and the "grunge" world in general.

Well, guess what? I love Nirvana, I love Pearl Jam, I love Alice In Chains, I love Soundgarden... even Tad and Mudhoney are appealing to me... but this album's on the same level of excellence, for the reasons already mentioned, and because Sponge can take the lyrics "I break down and she sees a clown that used to hide away/Death to clowns and all their crowns and the smile on their face" and make them semi-eery, but enjoyable, nonetheless. What more can be said? Each track is either in-your-face (similar to the way Nirvana and Soundgarden did it), slow and emotional (similar to the way Pearl Jam did and still does it), and/or the kind of 'tortured soul' delivery that made Alice In Chains so special ("Drownin'" and "Fields", as compared to "No Excuses" and "Don't Follow"). Rotting Pinata is a combination of the big four "grunge" bands in one... the best of all four, too. Hopefully, Sponge will gain more respect over the years to come. I'm still holding out hope, anyway! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Goldie meets a caffeine-fueled Portishead on the full-length debut from a much-buzzed Manchester duo. Louise Rhodes provides the Bjork-like vocals, Andrew Barlow the complex drum & bass underpinnings. --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (84)

The music is engaging, but the vocals are strictly average.
I found this album to be a great disappointment. Several critics awarded it with great review and I thought, like many others, "Hey. This might be worth buying." The trip-hop genre has much to offer, and many exceptional artists have emerged from it's core. Portishead, Massive Attack and Tricky come to mind immediately. They each show wonderful talent in this new and engaging genre. Lamb, however, falls short with their debut. The music is compelling and it keeps the artist interested, yet when Rhode's voice flows in, it loses much of the impact. Her vocals are strictly average and aren't really anything to drool over. There are a few worthy tracks, however, that shine through the rest of the blandness here. Songs like "Lusty," "Zero," and "Gorecki" are somewhat worthy, yet songs like "Cotton Wool," which was an supposedly an incredible song is nothing but annoying, boring and the consistent change of beats throws the listener off track - and he changes the track number. It is the background music here that is to love, yet it is smothered by the "not-so-tender" voice of Rhodes. Songs like "Gold," "God Bless," and "Trans-Fatty Acid" come to mind right away. The beats and the music are something to admire for they are complex and the melodies are very catchy, but the lyrics brought about by Rhodes degrade the music and make it strictly average.

Lamb does offer some good songs, however, just not here. "B-Line" off their new album features a new and refined Rhodes and her lyrics are more sensual and grasping. Her voice also shines through and is not scratchy and "annoying" as it is here. The music, as before, is still captivating as well. For true entertainment from Lamb, indulge in "Fear of Fours." Their debut will only disappoint.

Grade: C

Breathtaking
Let me start off by saying that Lamb is the best band EVER. Out of the 2,000+ cd's that I own, this one is STILL the most frequently played, and I have had it for three years. Lamb is a complete anomaly. This band offers the interesting combination of Louise Rhodes deeply introspective and tangible vocals, with the choppy percussion and innovative programming of Andy Barlow. You might think that this combination would yield complete sonic chaos, but it does quite the opposite. The marriage of Lou's dreamy vocals to Andy's complex compositions takes the listener on a spiritual journey. The cd opens with "Lusty", which is a very intriguing track. "Lusty" features sparse melodic stabs, a hard percussive backing, and Louise cooing "only you can soothe me, come cool me down..." With that, Louise perfectly conveys the heart and soul of a person in love. And love really IS the theme of this album. "God Bless" features jazzy basslines, seductive beats, and orchestral instruments. It is quite beautiful. "Cottonwool" is perhaps the most breathtaking song I have ever heard. The song is made up of various loops and breakbeats combined with dreamy atmospheric sounds. The effect is eerily beautiful. This coupled with Louise's incredibly profound and soulful lyrics makes "Cottonwool" one of Lamb's best songs. "Transfatty Acid" features weird distortion (it sounds like Lou is singing through a can) and a strange buzzing/electricity type aura. This song makes you feel like you are in another world. "Transfatty Acid" is extremely innovative and the musical effect is mindnumbing. "Zero" is sweet and mellow. It features acoustic guitar and strings and the effect is very powerful. Lou's singing is especially good on this track. "Merge" is strange in that it does not feature Louise's vocals. But it is not a weak track by any means. This track feels like an interlude of sorts, but it is a very refreshing one. This track has a surging bass line which is overlayed with sharp, brassy horns. Then the beats come in fast and feverish, and this song builds into one hell of a climax. This song is exhilerating, to say the least. "Gold" is rather jazzy. It features, what sounds like, an upright bass, combined with sweeping drums, and a marimba(?). It is mellow and soothing, especially following "Merge". "Closer" is the only track that I would deem to be filler, but it is still quite good. It is jazzy, like "Gold" but this has the hard percussive beats that some of the earlier tracks had. "Gorecki" is the heart and soul of this album. This is the best song ever written! In fact, a sliver of it was sung in the new movie "Moulin Rouge" by Nicole Kidman's character Satine. "Gorecki" has the most heartfelt, emotional, honest, passionate lyrics ever written. Louise sings this song so endearingly, that it honestly brings tears to my eyes. This song is a delight musically, as well. It is subdued at first, with soft percussion, and a dreamy, relaxed aura. As the lyrics grow more intense, so does the melody, and the very end of this song absolutely soars. It takes the listener to another plane of existence. It is nothing short of breathtaking, and if you listen to no other song on this album...listen to "Gorecki"! "Feela" is kind of like an experimental, musical trip to a confessional booth. It's as if Louise is singing this song to herself, and the music is very minimal. I equate this song to Madonna's wonderful (but comparatively less inspired) "Mer Girl" on Ray of Light. Now for a word of caution: Do NOT turn off the cd once it goes quiet, or else you will miss the hidden track, which is a remix of "Cottonwool". It is a great remix, too. Definitely worth waiting for! So, basically I recommend that you BUY THIS CD IMMEDIATELY! I think it is the best cd ever recorded, and this is coming from a girl who also happens to be a musician, and the proud owner of over 2,000 cd's. This cd is gold. Trust me.

amazing..........sike!
Look, this is not what people make it out to be. Unfortunately I was duped into buying this waste of space on a cd shelf. It is not even close to Portishead, and is light years from Massive Attack. The Bjork-like comparisons could not be further from the truth. This act, like many others, is completely irrelevant in the world of music. Listen to your Portishead, Massive Attack, and Bjork albums...and stay far away from this.

you'll fall in love with this cd
there is a lot of emotion with the lyrics. there arent any songs youll have to skip over once this has been in your cd player for a while either. my favoritez were cotton wool and gold, but they are all great.

Probably the best Trip-hop cd in history!
I first heard about Lamb from my ex... Anyways this cd is so good, it drove me to start djing myself.
Recommended with a capital R! ... Read more

Reviews (19)

BUY IT!
An endless journey of the best drum&base has to offer! Know when you buy a new CD and maybe a couple of pieces are really good and the rest is just kind of OK?...This is NOT the case with the DJ Bukem's mixed masterpiece "Logical Progressions, Level 1". My review could be short and just leave it with "BUY IT!", but it deserves far more than that. Just 4 pieces are produced by LTJ Bukem, but the entire album (it is a double CD!) is coherent enough that you will not even notice when the pieces changes from one to another. It is (like Annika from stockholm put it) music to do anything to! It is the profound drum&base sound with a fast rythm, moderate by a smooth and floating base, spaced (spiced) with floating synthesizers and voices that brings your mind either to the city pulse and warm summer night or ice-climbing in the twilight in Kiruna, Sweden, or the night when you meet your love under the light of the midnight sun in Tromsoe, Norway.....you choose....and it will fit.

Ambience + musical versatility = L.T.J. Bukem
One of my all time favorite D'N'B cd's. Track after track is smoothly mixed without blemish on disc B. Just when the ragga and jump up mania was at it's peak, L.T.J. Bukem came with a new feel, a new vibe, and a new flava for the massive. A revolutionary figure in the evolution of drum'n'bass, LTJ Bukem decided to go against the grain and do his own thing. He proves that versatility is vital for musical growth especially in the realm of drum'n'bass. You should enjoy the legendary "Music" which made him famous and if you like the vocal side of d'n'b then the song "One and Only" by PFM is sure to have you pressing "repeat one" on your CD player. This is aaaaaambient, chill out jungle but you can also have a go on the dancefloor with tracks like "Western" with MC Conrad. How can you call yourself a drum'n'bass head and not have this CD???

LOVE IT
This is one of my first CDs to Drum and Base, and I love it!!! Not very hardcore drum&base, it's just really cool to listen to.

Absolutely Fabulous!!!!!!!
Now I'm a BIG fan of LTJ and have 4 of his CDs, but NONE of them come anywhere near this one. Hands down, this is the best CD he's EVER done!!!!!! On the other CDs of his that I have I have only a select few that I'm willing to play over and over again. Just to clarify, I consider a song good if I'm want to hear it over and over again and/or I bob my head to it. Another criteria I have in considering a song good is if it plays in my head a lot. This CD has me bobbing my head to EACH AND EVERY song on it so I KNOW it's fabulous. I like the fact that it has a lot of songs written LTJ himself. What's even better is they are the best of the best he's ever done. I've heard a lot of LTJ's songs and (unfortunately) theres quite a few that I don't like but on Logical Progression he definitely picked the creme de la creme. He has definitely put on wax music of caliber to rival his PHENOMENAL live sets. I pray one day he will return to play a set at my fave club, Necto, and play these songs as part as part of it!!!!

correction
In my review I incorrectly compared 'so long' on disc b to an Aphex Twin piece. It is 'dannys song' on disc a I meant. Sorry about that. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Often proclaimed as electronica's one true genius, Richard James, a.k.a. Aphex Twin, returns with a double CD that showcases his cleverness as well as his inevitable inscrutability. Still, amid macabre birthday songs, unsettling screams, and other bizarre touches, Drukqs offers the most technically accomplished and beautiful tracks of Aphex Twin's career. Every aspect of the Aphex brain is on display here, from stark pieces performed on sampled piano and zither to Squarepusher-styled drum & bass implosions, all informed by that peculiar Aphex treatment of bittersweet melody and unparalleled programming. For an artist once engrossed in homages to his dead twin brother and grotesque videos, Drukqs shows James getting by purely on music alone.

