Amazon.com

The Icelandic iconoclast is a past master of deconstructing her studio recordings, and here she plays an active role in helping a crew of remixers and guest artistes get medieval with tracks off 1995's Post. Trip-hop, jungle, and industrial flavors will draw the Tricky crowd, and Brodsky Quartet puts a string-driven spin on "Hyperballad," but it's the lush Deodata treatment of "Isobel" that'll make your head spin.--Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (63)

Half-good, half-... not-as-good
"Telegram" is a decidedly mixed bag: Buy it if you're a Bjork addict, but otherwise stick with "Post" (the album whose songs this CD remixes). Only one song here improves upon the original--the remix of "Hyberballad" replaces the drum beats and squeaky noises of the original with an inventive and haunting arrangement by the Brodsky Quartet that could stand on its own as an instrumental but goes even better with the lyrics, in part because it actually mimics the sounds of some of the events described in the song. The one new song here, "My Spine," is passionate and wonderful; it's minimalist (just three minutes of Bjork singing and Evelynne Glennie playing exhaust pipes) but complex, like the "Post" version of "Cover Me" or "All is Full of Love" from "Homogenic."

Two other remixes are very different from the originals but hold their own--"Possibly Maybe" and "Cover Me." The remixes of "Isobel" and "You've Been Flirting Again" don't sound much different from the originals--they more or less simplify these songs and bring out their prettier elements. The "Army of Me" and "Enjoy" remixes are attention-getting, industrial-sounding tracks that have almost nothing to do with the originals. "I Miss You" has a pretty, wistful, hip-hop background, but this setting is all wrong for the intensity of the song's lyrics and vocals. Finally, "Headphones" is a slow, boring, disgraceful mess.

Again, worth buying for a fan, but not necessarily otherwise.

Ó, the Joy of Remixes!:^)
This is perhaps Björk's most underrated release. It is not a mere attempt from the record company to "cash in", but a collection compiled by the inspiring artist herself of equally inspired reworkings of some of the brilliant songs on her unforgettable landmark album Post, from 1995.
This remixed set is a partial hint of what was to come on her 1997 album, Homogenic, on which she did no-holds-barred, emotional, striking techno~punk pieces which so many artists are unadmittedly attempting to live up to to this day...(pick up all her albums for their greatness, and you'll see)
But, this album is filled with imaginative gems, some with new vocals, even. There are some remixes from the great vat of remixes from post that i would have included, perhaps in the place of "I miss you", which had already appeared anyway, but every remix here is enchanting.
The very first remix of Possibly Maybe, Björk says is among her favourites, and it's easy to see why...
There's a heart-wrenching Hyperballad reworking with the Brodsky Quartet; an awesome, vibrant and hard reworking of Enjoy...a lush, tear-inducing version of "you've been flirting again"...a pronounced voodoo-vibe version of army of me...
A funky remix for I miss you...and so much more!
Just explore the "emotional landscapes", as Björk says;)

A reconstruction of a deconstruction
I'll be perfectly honest. Before getting this I was never a Bjork fan. Apart from Army of Me which I thought was great I wasn't sure what to think about her. And to any DJ who played It's Oh So Quiet just made me sick - that was a song that should never have been released but then it fitted with popular demand didn't it

I came across this CD when in Germany and noticed in the booklet it said that she was very happy that the mixers used her songs as " ingredients " for their mixing desks. And I thought I might as well give it a go. I was hoping they would destroy her songs into pieces and make it completely unrecognizable from what it was. And I'm pretty sure that's what I got in some cases - so much so that it frightened me!

Now I don't know whether this'll make me a diehard Bjork fan but I could happily enjoy this album for all it's worth and it's recommended to both fans and the interested parties

Meant For...???
Even I, being a huge Bjork fan didn't get this CD release...
I cringe at some of the remixes...it's too bad such a fantastic artist as Bjork has to have this ""album"" on her resume. Ah Well...

For BIG fans of Bjork ONLY !
I love this artist and I was expected some great surprises with this CD, I was finally very disappointed.It is not interesting at all.Most of the songs that all fans already know and have on several records, are remixed by different people and the result is at the end, impossible to listen for most of them.It's boring and even the great Bjork melodies sound crap or nothing like the originals. It was maybe a lot of fun for them to make such a stuff but I am not sure, the fans will share this excitement.
Get this Cd if you really want to collect all her releases and if you don't care what it's on it. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

Exta-Sí, Exta-No!
I don't normally do such overtly reactionary things such as this, but I have been truly touched by the power and the glory that is the Merkin Dream and feel the need to get this off my chest. Ever since my first listen, I have found myself walking around my home town of Cranston, Missouri with a ridiculous ear to ear grin on my face. We just don't get a lot of music like this in our neck of the woods. I'm not the only one who thinks so either. At my last kegger, I threw on the album and everything changed. My friends put down the whippits, stopped chair wrestling and joined in the incredible vibe created by some of the more interesting beat-smithing and melody weaving I've come across in a long time. I also must add that Hsu and Volk-Zimmerman are not afraid to get nasty as well. I find it to be a universaly enticing album. Many people around Cranston, my girlfriend Jolene especially, have also experienced a baffling libido surge that becomes more daunting every day. I never new she could booty clap before. Thanks guys.

Who ARE These Guys?
How can music be so intelligently funny and beautiful at the same time? (Listen to Long Walks On the Beach.) No, who are these guys really? This music is too good to be a couple of guys nobody's ever heard of. Notice there are no band photos in the CD? Kai-Wei Volk-Zimmerman? Please! These names are so obviously made up. (I tried anagrams, but the best I could come up with is: 'I'm Brian Eno wish rave muzak milk'.) This girrl in a club in Oakland told me she heard this CD in Rome last summer before it was even released here and that it's, like, really Ian MacKaye from Fugazi unplugged, and that Ralf Hutter from Kraftwerk sings Harddrive and Firebird, and Sly and Robbie are on 14 Barnes. Buy this album and dream a little with Merkin.

Good, but not classic
I expected a lot out of this album after reading the other reviews posted. The album is definitely good, but nowhere near great. A lot of it, to me, sounds like Radiohead's "Kid A" release, with many tidbits of sound put together to form a "stream of conciousness"-type of recording. The journey the album tries to take you on is rather random, but the mixing of so many different styles and sounds is definitely worth a listen. Not my exact style of music, but a very talented duo nonetheless.

If this genre of music is what you're into, check out Four Tet's "Rounds". Musically similar, but with a bit more defintion (for lack of a better word) in where it's trying to go. To really blow your mind, pick up Nightmares on Wax "Carboot Soul". One of the truly great albums of the past few years. Second only to St. Germain's "Tourist", really, but what could possibly compete with that release??

mysterious love
I can't describe this cd, I keep typing things out and then deleting them because they don't do it justice. Its like the music playing while you dream. If you're dreaming of merkins, then even better (a merkin is a... ahem... special kind of wig). Every song is gently poured into your head. That's why when you first hear it you may be like "what's the big deal?" because its so low-key and smooth, but there is so much beautiful music there. Somehow its soothing without being boring or horribly repetitive. The songs are almost cute, each in their own individual way. If you're feeling tense, its like musical tea and a massage. I'm listening to it right now, and i keep closing my eyes and forgetting what I'm doing. Its an amazing, lovely cd.

Awe-Inspring and Honest
I read that the creators of this album worked on it while art/design students at Rhode Island School of Design. I am truly amazed. To me, the music is an audible translation of human emotion- A soundtrack to those things we only understand subconsciously. It is candid and honest. It speaks without words. Its beauty is mystifying. This is truly timeless electronic music. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The second full-length from Nine Inch Nailssurvivor Chris Vrenna under his tweaker alias finds him exploring the dark alleys between sleep and reason; his sole instruction for his impressive list of guests--including David Sylvian, the Cure's Robert Smith, and ex-Smiths guitar whiz Johnny Marr--was they draw inspiration from topics pertaining to nightmares and dreams, insomnia, and slumber. Not surprisingly, the results often unfurl according to a hard-to-decipher yet gripping dream logic, as on "Ruby," where crackling ambience and the weathered voice of Will Oldham (Bonnie Prince Billy) are interrupted by unexpected explosions of buzzsaw guitar. Between vocal cuts, Vrenna and studio partner Clint Walsh (Jack Off Jill) craft moody instrumentals more organic in character than on tweaker's 2001 debut; Sleepwalking Away even features creepy glockenspiel. Custom made for late-nights, right down to a menacing Tones on Tail cover ("Movement of Fear"), this disc is definitely no snooze. --Kurt B. Reighley ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Interesting record
I have been listening to this record for a few months now and it still seems amazing. Chris Vrenna who used to be in Nine Inch Nails has made one of those highly collaborative records. When some in the past like Just Jack have not been so great, Tweaker turns out to be a great journey. The first song "Ruby" features Will Oldham and has the feel of a Nine Inch Nail track. "Worse Than Yesterday" is more melodic. "Truth Is" with Robert Smith is pretty good jazzy track. David Sylvian adds some ambient atmospherics on "Pure Genius." The best songs on the CD is probably "It's Still Happening" with Hamilton Leithauser (of The Walkmen). It's has all the best dynamics of rock and electronic music and how Leithauser could be a pretty good singer in any type of band. Johnny Marr and Jennifer Charles make some minor contributions as well. Jennifer Charles pulls off the Hope Sandoval/Dot Allison bit on the final song "Crude Sunlight." It is a diverse record but it comes together. It's not a goth affair. It's more like UNKLE or Death in Vegas when all is said and done. Live they are generic.

A Drastic Iimprovement
I was not a fan of Tweaker's debut record, "The Attraction to all Things Uncertain". As a matter of fact, I can't even remember anything on it. That's why "2 A.M WAkeup Call" is such a surprise.
The sound is basically the same: Chris Vrenna, remixer and extraordinare and former Trent Reznor lackey, composes dark, atmospheric songs that don't really stray to far from Reznor's own. The difference here is that the songs are more intersting and seem less like a lark then they did the last time around.
THe lead off track, "Ruby", sounds like A Perfect Circle, with its slow moving verse and arena ready breakdown. Johnny Marr guests on the excellent "The House I Grew Up In", which is the perfect soundtrack to the end of a dark night.
There are a few clunkers on the record, like the Robert Smith sung "Worse than Yesterday", that neither has the musical ambition in the tune or in Smith's phoned in performance. But the qualms are few and far between. For a good mood record, you'll be hard pressed to find a better one than "2 A.M. Wakeup Call".

i'm not sleeping here
i'm no good at these reviews, so i'll just say is an amazing album and if you liked tweaker's first album you'll love this one too (if you've no idea about either then order them both!). based upon the things that keep you awake at night it is denifintely a night time album when you know that sleep is hoplessly unobtainable. it has some great guest vocalists to go with Chris' amazing sound, such as Robert Smith of the Cure, Mellowdrone, and Hamilton Leithauser of the Walkmen.