"Mt. Saint Michel Mix" starts as maddening drum & bass, but is soon transfixed by glowing tones, hand drums, and police sirens. "Vordhosbn" is all acid beats and mad synths matched with fart-bombs and haunted cries. "54 Cymru Beats" sounds more like the tweaked-out, goofball techno of Wagon Christ than Aphex, while "Taking Control" goes metaphysical with cerebral synth-drums and muddled vocals. If Drukqs is the result of medication James has been imbibing during his three-year hiatus, then this is indeed better living through chemistry. Regardless, his music is still as beautiful and frothy as ever. --Ken Micallef ... Read more

Reviews (138)

Richard D. James revisited...
Richard D. James has been around the electronic music scene for quite a while now. Under the guise of Aphex Twin, he basically founded the gnere of iDmb, and released critically acclaimed works such as "Selected Ambient Works", "Richard D James Album", and "Windowlicker" EP. His compositions are so musically diverse, so surreal and schezophrenic, that many people have seemingly forgotten that Richard D. James is a human being.

In "Drukqs"--which is said to be Aphex Twin's final commerical release by many--James embarks on a journey of self re-discovery through his old sound mediums. "Drukqs" is filled with his classic signature sounds: the broken twitter box, dizzy drum n' bass, and distorted sound effects. The only difference this time, is that all the songs sound much calmer. James seems to be at a point of reflection in his career, and it is as if he was trying to find peace and solace with himself. Even his drum n' bass tracks seemed to lack the usual jubilancy and driven cynicism that we are so accustomed to.

What is really touching, though, are the piano works that he decided to include in this album (Most notably "Avril 14th" and "Nanou2"). They are all delicately simple, yet shows a emotional side of Richard D. James that we never knew for all these years. And while the sample of James's parents wishing their young son happy birthday (in "Lornaderek") is hilarious at first, it also makes your heart ache at the same time. Perhaps James' endeavors as Aphex Twin for all these years was a diversion to calm his sense of lost identity, or a search for his truest soul.

Have Richard D. James finally reached a state of grace with himself? We'll probably never find out...

Back in the saddle.
Let's go: After 4 years of dissappearance, Richard D. James alias Aphex Twin hits back the scenery with a new album called "drukQs" (drug use ?). There have been several innovative groups (Autechre, Luke Vibert's "TEK 9"), new projects (does drum 'n bass still exist ?) and groundbreaking new styles (two step !?) in those 4 years, and at a first glimpse it seems "drukQs" can't quite compete with RDJ's earlier stuff, which was always the most interesting, innovative and best electronic music at the time.
But:
"drukQs" is full of magic moments and contains everything you'd expect from an Aphex Twin recording, such as: sweet and tender melodies over brutal drum 'n bass breaks, complicated loops, clever samples and so on (there's also a "Happy Birthday to you" piece, which was sung by RDJ's parents (!) for their son's 28 birthday. There are many so called "interludes" in a way only Erik Satie could have made them. These piano pieces were entirely composed and created on a computer, simulating the illusion RDJ really could play the piano. They are not only beautiful, they also fit great into the whole concept and make the 102 Minutes (!) of playtime more even more "enjoyable".
You really should spend some time with the album and if you are familiar with Aphex Twin's earlier stuff (or Polygon Window, or AFX, or The Dice Man, or....) you surely won't be dissapointed.
RDJ's mother can be pround of her son's work.

?????
My friends and I listen to s*** loads of music of all kinds, but the only thing we never talk about is this. It quite simply excapes description. But, what the heck...
Every track a masterpiece, this presentation pulls the attentive listener through Richard James' consicousness, revealing the expanse of his emotions. Truely one of the few "electronic" albums which has the capacity to toy with your soul, it exudes personality of all tones; from the delicate, fine and gentle, through the cheeky, quircky and mundane, to the revelationary, infinite strata of hyperspacial reality - this recording truely has as much depth and content as the spectator could wish to find or even suppose. To put it another way, this is as close as those who havn't discovered the potentials of the inner landscape will currently ever get to experiencing the kind of continually evolving subconscious patterns that stir within us all. Drukqs exhibits a kind of artistry comparable to all the great masters that display a coherant understanding of the transcendent; and the personality of this genius displays a human originality of which will impact the art world as a strong reference for years to come.

great
Just great. I am a fan of his music for quite a while and all of his records are special in their own way. Tracks with a little twist only RDJ can add. Sometimes a bit sinister, but thats ok for me! Most of his tracks are sertainly refreshing and energy boosting. A philosopher teacher once said: "to enjoy and appreciate the quality of sertain aspects (of whatsoever) you have to have rotten spots besides it". In case of some of the tracks ("ventolin" (medicine for asthmatic patiens) for example in which you hear a sample of a person hyperventilating), annoying bleeps, cracks and sounds are added in such way that when they fade away in a track you almost feel a releef....a contrast between serenety and rotten (no offence)

a little twisted
Just great. I am a fan of his music for quite a while and all of his records are special in their own way. Tracks with a little twist only RDJ can add. Sometimes a bit sinister, but thats ok for me! Most of his tracks are sertainly refreshing and energy boosting. A philosopher teacher once said: "to enjoy and appreciate the quality of sertain aspects (of whatsoever) you have to have rotten spots besides it". In case of some of the tracks ("ventolin" (medicine for asthmatic patiens) for example in which you hear a sample of a person hyperventilating), annoying bleeps, cracks and sounds are added in such way that when they fade away in a track you almost feel a releef....a contrast between serenety and rotten (no offence) ... Read more

Amazon.com

Best Kept Secrets, a collection of songs from Lamb's first four records, is a reminder of how exhilarating and shockingly modern their music can be. It's also a crash course on the band's precarious balancing act. When they're in sync, the somber torch singing of Louise Rhodes and the twisted proto-jungle of producer Andrew Barlow make for a delicious combination. The band's self-titled debut trumped contemporaries like Portishead, who built songs around the vocals, while Barlow and Rhodes worked on playing up their stylistic contrasts. It's a tough dynamic to maintain though, as later records like Fear of Fours and especially 2003's Between Darkness and Wonder don't quite get the formula right. Laid out in chronological order, Secrets is just like the band's career to this point: It starts off great, but tails off at the end. This being a "best of," however, you notice it less. "B Line" off Fours, for instance, sounds just fine coming after new classics like "Cotton Wool," and even though tracks like "Angelica" are almost painfully safe, they still kick up a nice ruckus. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (4)

A postrock classic that has brought countless hours of bliss
Do Make Say Think are a Constellation Records post-rock outfit along with Godspeed You Black Emperor! While they share GYBE!'s formula of slow crescendo to cathartic release, they have their own original sound. Elements of jazz puts their sound closer to Chicago post rockers. Most tracks hinge on a simple dark theme that is built up to explosive conclusion. The magnificent last track is a 12 minute shoegazer epic, truly worth the cost of this disc for that track alone. The musicianship is great, and no less than a sax, trumpet, flute, electric guitar, sexy fretless bass, and live drums can be heard on this disc. Recorded in a barn, which works well for this moody, cinematic album...with good speakers the quiet chirp of crickets can be heard in the background, and you can almost feel the cool winter air. All I can say is this is my unchallenged fav of 2000.

An amazing album
This is definitely one of the best post-rock bands I've heard. My favorite songs on it are "Minimin" and "Goodbye enemy airship"... truly great songs, you should definitely check them out. Then get this album, you won't regret it.

A beautiful piece of music
Do Make Say Think's debut eponymous album absolutely blew me away the first time I heard it. It was subtle yet immediately engaging, a contradiction illustrated by the fact that it opened with about a minute and a half of silence before a light jazz beat comes in slowly introducing you to the laid back ambient feel of the album. The debut spread relaxing prog-rock over 72 minutes of jazz fusion and as a result provided a great soundtrack for lonely times of happy... introspection. Goodbye Enemy Airship the Landlord is Dead, however, takes the formula set forth on the debut and crams it all into a single tightly wound LP, adds a somewhat subdued feeling of brooding and still manages to exude some of that feeling of "sit-back-and-relax", albeit before beating you over the head. The horns are noisier on this record, the distortion is up, and the swirly sound effects are more in the forefront. The opening track, "When Day Chokes Night" slowly starts with a simply plucked melody before suddenly bursting into a hyper-fast drum kick and quickly building to an asphyxiating and stunning climax before dropping back to the same simple melody. It's an interesting combination of their older style with a heavy influence of Slint, while still retaining a wonderful feel of innovation.

My favorite moment comes when "All of This is True" builds to an overwhelming and seemingly infinite climax of noise, guitar, drums, horns, street sounds (notice the guy yelling "Merry Christmas Everyone!" near the end... odd), and atmosphere before suddenly and seamlessly dropping you into "Bruce E Kinesis". A highly recommended disc for anyone interested in compelling and experimental rock.

Setting the new standard for Kanadian music.
Together with Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Shalabi Effect, A Silver Mount Zion, Molasses and the other Montréal groups, Toronto's Do Make Say Think have completely restored my confidence in Canadian Music. I'm sick of Alanis, The Tragically Hip and the other artists which define Canadian music. However the unique "post-rock" sound represented by the Constellation label has inspired me to be somewhat musically patriotic, finally.