2 A.M. Wakeup Call
An excellent follow up to an excellent debut from Chris Vrenna, Tweaker - 2 A.M. Wakeup Call is a much more focused and mature album than its predecessor, The Attraction To All Things Uncertain. The concept this time out are dreams, nightmares, insomia, the things that keep us up at night. Guest vocalists making a return from the previous album are Will Oldham singing on "Ruby" and David Sylvian singing on "Pure Genius." 2AMWUPC is more song driven than TATATU, featuring memorable tracks such as "Ruby", "Sleepwalking Away", "Truth is", and "It's Still happening." It's a wonderful trip through a nightime setting with different characters contributing to an overall theme, which is beautifully concluded in "Crude Sunlight." Definitely worth a buy, as is the debut album.

dreams, nightmares and insomnia...
Former Nine Inch Nails collaborator/drummer Chris Vrenna is mostly known for production and remix work with an impressive array of artists including U2, David Bowie, Smashing Pumpkins, Lords of Acid, VAST, and Rob Zombie. Vrenna calls Tweaker his "quasi-solo project." 2 a.m. wakeup call is the follow-up to his 2001 debut the attraction of all things uncertain.

2 a.m is a concept album based on dreams, nightmares and insomnia-anything and everything that keeps us up at night. Vrenna, and co-conspirator Clint Walsh (formerly of Jack Off Jill) drew inspiration for the project from the time when the world is fast asleep-a time when Vrenna's wife suffers insomnia, bolting awake every night at the same time-2 a.m.

I was prepared for the same programmed noises that characterized Tweaker's debut, but then, Vrenna pulled the rug out from under my ears. In these songs, he reveals a more skillful arrangement that exploits the best of his collaborations with varied guest performers Robert Smith (The Cure), Johnny Marr (The Smiths), wunderkind Jonathan Bates (aka Mellowdrone), musician/actor Will Oldham, Hamilton Leithauser (The Walkmen), Nick Young (1/2 of the Young brothers who form 2/3 of the group A.I. that also happens to feature Pablo Manzarek, son of The Doors' Ray Manzarek), David Sylvian (Japan) and Jennifer Charles (Elysian Fields). Each collaborator was asked "What keeps you up at night? What do you dream about?" The result was each singer's interpretation of their answers in lyrical form. Vrenna took great pains to include live drums, acoustic guitar, piano, and glockenspiel, capturing an emotional, organic performance.

2 a.m. is a masterful work, an incredible array of layers and textures that takes a third, a fifth and a twentieth listen to catch. But the listen is well worth it. ... Read more

Album Description

1997 debut album for London based trip-hop act with a distinctively South American flavor inspired in part by vocalist Nina Miranda's childhood. Best known for the track 'Underwater Love' that was featured in a successful Levis' ad campaign, the album's other highlights include, 'Numbers' and 'Dark Walk' and Miranda's sultry vocals in English, French and Portuguese. Standard jewel case. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

In a devil of a mood
British band Smoke City debuted with "Flying Away," a lush trip-hop album with some hints of sultry South American music woven in there. Imagine Portishead doing bossa nova and samba, and you'll have some idea of what "Flying Away" is made up of.

Starting off with the fluidly sensuous "Underwater Love," the album jolts into the smoky, thumping "Devil Mood," sexy ballads (the slow "With You," the gentle "Giulietta), shimmery Latin music ("Numbers," the pleasant "Aguas De Marco"), and opulent trip-hop ("Dark Walk") before wrapping up with the sweet title track.

"Flying Away" is one of those albums that you just can't pin a label on. To call it one thing -- Latin music, trip-hop, jazz -- would be to leave out everything else this album is. Instead it's a seamless blend of all three, mixed in with some odd sound effects and beautiful vocals.

Smoke City's instrumentation is a weird combination of the electronica and organic: we've got beeps, blips and bloops mixed in with an acoustic guitar. And thrown in are heartbeats, crickets, muffled muttering, maracas and some heavy ringing percussion. The lyrics seem simple, but come across as far more than they are ("With you I felt love/With you I felt pain/With you I was me/And a bit of you too").

Vocalist Nina Miranda's sweet vocals are what makes this album so memorable. She croons in Portuguese, French and English, managing a sultry croon one moment and wistful ethereality the next. Not to mention some ad libs of her own, like the high-pitched yelps of "Devil Mood," her mumbled mutterings, or the quizzical "The body? Yes, the body!" comment.

The sensual sounds of Smoke City are at their best in "Flying Away," full of fire and water and wind. This textured collection of brilliant trip-hop is a must-have for music fans.

"Underwater Love" Plus More!
I first encountered Smoke City when I heard their "Underwater Love" track on a chill compilation. (This excellent song has been included on more than one collection.) I don't like to think that I'm easily impressed, but I was really blown away by this number with its sulty Latin-tinged female vocals, odd blips and bleeps and dolphin calls, and superior production values. So I finally ponied up to buy their whole album.

I don't know what I expected, but this wasn't it. At first, I hated it and thought I'd made a colossal mistake. But it's really grown on me after repeated playings. I was expecting more songs along the lines of "Underwater Love", but Smoke City likes to play around with different tempos and sounds and beats, so I ended up getting a bit of variety.

The members of Smoke City, who collaborate in writing the music and lyrics, are Marc Brown, Chris Franck, and Nina Miranda, the vocalist. (Ms. Miranda also provided the illustrations for the liner notes.) Evidently they're influenced by the Brazilian music traditions. For instance, they cover the classic bossa nova tune "Aguas de Marco" ("The Waters of March") and give it a nimble and quirky update. And their own tunes borrow a little bit from samba and other genres as well, but filtered for today's tastes--no space age bachelor pad stuff here.

Ms. Miranda makes a huge impact, plunging in without fear and becoming a one-woman sound effects company. She's sexy and funny. Her vocal talents are best displayed in the slower number "Giulietta", a song anchored by a simple Spanish guitar line and ornamented with heartbeats and the sounds of crickets. Here she sings "And the place to confront with passion is the body", and then interrupts herself to ask perplexedly, "The body?", and proceeds to reassure herself, "Yes, the body." Later she notes "There are different kinds of fights/Dog fights--woof!/Playful fights...mrrow". Obviously, it's better heard then read, because only her sensual voice can do it justice.

So if you've run across "Underwater Love" on one anthology or another and you've been wondering if these guys are any good, take this album out for a spin. It may take some getting used to, but it's definitely an interesting and rewarding work by a talented group.

[WOW], baby!
A friend sent me this album recently, and I just listened to it today, and I am absolutely floored. This is one of the [most sensual] albums I've ever heard. I've had it on repeat since I woke up five hours ago. It's rhythmic, melodic, textured, [...], sensual, HOT, jazzy, fiery, and completely irresistible. 5 stars ALL the way.

TOUGH to find at first
I love this group - they're one of my all time favorites. This particular album was released in 97' but has since then been re-released in 2001 in the US as well as Europe again. Smoke City had ben gaining a strong cult following since "Underwater Love" and the musicians in this group are exceptional - from Nina Miranda to Christian Franck to Marc Brown. Nina Miranda has done work with many other artists on their albums - from Bebel Gilberto to Compost's artists. Christian Franck is also featured with the group "Da Lata" adn Marc Brown, well, is all over the music scene.

I highly recommend this cd. It's very original, Nina Miranda has a very charming voice, the instrumentation is great and they really are a talented group. I liked every track. PICK IT UP. And if you really like this album, check out Da Lata's album and of cours, Smoke City's newest album, "Heroes of Nature". I don't think it's as strong as this one, but it's still very good. My favorite tracks on this one are "Joga Bossa, With You, Jamie Pan, Numbers and Underwater Love". But all tracks are fantastic, again.

FYI: They've appeared in TONS of compilations... especially chillout ones (Ministry, Chillout Room, etc.). Some that may have slipped through the cracks though: Brasil 2Mil (great comp), Ondha Sonora - Red Hot + Lisbon, Red Hot + Gershwin.

a spill into paradise
Smoke City's music is a blend of ethereal and sensual, playful and joy. Nina Miranda's voice carries one through a watery dream that you never want to wake from. ... Read more

Album Description

Four Tet is Kieran Hebden, and he has released eight albums between his solo Four Tet work and band efforts as Fridge.Rounds is a beautiful montage of shuffling percussion,piano, guitar and folktronic excursions. 10 tracks. Domino. 2003. ... Read more

Reviews (28)

makes Wesley Willis look like Dom Deluise
An innovative and diverse electronica album. Incase all these other reviews haven't informed you yet, Four Tet makes their music from obscure samples of everything from jazz to gamelan to folk to ethnic to glitch hop to ambience and everything in between, often fused together to form some cross-cultrual form of electronic world jazz or something. THe result is a rich, beautiful, intoxicating, evocative collection of ineffable music that stands in a league of its own making. It definately stands up as just as good as the post-rock instrumental scene, right up there with Do Make Say Think and Godspeed You Black Emperor!, but in the same sounds nothing like them. If you're a fan of THe Books, check them out, or if you've heard of Four Tet first, check out Books later. This is the future of electronic music. Also check out Manitoba, Third Eye Foundation, Prefuse 73, and her's some random artist who is nothing like any of them---Wesley Willis.

Not as good as rave reviews: Not enough 'there' there!
I bought this CD because I enjoyed the two cuts included on two different CD comps as published by the British music mag 'Uncut.' For some reason its editors chose this album as one of the tops for the year 2003. I humbly disagree with the choice. The reason is that I'm sorry to say that the two best tracks on the album are the ones I already own. If you listen to the sound samples you will find instrumental music that is spare, eery, and well, chilly. I know that there is a whole subculture of music fans that are enamoured by this form of musical expression. I find that I like it but in small doses. Thus I recommend this album only to people who can sit through an entire CD of this trance-inducing music and warn away people such as myself who, either from a lack of concentration skill, impatience or a fondness for red meat need something more than 50 minutes or so of gauzy if pleasant ambient music.

BEAUTY, BUT PURPOSE?
This piece of music flows through speakers like perfectly crafted clouds of dark candy coating. Its delectable, intoxicating, and haunting, but you feel as if this aural feast is lacking in the building blocks. The simple joy of something beautiful is infused within these tracks. It is a cold, frosty, somber joy that is not unlike Nick Drakes folk recordings. The old, "life is dark, and I'm sad but isnt that tree wonderful" kind of feeling. His sounds shimmer, and overlay like a child's view Steve Reich. The abstractions in sound are wonderful, the dissonance is eloquently stated, but the anchoring of these abstractions within a simply gorgeous progression is a bit of an easy sell. Brian Wilson did it with the Beach Boys, as did Dave Axelrod. But to use beauty as a listening marker in a piece of music that relies so heavy on pulses and glitches is an easy way out. The atmospheres created by Four Tet are undeniable, and the level of taste in tone and sound is way above par. Suffice it to say the guy knows his way around a record collection. As a stately bit of 21st century electronic pop it funtions a high art. But the importance of this recording is not immediately recognizable when projected against the new century's diverse musical landscape.