I'd recommend Do Make Say Think to any fan of that whole scene. Tortoise, GYBE, Low, or Aphex Twin's ambient series. This project is likely most similar to Godspeed, but there's far more of a prog-rock and jazz-fusion element to it. Another obvious difference Do Make Say Think make use of retro synths, sax and flute instead of GYBE's cello, violin and tapes combo. Do Make Say Think's debut is equally amazing, but more ambient. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Though he was once on top of the drum & bass heap, in recent years LTJ Bukem, king of ambient drum & bass, has been pushed aside in favor of hard and dark tech-step. Fame came easily to Bukem, who with his labels Looking Good and Good Looking spearheaded the movement of intelligent drum & bass with the release of the Logical Progression series, quickly cementing his place in the short history of urban breakbeat. Journey Inwards marks his long-awaited return and attempt to reclaim his throne in the fickle drum & bass community. True to form, Bukem turns in a two-disc set of songs heavy on the reverb, caressed by light lyrics and sweet singing throughout. Horns and synths are as integral--if not more important than--bass lines, and often the bass takes a backseat to the music's melodic enterprises. Jazz peeks its head in a few places, particularly when Bukem slows the tempo, as in "Sunrain," cuing up the old suspicions that Bukem creates adult contemporary jungle. Not concerned with rocking the joint, Bukem instead lulls slowly to sleep or seduces his admirers. Whether he's playing with scattershot drums or mellow-yellow downtempo, Bukem manipulates the mood as deftly as he chops a beat. --Tricia Romano ... Read more

Reviews (42)

Journey Inwards is smoooooth baby
I've been a fan of LTJ Bukem since a friend of had me listen to one of LTJ's first Logical Progressions cd's. I have since bought just about every LTJ Bukem release I can find. I couldn't say I have a favorite, but Journey Inwards has to be it right now. I think this is LTJ's best work to date. The mixture of smooth jazz with groovin beats really does it for me. This is the ultimate relaxation cd. Favorite tracks from this cd are CD1 tracks 2 and 5, CD2 tracks 1, 4 , 5 and 6. If you aren't a LTJ fan, then maybe this cd will be the one to make you a believer. Check it out, it's smooth.

Excellent variety of well produced tunes
Ok, previous reviewer, perhaps you're not familliar with the sound of Good Looking Records? This is not Optical and Ed Rush.

For the rest...the biggest give away here is the picture of LTJ Bukem with Juan Atkins, on the inside cover. Juan is an obvious influence on this album, which accounts for it's jazzy-funky-techno sound, in addition to Good Looking's trade-mark "intelligent" sound.

What I find is a good mix of tunes, some boardering on Maxwell meets Roni Size, with the trippy sweeping keyboard sounds and amen choruses we've come to expect from this label. This is a great album. It's not likely to disappoint. It's well thought out, well produced, and well arranged.

I've got most of this stuff on vinyl already, but had no hesitation buying this cd. Well worth the cost of admission.

Also, check out the Big Bud CD on the same label.

These guys are the future of drum n' bass.

A timeless masterpiece that has no equal.
LTj Bukem's Journey Inwards is a rare gem in the world of music. It's not so much an album but a work of art, lovingly crafted, flawlessly mastered, and polished to a perfect shine. Hardcore jungle fans are best warned to stay away; this isn't a dance album, really. Bukem, who made his name with his own melodic style of jungle (drum & bass), abandons the furious pace of the rave dance floor in favor of a jazz-like sensibility. Upbeat, but not hard. Complex layering, yet remarkably accessible melodies that you just can't help but tap your foot to. Nimble, but not really fast. Slick, but remarkably natural and acoustic sounding. Instead, it's an endlessly listenable odyssey, a seamless blend of jazz, big band, a dash of swing, and a whole lot of electronic flourishes. The Bukem's home turf of drum & bass slithers throughout the album, subtly moving in and out and keeping the sound fresh. It's an incredibly classy act; the music seems the perfect fit for a prestigious penthouse party, a gloriously lit urban skyrise of Manhatten or Chicago at night in the background, lights low, fine drinks all around. Journey Inwards is a dreamy, sensuous collection of grooves, beats, and saxophone tones that grow richer and more tasteful with each listening. Few artists break into this kind of ground, and Bukem does it masterfully in this work, undeniably his most original and finest hour.

..impressed !
This album features two IMMORTAL tracks :1/ Watercolours 2/Rhodes to freedom
LTJ's music is so great, you can hear every millimeter was lovecrafted, it's absolute genius.. This guy can paint the fabulous landscapes I can usually only hear in my musician's dreams. Makes me think of AdamF for the kickass jazzy moods! buy it !

Stellar force on the Ambient Drum and Bass Scene
I bought this 2-disc set on a whim, and I am glad I did. The set is a dreamy escape into the world of ambient Drum and Base. I like how Bukem has blended the nifty hooks of jazz-fusion with a softer version of Drum and Bass beats.

This is music definitely for relaxing and enjoying its nuances. I really didn't listen to both discs all the way through until I went on a long flight. This CD set should be listened to all the way through at least once. Each song stands on its on, but together, this is a tour de force in the modern electronica genre. ... Read more

Reviews (20)

bang a gong
I am not sure if this is a live record or a studio record. There are sounds of the audience. But it doesn't really sound like it was all done before an audience. I haven't heard the last few Squarepusher albums. This might be a little chill compared to Hard Normal Daddy. There are some fast beats and quick bass lines. The first song "Ultravisitor" is like a catalogue of his sounds of the past. He touches on drum & bass, jazz, and experimental noise. His notes on the inside cover remind of Duchamp's notes for "Large Glass." I am not sure if my leg is being pulled, or it has any relationship to the music. It's a fine album despite itself.

One of the best! Balanced
I never know what to expect from Tom Jenkinson (sp?) (AKA Squarepusher). I do know that I have never heard anything bad from him. I confess that I was not overly thrilled with the Do You Know..? album. Ultravisitor brings him back on track and BEYOND.

The thing I sense that Tom is going for artistically is a fine balance between his Drill and bass jazzy sound juxtaposed with some ambient type of musical interplay. He has pulled it off on this record folks. It is some Good...!

The title track takes the listener to a place they really have not seen before. I agree as well that it is hard to tell if the way in the background audience was live in the studio or not. But what became very clear to me is that Tom DOES actually play all the instrumentation and is an exceptionally talented young man! He grows with each record and I find that, in and of itself, refreshing. Excellent spin!

Not an easy album for me to review
I am beyond conflicted with the release of Squarepusher's Ultravisitor. Originally, I believed it was the artist's modus operandi. A few months later, I still find myself infatuated with it but not as much as I was before. As it stands right now, Ultravistor stands as being yet another extremely solid release from one of my favorite electronica acts, but still is just shy from making his true masterpiece.

All of the elements for a groundbreaking album were in place. It has the frantic bass work of his early works. It has the played jazz elements of his middle work. It even has the super-speed breaks of his more recent works. What makes Ultravisitor different from any thing else the man has released is that this is the first time we're hearing them all fused together onto one album. The concept and execution feels fimiliar, sort of been there, done that but also feels fresh and new at the same time. Case in point is the masterpiece Iambic 9 Poetry. The song itself is not too far removed from its older cousin, using a similar base line and downtrodden melody. What helps make it different and fresh is how he takes a melody and slowly and steadly wraps around the increasingly complex drums he's playing. They continue to do this for the song's 7 minute life span till it eventually passes out. The song's concept is like I said, familiar but still stunning.

Which is why I'm so conflicted. Yes its a stellar album with some of the most human sounding, most powerful and most intriguing songs in this man's catalog. The problem is its just not that far removed from anything he hasn't already explored. The good news is that it all sounds just as good if not better than anything that preceeded it. Whether or not that's what he wanted I'm not sure.

Like Aphex Twin, Squarepusher might be locked into a holding pattern. Widely considered to be two of the most forward thinking acts of IDM, Aphex Twin and Squarepusher played it safe in their return back to the game. Whether its 26 Mixes or Ultravisitor, it shows that even old ideas can still sound good, even if they are recycled. The question is, how long can they keep doing it?

Modern Jazz and Dance
This album is definitely in a class of its own. 'Squarepusher' plays the bass and snare drum in this album. Some of the songs, such as Iambic 9 Poetry, you would expect to hear in a nightclub. Others incorporate more sound distortion and 'techno' sounds. In other songs, one can see the influence on Squarepusher that classic Jazz artists had such as Miles Davis.
A great album to feel the beat and dance or to relax to the grooving modern jazz beats... A must for all followers of modern or 'hip' music...Highly recommended.

another positive review
I've liked sp a long time, but after Maximum Priest and Select 16
i thought it was getting moldly, but this one brings it back; kinda makes up for GO plastic and Do you know..? This one kinda legitimizes the direction he was going in, like he finally found the source of it, and that's why it works now, and his face is out there now.

it's just that the middle of the album is noise, and it makes you kinda turn the volume down, and you can't really play the album for a lot of people. And if you do, some tracks you can't play all the way through. But the most difficult albums turn out to be the best. I listen to this one all the time. I don't think it should've cost me $16 at the store, though.

it's surprising how fake everything's become, and from genre to genre how it all sounds/has been recorded like it should be on an '80s pop station. This work can break you out of that, and start you off to seeing the world as it'll be again, moving ahead with some soul & determination in it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For his debut album on Talkin' Loud/Polygram, Bristol, England's Roni Size keeps with the label's tradition of releasing grandiose, song-oriented dance albums. Size teams up with DJs Krust, Die, and Suv; MC Dynamite; and vocalist Onalee to weld the rough-and-ready sounds of British drum & bass to the soul vibes of their hometown. On New Forms, the jazz concepts laid out on his earlier singles are expanded into song form, with live instrumentation and full vocals. The album never fails to be interesting; there's serious musical credibility underlying every track, but New Forms, with its straightforward pop sensibilities, is clearly aimed at the listener. Fans of the Bristol sound will appreciate the "Watching Windows" and "Share the Fall" singles, whose subtle melancholy blends seamlessly with Size's trademark drum assaults. Despite its length (23 tracks spanning 140 minutes), New Forms remains perfectly balanced and eminently listenable. --Matthew Corwine ... Read more

Reviews (65)

Truly "New", and Inspiring!
From the breakneck pace of the opener 'Railing' this is a true musical adventure. This young innovator from Bristol has created what is quite possibly the most ambitious album in the history of drum'n'bass. A lot of that ambition is, of course, due to the sheer size and breadth of this release, a double album with 23 tracks spread out over 2+ hours, but amazingly, there is not a dull moment to be found here. Picking favorites or highlights is nearly impossible, but I must make mention of my 3 favorites: "Brown Paper Bag" with it's pummeling drum track, acoustic guitar and the best use of an upright bass ever recorded in modern music, "New Forms", a flawless title track featuring perfectly integrated vocals from Onalee (feelin' so highhhh.....), rapping by the underappreciated Bahamadia and a stop/start arrangement that gives the piece a relaxed vibe. It's nice and mellow, but doesn't dull the impact of the harder hitting material, and finally the closer, "Electriks" that simply pounds it's way into your subconcious with the most relentless drum programming and hypnotic bass line on the album, a fitting coda to a sprawling masterwork. As ambitious as this is, it serves as a perfect introduction to drum'n'bass for the uninitiated, give it a spin and your ears will never be the same.