Cheap Tortoise rip off
Wow! Four Tet sounds much like Tortoise, except not nearly as good. If anyone thinks Four Tet has some shred of decency, go pick up any Tortoise album and be amazed by the difference.

THIS IS MY FOUR TET!!!
After getting "Rounds" from Four Tet I must say that I'm still trying to process it. "Rounds" tends to meander a bit from song to song, but the entire set is interesing enough to have me grooving with "Hands" and "Spirit Fingers" to chilling me out with the beautiful cuts, "Unspoken" and "Slow Jam". The feel of "Rounds" is somewhat esoteric, and the production sounds almost amateurish and incomplete, but all in all, this one will satisfy the IDM crowd and chillout fans alike. ... Read more

Reviews (56)

Who Are These Guys Anyway???
I, like many unsuspecting others I'm sure, purchased Exile on Coldharbour Lane because I couldn't get enough of Woke Up This Morning just hearing it weekly on the Sopranos. So, I bit, hoping that I'd discover a couple more equally dynamic tunes on the CD.

What I surprise I got when I discovered that practically every song in the collection is worthy of a Five Star Rating. In fact, it's the only CD I've wanted to listen to since I purchased it weeks ago. Does the description country/acid house/gospel/techno mean anything to you? Not until you listen to this CD, and then it means the world. Their music is driving, compelling, unique and brilliant.

So, where has A3 been all my life? I've looked on the Internet and can't find out a thing about who they are, where they are, etc. amazon.com doesn't even carry their CDs directly. Anyone have any answers? Drop me a line at whiteh2o@catskill.net.

BTW, do not hesitate for another second. You must hear this CD.

Fughettabouit! A Great Techno Rock Album
Those who like the theme song for The Sopranos but that are hesitant to purchase this CD thinking that the band is nothing but a one trick pony can put your fears to rest. "Exile on Coldharbor Lane" contains at least a half a dozen songs that are the equal to "Woke Up This Morning." The album is, in fact, the best techno rock album released in the 1990s by anyone not named Trent Reznor. Combining elements of rock, country, blues and yes, even gospel into their funky beats, these guys know how shake your booty while also challenging your frontal lobes. They also get the prize for managing to turn a John Prine song ("Speed and the Sound of Lonliness") into a house dancefloor number.

With lyrics ranging from fundamentalism to Marxism, all firmly tongue-in-cheek, the other great performances here include the truly funny "U Don't Dans 2 Techo Anymore," which sounds like Big Audio Dynamite meets Merle Haggard. Also terrific are the socialist rant "Bourgeoiusie Blues," "Ain't Goin' to Goa," and the closing hilarity of "Peace in the Valley." They are even adventureous enough to risk a number with a name like "Mao Tse Tung Said," and succeed! Only a couple of clunkers late in the proceedings keeps the album out of five star territory.

Overall, a hip, funny and engaging album that belies the notion that A3 are merely a one song wonder.

What An Unbelievable Surprise
I had no idea this CD had anything to do with The Sopranos. (My bad.) Still, this is simply the kind of release that should've become huge. In a strange way, it reminds me of the Sublime album that put them over the top years ago -- in that you can hear all their influences, yet each is evolved to a place that's far cooler and just as original. Techno, house, country and the spoken word all come together to create a musical offering that's every bit as unique and entertaining as the HBO show that was smart enough to showcase them.

not just the sopranos
man. i started to listen to this stuff when i was eleven, and i had nno idea at the time that they used "woke up this morning" for the opening scene of the sopranos. now that i have seen that part of the show, it dissappoints me that that scene is what many people base their expectations of alabama 3 on.

the sopranos version is essentially a butchered version of the real one. it leaves out many of the great parts of the real song, and adds many america-friendly elements that ruin the song.

the album is so much more than the sopranos music.

Kicks ass
A-3 is just that, they kick ass. I have only heard Le Peste and Cold Harbor Lane, and I love them both. I'm going to order all the other ones that I don't have. My brother in-law is the one that got me to listening to A-3. He and I are both Sapranos fans and he somehow found out who did the opening song to the Sapranos and he called me and told me to listen to the first song and I fell in love immediately. I asked him to make me a copy of it and I listened to it so much the damn cd wore out. But I have another one so I can listen to it some more. Anyone out there who wants some good kick ass music, buy A-3. They rock! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Nobody could have predicted the impact these scrawny young upstarts fromsleepy Davis, California, would have on the hip-hop world. Their debut 12-inch in 1993 seemed novel, a track apiece by Blackalicious and Lyrics Born and an instrumental cut-and-paste symphony by DJ Shadow. It took the hip-hop community by storm, though, and the fledgling label was elevated to elite status when Latyrx (Lyrics Born and Lateef) and Shadow dropped their monumental mid-90s debuts. With their rare funk samples and heady, tongue-tying lyricism, Solesides helped jump-start the vaunted independent hip-hop revolution of the past decade. This release presents Solesides' growth and maturation and offers some of their rarest out-of-print and vinyl-only gems, a blistering new posse cut ("Blue Flames"), and a host of freestyles and demos. Other highlights include Blackalicious' "Count and Estimate" and selections from their Melodica EP. Though the core of Solesides record today under the Quannum moniker, Greatest Bumps chronicles a spirit, innocence, and freshness that resuscitated hip-hop. --Hua Hsu ... Read more

Reviews (16)

hip hop fans, don't sleep on this one
Wow. I cannot stop listening to this album (or at least the first disc). I'll take it through step by step here :) It starts on a bit of a misstep with "Rhyme Like A Nut!" and "Entropy Part 1" but these deserve to be on there as they are formal introductions to Gab and Shadow. Not on par with their songs to come, but still good. After that, it's classic track after classic track. "The Wreckoning" is simply amazing and one of my favorite hip hop tracks EVER. It's arguably even better than the "Live 45 Mix" version as Lateef rhymes for longer, and the minimalist Shadow beat means you don't miss a word. Gab kicks off "Deep In The Jungle" with what is definitely one of his greatest verses. "Send Them" has one of the funkiest dance hall beats I've ever heard, and the song is from '93! And as for anyone who hasn't heard the classic "Lady Don't Tek No", just find a way of listening to it. Beyond words.
As for the second disc the quality drops just a tad. It is mainly freestyle raps (still tight, especially Lateef's) and cuts from Latyrx's "The Album". Of course, if you don't have the album you won't notice and you'll probably love it. Unfortunately "Fully Charged on Planet X" is pretty mediocre, and "Hot Breath" is just plain bad. Even at under 2:00 it should have been left off the album. If I was compiling the album I would have taken out some of these weaker offerings and just put the remaining tracks from the Melodica EP on here ("Attica Black" and "40 Oz For Breakfast" are noticeably missing)
The only reason not to own this would be if you already have the Melodica EP and The Album. Even then, you're missing out on some classic tracks you can't get anywhere else. The liner notes are even great, as they list all of SoleSides' releases, and a look into the history of the SoleSides crew. Definitely get this one.

This'll keep you groovin'. . . .
Without a doubt two funktastic CD's of rarer tracks by all the right players, from Shadow on the beats to the rhymin' styles of Gift Of Gab, Lateef The Ill Truth Speaker, Lyrics Born, and others just as crazy. Each track continues to pound you with intensity and amaze you with simplistic complexity. It will take you on the perfect melodic journey that only the best hip hop can achieve. This stuff is REAL, and damn is it GOOD.

If you want DJ Shadow beats, they're here, but don't expect Endtroducing. . .style songs - these are all from the early-mid 90's, when he was rolling with the Soleside Crew, including Blackalicous and Lateef. It's rapping so fast and on you won't believe your ears. Smooth and polished lyrics with that underground, indy-sounding production - unbeatable combo.

For the price, you're getting ten times your money's worth. Buy it, check it, LOVE IT.

OLD-SKOOL QUANNUM
this is the legendary Solesides Quannum Collective at you for the first time..... every track has been purified in a gold chalice and is ready for your soul....... check out Quannum Spectrum, Later that Day produced by L.B., the new remix album of Later that Day commin at you in the near future, Gift of Gab 4th Dimensional Rocketships Going Up, Lifesavas Spirit In Stone, Latryx The Album, new Joyo Velarde and new Lateef also coming in the nearest future.... keep your ears, heart, mind and soul OPEN, Peace

I've had this album for one day...
(follow from title) and already i reckon ti's classic... i've only had time to listen ot the first disc... beautiful stuff... if the second disc holds up, i'll be most grateful... i must give it 5 stars to prevent it being dragged down to the DREADED "3 and a HALF" STAR level... MWU-HAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAA...

True Hip Hop
DJ Shadow's beats, along with the vocal talent of Blackalicious, Lateef, Lyrics Born and others in the Solesides crew, give this two disc set a must have label for all true hip hop lovers. Blackalicious and DJ Shadow both put out new cd's this year, and the Solesides discs give a sample of what the public had been missing out on for years. My advice is to get anything that DJ Shadow and the Solesides Crew have a hand in, they have been doin this for years, and doin it well. This cd is a must have and a great value. ... Read more

Album Description

Brand new 2XCD mix from Holland's acclaimed DJ/Producer Sander Kleinenberg.This man knows how dancefloors work: he's instigated sweaty scenes around the world, observing what makes people move from Boston to Belfast to Buenos Aires. Ultimately, the mechanics of the dancefloor revolve around just one thing: good dance music. Sander knows about this, too.As a DJ, he has released two critically acclaimed mix CD’s: the first for G.U.'s NUBREED series and the second for ESSENTIAL MIX.The last two years have also been a watershed for Sander as a producer:from his recent massive remixes of JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE’S "ROCK YOUR BODY" and J Records’ ANNIE LENNOX, to his original productions which are regularly championed by the elite progressive house & trance DJ’s around the world, Sander is following close in the footsteps of PAUL OAKENFOLD and DEEP DISH by establishing himself as a world class DJ, producer, and big-name remixer.On Renaissance Presents: Everybody, Sander dips into a deep bag of funky dancefloor numbers that present the best in current progressive house sounds while also giving us a glimpse into the future of the genre. ... Read more

Reviews (21)

Progressive House
Progressive House compilation mixed by Sander Kleinenberg. 2cd set is a great mix of house mix that goes from really mellow to deep bass club sound. The first CD is more mellow and sound like something you would hear at a good lounge. On the second cd right with a first track Sander takes it up a notch and the music begins to sound like something you are more likely to hear at a club. Overall, I expected progressive house straight out of a club with deep bass and over the top synth sounds. This was not the case, so if I would have reviewed right after I got it, I would have given the compilation 4 stars. Although, after I keep on coming back to this cd month after month, I must give it 5 stars. Very well mixed and put together, highly recommended for clubheads and electronic music fans alike.