Will I ever stop listening to Roni Size?
This album is beautiful, and, as most people would agree, that's a very difficult thing to say about any electronic music. The first time I heard "New Forms" I fell in love with it, and I have not yet grown bored with a single track. To many people, the first listen may make it seem repetitive. It is, that's what jungle's all about, but during the repetition of one idea it is constantly evolving. The only way I can think of describing how this works is "a texture of sound" . Okay then, it's a bit like a mantra. This is more than ordinary bounce-up-and-down dance music, it's genius. Every second of this record is filled with subtelty: from the fast rap of Railing, the addictive bass line of Brown Paper Bag, the beautiful vocals of Heroes and Share the fall, to the perfect samples of Destination. If you have heard other jungle and hated it, don't be put off. It is seriously difficult not to like this record. I think this album sets the mould for the music of the 21st century, and I am proud to have listened to it. Buy this, or forever hold your peace.

Wow, what a disappointment.
Ok, I've only heard a few songs from this Dj, so I finally decided to check out one of his CDs and see if he's as good as his hype. This CD does nothing but reminds of why I should of kept my $20. Railing is the only thing worth listening to. Other than that, just walk past this album and look for something better.

Challenges Goldie for the Crown
Roni Size stakes a claim for being the top name in drum&bass with this Mercury Music Prize winning effort, also by chance a double CD set like the aforementioned's "Timeless". The sound is a different end of the genre though, utilising live instrumentation more, particularly the live bass, with the seminal "Brown Paper Bag" a good example.

Does it get any better than this?
One day in 1996 i was coming home from school and a buddy of mine put in this tape and told me to listen. My life was changed from that moment on. It turned out to be "New Forms," one of the greatest things that has ever happened to me. This album is absolutely amazing and can turn anybody into a D'n'B fan. If you don't have it, you must buy it. It was recently awarded with No. 5 of the top 50 albums of all time in URB Magazine. Considering the vote was done strictly by Readers of the ever so amazing magazine, it must say something! ... Read more

Reviews (7)

A Must Have
I remember first listening to this cd in middle school. I didn't really get it that well for all i listened to was Korn. I liked some of the songs though. Now i can't stop from listening to it. It was definately one of squarepushers best cd's and everyone should have a copy of it. It is definately his more Jazzy works in his earlier years. His previous cd's like Feed Me Weird Things and Burning 'n' Tree are good but this is a much perfected art that he has made.

most approachable
I thought I knew a thing or two about drum & bass until I was introduced to the tune "Beep Street." That song was my first taste of Tom Jenkinson, and I haven't been the same since. While I own almost all the Squarepusher albums, I'd have to say that this one is the easiest to digest. Where on some albums, Jenkinson can go off the deep end with music concrete that could make John Cage say, "I've had enough," this album shows him using his talents to give props to the jazz and fusion community. The results are wickedly ingenuitive, intelligent songs that can be understood in jazzy musical contexts (and actually groovy and catchy). Fans of--or creators of--music like Weather Report, Yellowjackets, even Chick Corea should definitely do themselves a favor and hear fusion for the digital age.

I don't know what to say about the dance aspect of this music. In Chicago, I will never see people dancing to stuff like this; if, however, in other places in the world people have a more open mind as to what has a groove, then more power to them. (Actually, in Chicago, I have never met a person who owns this album. Remind me to go to all the jazzers I went to college with and shove this album down their throats.)

The current Squarepusher champion
Strangely, Hard Normal Daddy is probably Squarepusher's best album not because of what its got, but what its lacking. For probably the first and only time in his entire career, Hard Normal Daddy actually shows signs of restraint and actual consideration to composition and songs. This is not to take away from the stunning brilliance of the jazz indulgent Music Is Rotted One Note or the boarderline pyschotic sounds of Go Plastic. But when you strip him of his little mindsex gimicks, Jenkinson really does show of that not only does he have a knack for writting songs but writting really good ones too.

Like a more focused Feed Me Weird Things, Hard Normal Daddy runs the gamut of musical sounds and influences as he shows of that he loves old dub and electro as much as he loves the sound of his own drum programing. First thing that should be noticed by all is that most of the rough production edges of Feed Me Weird Things are gone. Replacing them are much crisper, fuller, and far more smoother sounds and melodies then before. Secondly, his blow your mind and ears frantic drum programing is actually toned down a bit. Sure its jawdroppingly fast and complex, but it doesn't go overboard which some of the tracks on Weird Things had.

The biggest shocker of all on Hard Normal Daddy is the suprising amount of melody and hooks found on the album. There are a suprisingly large amount of catchy tunes that lay ontop of the drum programing and hyperspeed bassplaying that actually make Hard Normal Daddy a blast to listen to. Even on some of the hardcore drum n' bass tracks(some of the shorter of the rank as some of my favorite Squarepusher tracks) are still melodically packed and fun to listen to. The whole CD finally displays some consistancy from a man who normal has one or two stinkers(if not more) per album. For all the characteristics normally present in a Squarepusher album, HND is surpisingly lacking in them, for better or worse.

Still I can see why Jenkinson started pushing his music in a different direction. With Hard Normal Daddy he really did push his evolution into a corner that would require something of a radical change to keep from stagnation. Whether that change is jazz fusion or a turn towards LFO inspired drill n' bass, Hard Normal Daddy will always represent a high point for Squarepusher's career and a highlight in the drum n' bass comunity. It doesn't define the genre like Roni Size's New Forms or Goldie's Timeless, but its still an exceptional work and probably his best yet.

........
I've had this album for a few years now,and all I can say is Tom Jenkinson is,in my view,a genius--and that's not a word i throw around lightly. When it first came out I'd never heard anything remotely like it. It's definitely maniacal,but that's what he was aiming for in the first place. But aside from that,he jumps around from one form of music to another--this is ADD under some semblance of control,and man,what beautiful things can come of that! As a musician you listen to him and can't help but be absolutely blown away; the guy's a virtuoso on everything,let alone the fact that you'd never imagine drum machines could be used in this way. To this day I still put it on occasionally,and I can't help but laugh my head off. It's been how many years since it came out,and still,no one can touch him. Easy listening this is NOT. but when you're in the mood for it,go ahead--put it on. God bless SquarePusher.
Lastly,if you happen to like this,try to get your hands on the EP,Vic Acid. Brilliant.

hard normal daddy
You have to realy be open for music to dig squarepusher. I don't like everyhing Tom Jensinson (Tom Jenkinson=Squarepusher) has done, but this album is amazing. The combination of jazz, techno, drum & bass and soul is realy unique. Listening it the first time I was a bit confused; I had not heard anything like this before. The album is mellow and loud at the same time, which gives you a strange feeling. You should listen it intensive for a couple of times like I did. Now I recommend this album to everyone. the first two songs are the less freakiest: You can even dance on it! But their both realy good though. Coopers world is a funky stuctured drum track. On this opening track you will also hear that Jenkinson is a fabulous bass player! The second song is kind of a drum & bass song although the jazzy and mellow keys make it sound much more warmer than the usual drum & bass I know. The rest of the album is more progessive. Altough I like the whole album I do have my favourites. 'Papalon' is the most jazz orientated song. It has a realy warm sound. The jazz melodies on the keys, the brilliant bass-track and the rhythemly freaky but mellow sounded drums makes this defenetly one of my favourite songs on the album. Antoher favourite is 'Rustic Raver'. This shows you the roots of squarepusher: freaky beats with funky techno sounds over it. I can review every song but I will not. I tried to give you an impression. You should listen it yourself! ... Read more

Album Description

Thunderball's 'Scorpio Rising' is a soundtrack ofblaxploitation funk, cinematic soul, bossa nova lounge,downtempo dub, and downtown drum'n'bass that all comestogether to create a hipster vibe few other groups couldeven aspire to, let alone create. From the Curtis Mayfieldtribute of the opening 'Heart of the Hustler' and the airyjungle jazz of 'Vai Vai' to the ambient, Indian-influencedhip-hop of 'Stereo Tonic,' these guys blend styles likeEsquivel mixes drinks. This is the latest release fromThievery Corporation's Eighteenth Street Lounge label. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

This is the Rising of a great group.
Thunderball it's not only a group in the Costes series.
It' a real great group, very original and with an own style.
Solar song that was in a Costes series it'a very nice song but in this CD there are many others..and better.
Heart of Hustler, Stereo Tonics (the best) and Vibrations are the real hit of the group.
The result it's a electronic smart house music.
From my point of you here there are more influence from the house than from the funk....but why we always have to find a kind of music....can we say only that it's a great Cd coming from a great Group ???????????
Yes of course!

More mellow grooves
As the newest release from the star-studded label 18th Street Lounge, Thunderball gracefully maintains the label's aesthetic of impeccable downtempo. Exploiting the subtle nuances between breakbeat, dub, and drum'n'bass is what has garnered them a worldwide reputation as the true 'Ambassadors of Style.' "Scorpio Rising" plays like an ESL mixtape, from the drum'n'bass of the opener Heart of a Hustler with Curtis Mayfield-ish vocals; to the afro-beat groove of 'Sapphire', including vocal chants and syncopated horn stabs; to the bossa nova clave of 'Solar'. Their penchants for world travel as well as '70s action movies truly create a special atmosphere. Quite like the Thievery Corporation's debut, too.