Well worth the listen
No, it's not quite as good as the essential mix, which is among my all-time favorite CDs. Nevertheless this is a great compliation effort, and exceedingly well mixed.

As the other reviews have said, the first CD is nothing overly special, mostly some basic house tracks. It's the second CD that really hooked me, with deeper sounds and bass. The last couple of reviews have accurately described the sound, so I won't repeat it. The bottom line with this CD is this: no, it's not destined to be an essential "must have." BUT it's still an excellent compilation that you will listen to if you like good electronic music.

Excellent CD - Not Disappointed
I cannot say that I can describe the various styles of 'house' music that exists today. I do know what I enjoyed when I explored the music filled 'Garage' in NYC. Of course 'house' music has progressed and it has many styles - one which I will not attempt to describe.

As for this CD, I must say I was not disappointed. Most of the 'house' CD's I've purchased recently gave you a taste or two of house, but didn't have a real flow in the tracks. It's as if you got two good tracks followed by 3 which didn't really sound like house music. What was done nicely in these two cd's is the way each track flows into the next. You feel like you're in a club, and every track transitions smootly into the next.

For those of you who came to enjoy the house music of the late 80's, you will not be disappointed. Overall I give this cd a 5. Enjoy it and make sure you dance to it!!

CD 1 = Booooring CD 2 = Funky Fresh Dressed to Impress
So I've listened to this mix repeatedly over the course of about three weeks now. I've tried, I really have, to see what all the hype is in the record. Everywhere you go "10/10, A+, Classic!" and I just can't hear it. Now I like more of a melodic, dreamy, Tiesto type of trance, so perhaps that's where my problem lies. I see the same tracks listed as everyone's favorites, which are mine as well. These include "Midnight" on disc 1, the opening two tracks of disc 2, and the tracks from "Therapy" to "Definite Form" on disc 2. The stuff in between, however, bores the life out of me, especially on disc 1. The good tracks on disc 2 do make it stick at as a good disc overall. I just feel that this mix is lacking one big necessity throughout that would allow it to flow better, MELODY! Therefore, the most I can give it is 3 stars. One thing's for sure, fans of Holland's other world-class DJ, Tiesto, beware because this mix is probably not for you!

One of those "heavy rotation" mixes for your stereo
Attempt one (cd one) is so smooth. The first disc contains flawless mixing with tasteful prog house cuts such as the first track "midnight" by Solaris. With a great opener like that you just know the cd is going to be good. The mix moves into tracks like "nativa" by Coruja & Sandoval which contains a naughty bass line that just makes you move and puts a grin on your face. The cd ends off with some soothing sounds and there is a little prog. trance touch here as well provided by Chable & Bonicci's "ride". This mix is absolutely sublime. All bass fiends will love the first disc. The sound is underground and has attitude even though the tracks aren't hard. The tracks all compliment each other. Great prelude to night of clubbing/raving.

Attempt two sounds very different from attempt one. There is alot of electro present in this mix. The first two tracks "come into my kitchen" and "manilla" by Joakim and Seelenluft compliment each other very well and makes for a great opener. The clap effect in both the tracks is bad ass and funky. The mix moves through the funkier side of progressive house with tracks like "new new york" by Nicholas Vellee and "funk-the key word" by Roland Klinkenberg. Tracks like D2's "therapy" really make you feel proud to be a part of this global dance culture. The track features Dan Diamond who pretty much breaks down what true clubbing is all about...whew that track is hot!

Attempt two ends off with some great progressive tracks that are layerd with dark and moving sounds especially with Kleinenberg's track "repeat to specify" as the closer.

This complilation is worth every penny you spend on it. I promise that you will not be dissapointed. Go out and get it RIGHT NOW! ... Read more

Album Description

Volume 3 takes a snapshot of the wide spectrum of dancestyles being produced around the world blending electro,broken beat and nu-jazz with signature deep house feelthat's been this series hallmark. ... Read more

Reviews (46)

Fine smooth, but without the same magic
After a fantastic one and two. Naked Music released Vol. 3 with a lot to live up to. I mean what do you do after a complication such as Mauricio Aviles' Vol.2, which made you fall in love with house music all over again?

I'll cut to the chase; Vol.3 is a bit of a disappointment. Not because it's a bad album (its actually quite good) in itself, but because I can't help to compare it to it's predecessors. After all it is part of a series. It's definitely got that Nude Dimensions hallmark of sleek, sultry and sexy deep house. However it's missing the magic of its predecessors!

I miss that "oh yeah" feeling you get when you hear a series of tunes that just gets better and better. The feeling that makes it impossible for you to sit still.

This CD has its high points especially in the first two tracks where you get the feeling that you're going to hear something special and tracks 12 and 13 which are just lush. However, I keep listening and waiting for the magic to happen as each track rolls by...

Personally I think Naked music are champions in their chosen arena and I know they'll continue to be so, but I can't honestly tell you that this mix is one of their best.