Killer CD
Funky, Groovy, this CD is fantastic all the way though. It has a retro 70's spy feel to it. This CD is filled with an excellent use of drums, guitar, and sexy vocals.

BEHIND THE "THUNDERBALL"!!!
If a "blaxploitation" film was to ever be done in the 21st century, Thunderball's "Scorpio Rising" would be the perfect soundtrack for it. This baby is reminiscent of everything that used to be good about 70s music: the horn stabs, funky "wah-wahs", thunder-ous basslines, melodious strings, afro-centric percussions and vocals with sass-itude. Thunderball has done a masterful job of crafting every song on "Scorpio Rising" into a unique, yet familiar sounding CD that Curtis Mayfield, The Brothers Johnson, Isaac Hayes and Willie Hutch would be proud of. Exceptionally groovey, and relaxing at the same time, "Scorpio Rising" will appeal to all ages, even that "pimped-out" uncle who still does 70s dance moves at parties and starts every sentence with, "What's Happenin', Lil' Playa?"

Excellent downtempo album
Funky & jazzy dnb with 70s funk feel.

Another great artist on the ESL recordings. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Kiss them goodbye...
Although the end of the best lineup in this band is over, this record is still completely AMAZING, and has moments that sound like the very best of all their albumns. However, Joey Mazzola has departed, leaving just one original member Vin left. I think it's time for a solo career Vin. As far as I'm concerned JOEY is SPONGE.
This albumn is top to bottom...Great songs. Own it, love it, this is it from this fantastic band.

The half I heard is great
I bought what I thought at the time was this full album at one of their shows, but it only had 28 Days, Dandelions, Roar, Leave this World, Love & Roses, Punch in the Nose, and Treat Me Wrong. Still, I thought it was great for a band that hasn't released an album since 1996. And I got it autographed by Vinnie and Joey! I will buy this one of these days, in hopes that the other songs are as good as the ones I heard. 4/5 stars since I haven't heard it all.

Solid Record For Fans
If you are a fan of sponge's sound, this cd is still good. They stay true and come through with some great songs, maybe some of the best songs of their career. Suicide Away is awesome, sanitarium is great when the drums kick in, unpopular girl has the classic sponge guitar sound, and dandelions roar and love & roses will satisfy fans of older songs such as have you seen mary, velveteen, molly, etc.

the album also has some experimental songs that turn out decently, including treat me wrong which sounds like softcore punk with powerchords, and lucifer in las vegas mixes in western country flavor. 28 days is a rocker like wax ecstatic, but for some reason it falls short.

punch in the nose is a great song too

For all the sponge fans in the world
First off i was extremely please to recieve this cd in the mail only one day after i ordered it. And it could not have come at a better time. I have been listening to sponge since "rotting pinatta" was released. And i have to say the new cd is by far the best since pinatta. I had the chance to see this group last summer. And i was blown away at the emotion that vinnie gave off to the crowd. Especiallt when introducing the song "punch in the nose". Like myself this review is for any long time sponge fan that is pleased to see that the boys from Detroit are still rocking. Rock on vinnie~

They're back! Yes!!
I must say, I was shocked to see that Sponge had released something new, and I was pleasantly surprised to find it to be one of, if not THE best, CD's I've ever gotten. I find myself not knowing where to even start. Burn, Punch in the Nose, Suicide Away, and Burn are AMAZING, and the rest of the songs are up there. It's such a pleasure to hear Vinnie's voice again! ... Read more

Reviews (23)

The best of drill-and-bass
Tom Jenkinson aka Squarepusher has been through a lot in his brief career. Starting with his Spymania drum&bass tinged releases through his fusionesque "Music is Rotted One-Note" and to his current uneasily categorized electronica, Squarepusher has kept listeners guessing, and rarely bored. This American release is a collection of 3 of his 'drill & bass' EPs from the late 1990s (for lack of better description): Port Rhombus, Vic Acid, and Big Loada. This CD contains what I think is the best of this era of Squarepusher, though Hard Normal Daddy is nearly as good.

Squarepusher, whether or not you enjoy his music, is an amazing programmer/sequencer. His drums, unlike typical drum & bass, rarely loop, and are constantly changing in sound, rhythm, and at times, speed. This is most evident on tracks like 'A Journey to Reedham,' which also features a strikingly pretty synth line, 'Tequila Fish,' and 'Come on My Selector,' the album's hit, if it has one (the CD also contains an excellent video for this song, directed by Chris Cunningham, director of superb Bjork and Aphex Twin clips). Squarepusher is known as something of a bedroom musician: All of these songs were created in his home, and one has to wonder how much time it took to make these incredibly intricate songs. The only real problem with this, and all of Squarepusher's releases, lies in his bass-playing. Squarepusher likes to add live bass to some of his songs, and unless you are a fan of his Jaco Pastorius-style funky bass-playing, which I cannot say that I am, it sometimes is a little too much. Luckily, on Big Loada, it rarely gets in the way.

Admittedly, I have grown out of touch with Squarepusher; his most recent release, Selection Sixteen, has left me worried that his best work is past him, though I wouldn't put it past Mr. Jenkinson to pull a fast one on me. But this album was my introduction to electronic music, and easily my favorite of albums of this genre of eletronica. I think the first seven tracks (the Big Loada EP) stand best as a solitary EP. All three EPs are available separately as imports, but that can get expensive. This American release is something a serious electronica fan cannot ignore.

Brilliantly crafted Intelligent Dance Music
Tom Jenkinson, like many of his labelmates, makes music that show us that electronic music doesn't always mean a consistent thump of bass over slowly changing harmonics. Tom Jenkinson's music is truly engaging in every sense of the word. It makes the listener actively absorb every facet and subtle element of the dense complexity of the music. Although, it is not to be said that listening to his work is arduous or exhausting, it merely allows for a deeper and more complete appreciation. Squarepusher is not for everybody, as is common in progressive music. Jenkinson creates thickly layered beats, rhythms and harmonies.
When one listen's to Jenkinson's beats it can conjure up the image of a hundred-armed jazz drummer. Much of it's influence is derived from that genre. Squarepusher's drill-and-bass take on that style of drumming is, although occasionally confusing, nothing short of brilliant. His ear for rhythm and the tweaking and manipulation of it is amazing.
On "Big Loada" Squarepusher somewhat departs from his often jazz-heavy music. There is a much more synthetic, mathematical feel. "Journey to Reedham (7 AM Mix)", one of the album's best tracks, is also unlike much of his previous efforts. This is so in the sense that it is much more happy and up-beat than even the more optimistic tracks on previous albums. The song conjures up the exact image it's title implies, one of being half-awake, on a road-trip, driving into the rising sun as it leaves the horizon.
"Come on my Selecter", another amazing track on the album is break-neck to say the least. This track moves like an amphetamine-soaked hummingbird. Meant, I am supposing, for club-goers who enjoy contorting their bodies and flailing their limbs at a million miles per hour. This track is a prime example of, like Aphex Twin's "Come to Daddy", Jenkinson's devious and ironic tweaking of more mainstream musical genres. This one being the club-friendly electronica that warp artist are often the antithesis of.
"Big Loada" is a woderfully orchestated masterpiece of drill-and-bass. Squarepusher is one of those artists that goes largely unappreciated but is, although below the radar, reshaping electronic music as we know it.

This guy must have 2 brains.....
Squarepusher is genre-less. Sure, you can say drum and bass, but the jazz influence, the live bass playing, and the sheer chaotic perfection that is Squarepusher can only be described as that; Squarepusher. I love a whole lot of Squarepusher's work, but this one in particular. With songs such as Port Rhombus, so beautiful and groovy, Massif, Come On My Selector, and Journey to Reedham, I can't help but listen to these songs over and over and over again. And after I'm done, I pick up my jaw and walk back into the world of musical mediocracy.

squarepusher.........god or musician?
Tom's cd Big Loada is one of the best things I have heard in a long time. If you are an electronic fan then this cd is a must. If you aren't then this cd still is a must. He is one of the most creative musicians out there and deserves far more praise than he gets.

Squarepusher's finest
In my opinion, this record is definately Squarepusher's best work of art. Simple yet complex is the best way to describe this. He combines his knowledge of nice funk/jazzy influence sounds and mashes that up with his knowledge of oldskool jungle style but in such a way that no one can put back together quite like he can. "Come On my Selector" video is also featured on this enhanced disk. A great addition to the LP. The timing is done so well and its funny too. Great video.

Tracks to definately check out on the LP are Come On My Selector, Full Rinse, Tequila Fish (My favorite SP song), and of course Port Rhombus. Some may argue that "Hard Normal Daddy" comes first but This is the fine starter for SP fans. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Calling fabled guitar god Jeff Beck "mercurial" doesn't do justice to the word – or the legend himself. While this latest blast of maniacal Beckology seems to form a loose techno-centric triptych with its predecessors, by no means is the guitarist resting on his laurels here. If anything, his continuing collaboration with You Had It Coming producer Andy Wright (aided and deliciously sonically subverted by Splattercell's David Torn and Apollo 440) has yielded one of Beck's most muscular--if willfully challenging--collections of musical future shock. Save for the elegant, orchestra-backed take on the traditional folk of "Bulgaria" and introspective respite of "Line Dance with Monkey' and "JB's Blues," the guitarist seems to have little interest in traditional lyricism here, instead coaxing an inventive maelstrom of unearthly, metallic timbres and alien modalities from his instrument on the angular "Trouble Man," the hypnotic grooves of "So What" and the Torn-icated, melodic minimalism of "Plan B." On "Grease Monkey" and "Hot Rod Honeymoon," Apollo 440 playfully fold Beck's notorious car-culture fetishes into an ironic sonic origami of retro-samples and tense electro-rhythms, the latter highlighted by his neo-country chicken-pickin' and incomparable slide work. That track may be cast as mock Beach Boys car tune, but there's definitely nothing nostalgic about the evocative, often hard-edged mood here; it might as well be subtitled "Beck to the Future." --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (77)

A JB guitar masterpiece, but buried in commercial noise
"JEFF" is the third JB album in the last 5 years. Beck continues to push the guitar to the max. The guitar playing in this album is even more amazing and ferocious than most of his previous catalogue. Unfortunately, you must get past the overtaking drumbeats, sound effects, and numerous voice sampling to actually enjoy Jeff Beck himself. The fact that this album is a difficult listen causes it to end up as a "what could have been". There is no other guitar player who matches JB, but this album, while still very interesting, cannot really stand as a single proof of that.

The tracks are creative, hard-hitting and powerful, but I'm always tempted to play other Jeff Beck albums such as "Blow By Blow", "Guitar Shop", and "Who Else!" right after this one. Why? Because on those albums, you can listen all the way through not having to struggle to hear Jeff play. While "You Had It Coming" drew a substantial line between rock guitar and electronica, "JEFF" completely immerses itself with electronica. The last thing I'd want to happen is for someone to take these tracks and play them for trendy TV commercials or dance clubs.

I give this album 3 stars. The guitar work is absolutely fabulous and the album's overall daring task is chilling. However, it will probably take some time to appreciate the album as a whole as well as ranking it among the best Jeff ever recorded. As usual though, it's all about personal preference. Check out this interesting album and discover it on your own terms.

Jeff Beck returns with adventurous electronic offering!
Jeff Beck has always been a favorite of mine due to the often adventurous aspects of his playing. His new cd "Jeff" is no exception. His new disk utilizes electronic effects and mixing aplenty to get his point across. The songs range from a Beach Boys type knock off "Hot Rod Honeymoon" to the tradional "Bulgaria" with an orchestral arrangement and the vocal track "Pay Me No Mind" Beck's playing can be very emotion filled as in "JB's Blues" or "Seasons" for example. He can also rock as evidenced by tracks like "Pork-U-Pine" and "Grease Monkey". For the most part Beck's playing is ferocious as in Trouble Man" and he sometimes showcases his often neglected slide playing and his trademark bent notes. Occasionally the music sounds a little too clinical with all the mixing and electronics but overall it is a good Jeff Beck album. John Scofield's recent albums have also utilized some of these same effects albeit with a more jazzy and funky slant. The music has a sort of futuristic feel to it with a sort of Beck vs. machines and technology vibe. Fans of his last two disks will find plenty of excellent playing to keep them listening!

Scare Your Children!
Buy this CD. Play it loud enough. Your children will hear it and leave you alone for a while. They will also think twice before crossing you. Of course if they surprise you and end up liking it - you still end up with a great Jeff Beck album. Score one for family values. 'Nuff said.

The Best
Long before the Crystal Brothers/Chemical Method creators were in diapers reaching up and knocking over needles as Joy Division crackled out of boxy wall-mounted speakers, Mr. Beck was cranking out the foundation of Techno.
This is the definitive Techno album. Fusing blues and rock, metal and industrial, Jeff simply kicks. If you haven't listened to this with headphones, do it. No one does like Mr. Beck. Any fan of instrumental guitar improvisations and any fan of what Techno music does well, should buy this album.
Crank it.

Why, I Ask, Why Has Jeff Beck Gone Technoesque?
He may be one of the best guitar players around, but he needs the firm hand of a band to guide him in the proper direction. Really brilliant people sometimes make big mistakes...and keep making them.

This brilliant rock guitarist does nothing for rock. I can't understand this apparent love affair he has with techno, since techno A) saw it's hey-day in the mid to late 90's and B) lacked the ability to carry the same emotion, depth, and richness that other forms of music, especially rock and blues can and do. This cd doesn't really break new ground in that genre, and it really doesn't rescue techno from it's slow decline. Whereas "Guitar Shop..." anticipated the rise of techno music (a much better cd), this album merely rehashes every distortion that's ever come from the studio.

Where are the solos? I found it so hard to distinguish a guitar "sound" from some other kind of "sound" at times. Maybe this is what he wants, but if he thinks that this is enough to satisfy his long time fans (or new fans fond of his early work), it's not. Maybe if he had invested some time into lyrics NOT about cars, this cd would be a LITTLE better off. As it stands, I feel that Beck is merely toying with us. He's taken the time to record an album, but has done everything possible to turn it into a joke. Not very nice. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

As good as the debut.
WAX ECSTATIC finds the band trying out a darker, heavier feel on many tracks, while still maintaining a broad, all-encompassing view of hard rock. Think of Alice in Chains. Than think of a more futuristic version. You've got this album's main sound. The title track in particular grabs me as a standout, but part of that is the killer video the band made for it, I suppose. Other greats include the apocalyptic-sounding "I Am Anastasia," the driving "Silence is Their Drug," and the folky, pleasantly restrained "Have You Seen Mary." Yet another record with no real weak points, giving Sponge one of the best track records in the business.

A Wake up call for the critics
Ever here of Seattle based grunge rock? Well these people have surpassed the hype, and comparassion of bands such as Soundgarden, Pearl Jam, Nirvana, and others. Sponge creates a unuqie sound especially with Wax ecstatic..An amazing album indeed. Sure, their influneces I listed above, and Id say who doesn't have those influneced if your a band living in the 90's. In Vinnie's vocals you can hear a little stricking resembelance to Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots, which is great. Sponge is great live, pick up this album.

Jim

Killer concept album, Sponge's best...
The fine art of a concept album was all but forgotten in the nineties, until Sponge unveiled this masterpiece on the public who (criminally) didn't seem to care. That is very unfortunate because "Wax Ecstatic" is easily some of the best music to come out of the drab mid nineties. The lyrical concept is certainly a strange one: the death of a drag queen. Not all the songs seem to fit the formula, but the vast majority do. The lyrics can be explicit at times, but never do the churn the stomach. By the time Velveteen comes around you'll find yourself feeling sorry for the transvestite protagonist, trust me. The music on this CD is diverse and a great leap forward from the nondescript grunge rock of "Rotting Pinata".

"My Purity" rocks with the sheer attitude and abandon of a Guns N' Roses song, with much better vocals of course. The title track is another standout with a catchy guitar hook dominating the song. "I Am Anastasia" is a highlight, as is the Bowie-influenced "Silence is Their Drug". "Have You Seen Mary" should have made the boys in Sponge veritable stars, but thanks to the poor marketing Columbia gave this album, it's just another highlight in an album full of them. The final 1-2 punch of "The Death of a Drag Queen" and "Velveteen" are emotional highs, the former being a gruesome tale of a late night murder and the latter being a heartfelt memoir, as well as the obvious choice for the album's best song. After Velveteen, there's an amazing hidden track that rocks on par with the rest of the CD. Why it is unlisted I don't know.

Don't let the crazy concept prevent you from purchasing this CD, you'll be missing out on some truly classic music. "Wax Ecstatic" stands as Sponge's crowning achievement and is a testament to the perils of the record industry. The music is certainly catchy enough for radio and high quality enough to please any rock fan and keep them coming back for more. Pick up this forgotten gem and tell all your friends to do the same. You won't regret the money spent.

defineitely worth your while
there are four excellent songs here. the first three (my purity, got to be a bore & wax exstatic) are amazing songs. anastasia is also a great song. thick guitars, great rhythm section and amazing grooves, especially in got to be a bore. great production as well for this album. on wax exstatic (the song) i love it when the guitar solo kicks in. it is the perfect balance between hearing the lead and yet still hearing the other instrments. i can hear the drums, bass and guitar holding a great groove as the lead blows me away. GREAT stuff!!
as for the slower stuff, it is good. i think the louder stuff is more vibrant and holds stronger songwriting but still, death of a drag queen is a terrific moody song as is drag queens of memphis. there are some great songs here and this is one band that made one great album in wac exstatic. i have to check out some of their other stuff.

More underrated, yes... But better than Pinkerton? Maybe
Yet another misappreciated or unappreciated gem from '96. Detroit's entrant in the post-Cobain-suicide grunge feeding frenzy took off from their rote, angst-by-numbers debut Rotting Pinata & made what some have gone on to pronounce the first salvo in the glam revival. Specifically, I'd assume, given the wistful but inspired take on transvestism that the band presents in Drag Queens of Memphis, Death of a Drag Queen, & perchance even Velveteen (pick the better album closer: this or Butterfly...). Additionally, though, there is also a power in the chugging guitar of the opening My Purity & Silence Is Their Drug. Here, the guitarists --- it's been a long time since I read the liner notes, so I forget the names --- treat their instruments as that extension of their anatomy, we all know which one, a la NY Dolls, KISS, Aerosmith, or any of the 70s greats, glam & non-glam & pseudoglam. & then there are the effecting tracks, I Am Anastasia & Have You Seen Mary? Having beaten our heads against the wall, us having happily let them (trust me, if it wasn't good, we wouldn't let them at all), they grab our tear ducts & sap them totally. Ah, yes, then, another 70s staple: the lighters-held-aloft moment. & I love that, unabashedly & unironically. For me, I'm starting to think, '75, or maybe '74 --- I wasn't around then --- was the golden age of rock in that decade. [Of course, the Sex Pistols are still hella good. - ed.] & Sponge, on Wax Ecstatic, ran with that sentiment 'til they could run no more... As would be apparent from their limp output since & even at the time minimal output (WE is 10 tracks). But who's to quibble when 10 hit like 20, or maybe 30, from Rancid (another good band, but a different sort of band... Even if Buddyhead isn't fibbing when they say that Lars Frederiksen has a Grateful Dead logo tattoo). My vote then for most misappreciated '96 album: Pinkerton. But most unappreciated: Wax Ecstatic. Now, then, I'm finished... You, appreciate this record. Buy it & love it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

It's hard to imagine Aphex Twin having a more appropriately named label (Warp); fitting also that 26 Mixes for Cash should have such an honest title. Having passed off a random gabba track as a Lemonheads remix and not bothering to hear the Nine Inch Nails originals before handing over his mixes, Aphex Twin has historically proved a little wayward in his methods. Not so much remixing as recycling, Richard D James's method is not unlike flinging tracks into a garbage crusher just long enough so only the bare bones of melody and structure survive. Covering a decade's work, this stunning eclectic mix effortlessly flicks from cinematic ambience (Nine Inch Nails--"At the Heart of It All") and industrial pandemonium (Mescalinum United's "We Have Arrived") to squelching acid trance (his own previously unreleased acid edit of "Windowlicker").The disparate range of artists remixed is as remarkable as the music, with Mike Flowers Pops and Wagon Christ making unlikely bedfellows. Improbable yet inspired highlights come in the form of his haunting interpretation of David Bowie's "Heroes" symphony conducted by Philip Glass and the breathtakingly ethereal transformation of Curve's "Falling Free." --Christopher Barrett ... Read more

Reviews (40)

An instant classic 13 years in the making
Like house demigod (and fellow curmudgeon) Armand Van Helden, no examination of Aphex Twin's body of work is complete without considering his extensive remix work. This double CD compiles not all, but most of the best of that work. Obsessive Aphex completists like myself will lament the absence of this elusive jewel or that (or perhaps sigh with relief that the extravagant price they paid for it wasn't for naught), but I give this compilation a perfect 5 stars anyway because the album itself makes up such a stunning single piece.

You simply won't find a better testimonial to Richard James' musical genius, or the dizzying pace of its evolution, wrapped up in one package. It flows with inner logic and authority, taking the listener on a voyage of imagination from ambient to acid-tech to industrial to drill 'n' bass and back again. Not since Selected Ambient Works Volume II has Richard realized such a musical journey so completely, which is an even greater feat since it's a compilation of material dating back to 1990.

If you're not an Aphex fan, this album could well make one out of you. If you are an Aphex fan, meet your next desert island album.

varied, innovative and unique
This album is a catalogue of experiments in electronic sound, remixing WIDELY various artists and sonic textures to make a completely origional sound. This fine double disc (his most ambitious to date) showcases Aphex Twin's penchant for absurdity (Mescalinum United - We Have Arrived), drama (David Bowie & Philip Glass - Heroes), and sublime beauty (Seefeel - Time to Find Me, and The Gentle People - Journey). The music is at once scary, funny, numbing, exhiliritang, relaxing, irritating, beautiful, ugly, simple and utterly complex.
Interestingly, Aphex Twin has been known to pass off unrelated music as a remix, and critics have often pointed to this as a symptom of the inaccessable and intractable nature of electronic music. After all, if a 'remix' doesn't have to be made in co-operation with the origional artist, and it doesnt have to sound as much like the origional recording as a cover of a pop song would, then where can you draw the line at where one piece of music ends and another begins? And who gets credited for this music? How much do you have to change to call it a remix? How much can you change and still call it a remix?
26 Mixes for Cash is Aphex Twin's response to these questions; for no matter the source material, from pop songwriters like Jesus Jones and David Bowie, to electronic noodlers like Meat Beat Manifesto and Wagon Christ, ALL these remixes sound unmistakably like APHEX TWIN.
favorite track: (Gentle People - Journey)
*****
5/5

a little twisted
Just great. I am a fan of his music for quite a while and all of his records are special in their own way. Tracks with a little twist only RDJ can add. Sometimes a bit sinister, but thats ok for me! Most of his tracks are sertainly refreshing and energy boosting. A philosopher teacher once said: "to enjoy and appreciate the quality of sertain aspects (of whatsoever) you have to have rotten spots besides it". In case of some of the tracks ("ventolin" (medicine for asthmatic patiens) for example in which you hear a sample of a person hyperventilating), annoying bleeps, cracks and sounds are added in such way that when they fade away in a track you almost feel a releef....a contrast between serenety and rotten (no offence)

26 mixes for cash
The latest aphex twin release "26 mixes for cash" demonstrates that Richard James fans will pick up anything he releases regardless of the quality of the work.

Having already cemented his financial future, James questions the intergrity of any artist whom releases music for profit. It would appear that he believes that music, like art, should be created in hopes of the evolution the genre. James seems conflicted over his ascencion to near deity of electronic music. Being the reclusive genius that he is I feel that the title of this album is a joke that he finds very funny. Furthermore, I can't help but wonder what songs James has created and will never release to his frothing public as they may be much more dear to him than anything he recieved financial consideration for.

Aphex has not really pushed the boundaries since the Richard D. James album, and this album is no different. After finding out that NIN was going to be involved with this project my excitement quickly reached fever pitched as I immediatly purchased it. My excitement was quickly subdued as I began listening. While I was able to find a couple of tracks that I really liked, they did nothing to justify the price of a double album.

Different than his other stuff, but equally good
It took me quite a while to get used to this album, and for a long time it was my least favorite aphex twin album - but no longer. The reason I say its different than his others is that the tracks tend to be fairly long and relativley repetitive - also, some of them are just weird and/or obnoxious (Heroes, We Have Arrived). Lastly, since they are all remixes, they abound with melodies, voices, and sounds that didint come from Aphex Twin, giving the album a really unique flavor.

In my opinion, the best aphex twin album is selected ambient works 85 - 92 ... but now that i've lisened to 26 mixes for cash enough, i say its just as good or better than any of his other albums besides SAW 85-92, and it contains some of the most beautiful electronic music i've ever heard (Seefel - Time to Find Me, The Gentle People - Journey, Nav Katze - Ziggy, and The Beatnicks - Une Femme N'Est Pas un Homme all stand out to me as utterly gorgeous peices of music). ... Read more

Amazon.com

Springing from the trip-hop revolution, Lamb have proved themselves to be masters of their genre. With Between Darkness and Wonder, they consolidate earlier advances rather than invade new territories. Recorded in a farmhouse just outside Bath, their fourth album has singer Lou Robinson and techno-wizard Andy Barlow in fine form. Though the opening "Darkness" is a mess of burbles, scratches, and disjointed synths, they quickly find their feet with the quiet clatter and beautifully blended vocals of "Stronger" and the smooth bass and swirling effects of "Sugar 5." Following the instrumental "Angelica," they introduce a deft folky guitar for the excellent and eventually storming augury of "Till the Clouds Clear," and this remains in place for the intimate, innocent "Wonder" and mildly rocking "Sun." Throughout, Barlow creates a series of blissful, sometimes turbulent backdrops for Robinson's sweet voice, cast somewhere between Beth Gibbons and Victoria Williams. In turn, she explores the minutiae of problematic relationships while remaining ever positive. --Dominic Wills ... Read more

Reviews (15)

Pretty "Darkness"
Smooth melodies and sophisticated trip-hop are the mark of Lamb. Their fourth release "Between Darkness and Wonder" is well-named: it's a combination of the melancholy and the pretty, wrapped up in catchy and/or tranquil pop. It's music to get wistful to.

A haunting opener bursts into shimmery "Darkness" and the poppy "Stronger." Then the album takes a different twist, turning down into melodious trip-hop ("Sugar 5," the bouncy "Sun"), and a stretch of soft, sweet music (the instrumental "Angelica," rainy ballad "Till the Clouds Clear," the sweet violin-led "Learn"). After the thumpy, gritty "Open Up," the album closes with the soft, slow, violin-tinged ballad "Hearts and Flowers."

Despite the more upbeat numbers, the tone of "Between Darkness and Wonder" is mellow and pensive. It's also a bit sad, but in an optimistic way. "And I'm beyond recognition/Gone to some small space in silent stillness/Yet something beats anew," Lou Robinson tells us in her sweet, sometimes velvety vocals. With all those songs about rebirth, skies turning from grey to blue and demons (personal demons?), it straddles between being melancholy and joyful.

Despite the electronica/trip-hop nature of Lamb, the edges of "Between Darkness and Wonder" are classical. "Hearts and Flowers" and "Learn" have violins, "Wonder" has rippling harp, and "Angelica" has piano. It gives a more timeless quality to the smooth, panoramic electronic music. Speaking of which: Andy Barlow does a fantastic job molding the beats, blips and sweeps of sound into some of the best trip-hop out there.

"Between Darkness and Wonder" is a beautiful album by a talented band. Deeply atmospheric and melodic, Lamb's newest release may be later considered one of the best releases of 2004.

I hope their next albulm is better.
Lamb is an acquired taste for most people, and it usually takes a while for their new material to grow on me. I've listened to "Between Darkness and Wonder" many times, though, and it still hasn't growing on me. This isn't a bad CD at all, but it's very different from the group's first three albums. Lamb's music seems to keep getting lighter and more mellow with each new album, and I prefer the earlier, peppier music...even "What Sound" seems a lot livelier than "Darkness." The CD is very Bjorkish, and I am not a fan of Bjork, so that's probably why I am not impressed.

Trip-hop at its best
Looking for genre-breaking and fresh sound? Look no further. This is not an album littered with song clips from other artists hooked on an infinite loop. Between darkness and wonder is a contemplative, complex piece of work. Much improvement from Fear of Fours (can't get Gabriel out of my head). Their beats are less harsh and more harmonious with the stealthy and haunting female vocals. What else can i say? good stuff.

Possibly Lamb's best
This album is amazing ... almost flawless. With almost any album it is impossible to listen to the whole c.d. and like every song. This album is different - some songs are amazing some are really good, some just good and only one or two are fair. Not one bad song. It is not like their first two releases - there are a lot less drum & bass influences and experimentations. It's more toned and low key with a lot of slower and more soothing and beautiful moments. The vocals are sometimes more relaxed sometimes more powerful. The best tracks on the album have to be Sugar 5, Stronger, and Till The Clouds Clear. Sugar 5 uses some drum & bass and electronic influences. Possibly their best song ever. Stronger is very simple - has a good beat and great lyrics. Uses very simple piano and string arrangements to give it a gorgeous melody. Till the Clouds Clear starts off sounding like a really pretty Lisa Loeb song with the accoustic guitar and floaty vocals then breaks into this awesome electronic surge of samples and beats. Amazing track. The rest of the songs are really good except I've never been able to get into Sun which is just a little too happy-go-lucky or Hearts and Flowers - too slow. Not bad tracks but have never appealed to me. Otherwise next to Esthero's "Breath From Another" this album may be the best trip hop album ever produced.

Between genuine and genius
Here is another great CD from Lamb. Beautiful soundscapes, intelligent lyrics and fine musicianship make up the body of this CD. Thank God there are groups like Lamb that can counter act the pop tripe that the radio and TV tries to cram down our throats. Highly recommended.
Another CD that has some great instrumentals is mr.deviant's "Techno Obsession". Many of the tracks are dance oriented, but Lamb fans may dig the track "Manic Depression" which is a lush instrumental filled with haunting string and synth lines full of emotion. ... Read more

Amazon.com

With more big-time backing than any junglist save toothy Goldie, the Roni Size all-stars return with a punchy suite of material that sounds so crossed over it could snap. The big-beat drums continue to push drum & bass toward soulful house; the vocals by MC Dynamite as well as guests Method Man and Zach de la Rocha continue to demand hip-hop respect; and the form is repeated, again and again, over and over, at 180 beats per minute. A funky key lick that might bob and weave in an able DJ's hands goes stale quickly over the duration of a long-form CD, but still Size soldiers onward with barely a tempo change. It's mystifying, as he holds so many live wires in his hands. Though the complaint department is firing full force over this seemingly unfinished release, make no mistake that crisp organic jungle standards such as "Ghetto Superstar" will continue to define the name brand, setting dance floors into a kinetic frenzy for many seasons past the shelf date. --Ian Christe ... Read more

Reviews (38)

Not your Daddy's Roni Size
First, this is not New Forms. That was a landmark album that came along when it looked like the town of Bristol could do no less. No, this is a dark agressive collection of sparse DnB beats, anchored by deep industrial bass and bewitching soundscapes hovering above with evil intent. Paraniod vocals provided by both MC Dynamite and Onallee only further this omnious mood set by Size and Co. Method Man's guest apparence I think is a great balance of tradtional Hip-Hop hitting up against the more futuristic tone set by the junglist movement. Rahzel livens up things a bit with some ol' skool fun, but the track really doesn't add much. Why Zack De LaRocha's track made the final cut is anyone's guess (and know you anti coperate music types already have yours.) Like Krust's solo album, In The Mode grows on you with repeated spins. Check out Railing pt.2 System Check and Dirty Beats(my favorite). No, this album is not the artistic masterpiece of New Forms. Its something different, and trust me, there is room for it.

Why compare? Just enjoy another modern masterpiece.
Once again Size and Reprazent produce a masterpiece by departing from the traditional forms of dnb and music in general. And that's why this album may not sound like traditional drum and bass... surely it doesn't sound like anything that I've heard before. In this album, Size and Reprazent reinvent themselves and at the same time go back to their roots bringing us more of their truly fresh "Bristol-original dnb" but now with touches of hip-hop\reggae lyrics, breaks and beats, and even disco. The ordered sequence of these songs and sounds make "In the Mode" so special. Listen to this one from start to finsih. Its a flavored mixture of all types of sounds done in the way that only Roni Size and this group of people know how to do: with real musical style. Why compare this album with "New forms"? "New forms" was released in 1997 and "In the Mode" in 2000 and music has to change and develop. "In the Mode" marks yet another landmark in music history with supreme musical style and a set of strong and innovative sounds.

Roni does it again
This guy can't write one bad song. We find this album digging deeper and going darker than New Forms. Roni is evolutionizing drum n' bass as we speak. The guess artists come on strong as well. Method Man lays down some smooth rhymes. I've always been a fan of Method Man. I was very pleased to see Rahzel on here too, the Roots have always been a favorite of mine. Zak makes a strong lyrical addition as well. Roni has a song called Zak Attack on Touching Down thats dedicated to Zak. I recommend this album before getting Touching Down. Touching Down is such a great album that if you get it first, you won't really like this one. If you get this one first you will appreciate it better.

A TRUE PIECE OF ART!
This is a great album!
For anyone who enjoys
breakbeats of all sorts.
Very minimal but effective!
I recommend this to anyone
who has not explored the
drum and bass world or
is a newbie to the scene.
A great starting album!

Dirty beats
I am not what I consider to be a fan of drum and bass music. That is one of the few sub-genres of dance music that I could not get into. For me, I like my dance music melodic and the beats easy to dance to. I bought a used copy of Roni Size/Reprazent's "In the Mode" a few years ago because I was curious about drum and bass music, let alone Roni Size's work with Reprazent. I'm glad that I bought this cd used because I just could not get into the music. I'm not saying that there weren't any good songs on the cd but it is just not my cup of tea. Just as a cd, "In the Mode" I did like a lot of the songs except for the Zack De La Rocha track "Centre of the Storm". I can't say I am a fan of Zack's screaming vocals. Frankly they get on my nerves. I did like "System Check", "Dirty Beats", "Ghetto Celebrity" and "In Tune With the Sound". Considering that I don't care for hip hop music, I was suprised I really liked the Method Man and Rahzel's tracks on the cd. "In the Mode" would have been the perfect soundtrack for the Matrix films. The music is both beautiful and chaotic simultaneously. Although I am not dnb music fan, "In the Mode" is a good cd. The genre itself is an acquired taste in my opinion. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Three years elapsed between the U.K. release of Lamb's highly acclaimed debut and this CD, making fans of their moody trip-hop impatient. Does Fear of Fours deliver? Yes, but like many sophomore efforts, this one can't help but fall short of expectations. There is more of Lamb's full, emotional sound here, but while songs off the debut such as "Gorecki" and "Cottonwool" were beyond epic, most of the tracks on Fear of Fours merely get the job done. Where Louise Rhodes's vocals were near operatic, they are now more spoken wordish. And rather than complementing the lush orchestral instrumentation of partner Andy Barlow, the two more often collide. But there is beauty in chaos and nobody knows that better than Lamb. When Fear of Fours shines, it really shines. Take the drum & bass-influenced beat frenzy on "Ear Parcel" and the uplifting aria, "Fly." These alone are a testament to why so many fell for this Manchester duo in the first place. --Courtney Reimer ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Excellent Music, disappointing vocals
I was fortunate enough to see Lamb in concert in Seattle a few years ago during one of their tours. I was truely amazed at the quality of the singing and the incredible sound of their music. I immediately purchased their CD and became an instant fan.

I purchased fear of fours hoping for the same type of sound. The music is really incredible... it has the same incredible beats, the same modern sound... but something was missing. Some songs sound as through the vocal have been distorted. Rather than the beautiful soft voice that was in the debut album, the lead vocalists voice sounds shrill and harsh. It's too bad, because her voice was so absolutely beautiful and pure in the first album.

So... if you want a Lamb album, I recommend their first. This one just doesn't have the same musical quality.

An impressive follow-up
'Lamb' burst onto the scene in 1996 when their self-titled album was released. Not only was it a brilliant album, but it establised Lamb (love the name!) as one of the best drum and bass/ trip-hop outfits around today. Their second album 'Fear of Fours' takes a slight departure from the first, with the songs sounding edgier in some instances and the beats more creative. There is a strong jazz-type influence on the album with numerous songs containing old jazz samples, as well as featuring a killer double bass. Vocally, the lead singer Lou sounds more distorted and eerie this time round, which contrasts to the melancholic sound of the first album. Nevertheless, her voice features brilliantly on tracks such as 'B Line', 'Lullaby' and 'Fly'. Argubly the best track on the album is 'B Line', as it incorporates numerous 'sounds' and 'noises' which totally enraptures you into the music. The double bass adds a real sense of sophistication and progression, and the pulsating chorus is simply brilliant.

Moreover, this is a most satisifactory second album, and it gets all the more better every time you listen to it.

Masterpiece
All Lamb's albums are awesome, but this one sums them up best. This was the first time I'd heard Lamb (besides the K&D remix of Trans-Fatty Acid), and it was totally unlike anything else I had experienced. It was so intense and different. Every listen opened up new tracks that I hadn't noticed before, and Fear Of Fours has the most cohesive album structure that I have ever come across. Lamb wakes you up with Soft Mistake and Little Things, takes you on a wild journey with Ear Parcel and Five, and finally says good night with Lullaby, with killer tracks like B-line, All In Your Hands, Softly and Fly thrown in along the way. Fear of Fours is an absolute masterpiece, and is definately the place to start your love affair with Lamb. Happy listening

Great record, probably their best yet
Andy Barlow and Louise Rhodes continue exploring interesting soundscapes after their intriguing self-titled debut. While not as risky and adventurous as that album, "Fear of Fours" still brings something new and provides a rich listening experience. In fact, it`s probably the duo`s best record to date, offering a strong and creative mix of trip-hop, drum n`bass, downtempo and electronica. Louise`s voice sounds a little weird at first, but after a couple of songs it doesn`t matter much since these compositions are always absorving and engaging, setting an unique and futuristic mood. There's a lot of good stuff to find here, like the heartfelt-but-not-corny ballad "Softly", the strange and addictive "Fly", the smooth instrumental "Five" or the epic "Bonfire". It expertly mixes light and darkness, the emotional and the mechanical, providing a fresh and original record that deserves more recognition. This gives "pop" a good name.

Great CD
I first heard about this group on a local radio station, the group's name was not mentioned since I was listening to the station's "Extended Trip" show: they play 3 hours of chill-out or Acid Jazz music with no commercials. When I heard the Filla Brazilla mix of Cottonwool, I was hooked from that point (on Lamb and Filla Brazilla) after a week of research led me to the groups name.

I like this CD alot more than their previous one (where Cottonwool comes from). This is a mixed bag of different styled tunes to suit a wide variety of tastes. My favorite is the one that does not feature the lead singer's vocals, the one that starts off slow, featuring the trumpet. One of the greatest tunes ever.

By the way, I like her voice, she could be ALOT worse = Britney (the devil) Spears anyone? ... Read more