Keeping the nude vibe...
Rain starts th CD off sounding like the last two compilations, but this one wanted to stray....If you read inside the Cd it says that Naked Music wanted to experiment a bit with this volume. They wanted to use more percussion, and different beats from around the deep house dance globe. What results is same Naked Music, keeping up with the latest music trends. That's what DJ's do best: experiment and come up with awesome sounds that we can chill to. Favorite tracks: Rain, Everyday and Step into the light. Just a reminder, buy the previous volumes and you won't be sorry.

My First Chill-Out CD
This Cd is great to Lounge around the house and chill-out to. I love the mellow beats, and funky-jazzy spots..Pick it up no need to second guess it !!

Pleasantly surprised
I have just spent a weekend listening to this on repeat at a friend's place and have only good things to say about it. I logged onto this now to order my very own copy and found a lot of backwards and forwards on the quality of this cd, how it compares to previous releases etc. So I felt compelled to add my bit.

I have not heard volumes 1 and 2 so cannot comment on them. All I know is that I enjoyed this cd very much. Re the reviews: some interesting comments regarding slip covers, varying styles and failure / success rates on the mixing but at end of day doesn't it just come down to the way you felt at 'that' time when you heard it? Sometimes you don't have to understand why and why should you? And often enough even a complete dissection of the success or failure of an album will fail to dissuade you that YOU like or dislike it more or less, right? So I am adding my comments to the list of people that liked it.

Fantabulous
Love the vibes from these waves. It's completely fresh sounds that are just great for crusin'. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

The first Orb album was entirely new when it appeared: a low-key dancerecord, with echoes and swells more than up-front tunes, stoner-level dub bass, and all sorts of samples and sounds--seagulls, film clips, astronaut voices, bits of disco--fluttering through the mix like hallucinations. Essentially a techno album for tired dancers, it's held up nicely over time, thanks to its intricate, dreamy sonics. Beyond the classic "Little Fluffy Clouds"--a set of interlocking synth hooks and loping percussion, held together by a cut-up sample of Rickie Lee Jones talking about the skies of her youth--there are lots of mellow delights here, particularly the blissful reggae groove "Perpetual Dawn." --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (78)

Interstellar overdrive
The Orb's first album provided a blueprint for the 'electronic listening music' of the early-'90s, cultivated by artists like Autechre and The Black Dog, and labels like Warp and Swim. Still, you won't believe it how much the sound of this album is inspired by '70s space rockers like Pink Floyd, Gong, and Steve Hillage. And indeed, The Orb themselves have always claimed that they were big fans of '70s progressive rock music. Even "Little fluffy clouds", the Orb's best-known track and the only pop song of this album, is actually a cover version of "Counterpoint", a tune by avantgarde composer Steve Reich. Typical for ambient records, there are occasional dull spots on this two-disc set, but you shouldn't forget that ambient music originally had been designed as background music. "The Orb's adventures.." virtually pioneered the concept of applying the aesthetics of '70s ambience to '90s techno with all its technical possibilities like sound sampling, sequencing, and processing. And for me, the 18 1/2-minute mega-piece "A huge ever.." (there's even a longer version available on the "Peel Sessions" CD) is still the embodiment of great, well-thought, and refreshing trance music. Admittedly, if you want to have lush melodies and clubby rhythms in your ambient music, I'd recommend you to buy Autechre's "Incunabula" or Aphex Twin's "Selected Ambient Works 1" instead. If you're keen on disturbing, hyperactive ambient soundscapes, check out releases by Main ("Hz", "Firmament II").

Trust me, Orb is great.
This album is up there with the greatest, A Hundred Days Off, Drukqs, Two, Chiastic Slide, Brothers Gonna Work It Out...

That type of stuff. I must say, this music is way ahead of it's time to have been released in 1991. (And just remember, the tracks weren't all made in the same year, before this album came out A Huge Evergrowing Pulsating Brain had a single.)

Let's start from the beginning.

01. Little Fluffy Clouds:
Hmm... Trancy, dancy, and acidic, yet happy.
This song is OK, but it gets old fast.
02. Earth (Gaia):
Wheee! Now THIS is sampling. Nice beat... Good synths, pulls together as a great song, the only con I can think of is it's too long.
03. Supernova at the End of the Universe:
Ok, you want Orb? Listen to this track.
The whole buildup is just brilliant, the drumtrack is just brilliant, and the length is brilliant.
They couldn't have hit it bigger with this one.
04. Back Side Of The Moon:
Long and drone-like, just the way I like ambient.
This track would SEEM like it's too long, but it ends up being ok in the end.
05. Spanish Castles In Space:
Eep. Well umm, this song I must say gets a little annoying... Way too long, but it IS very great, don't get me wrong, it just gets old... FAST...

Disc 2:

01. Perpetual Dawn:
Yes, the original.
Reggae magic in action... This one is for those "parties" that college students love so much. ;)
02. Into The Fourth Dimension:
Ahhh, is there no end to The Orb's greatness?
Again, great buildup, the sampling is awesome, couldn't have done better.
03. Outlands:
Honestly, don't throw things at me for this; what's the deal with this track? Why does everyone think it's so good?
It's OK, but I wouldn't consider it "The best track on the CD."
It has a good amount of nice drums, and some mystical sounding synths that I LOVE.
Check this one out.
04. Star 6 & 7 8 9:
Now THIS is more like it! Yes, this is the REAL best track on the CD.
Beautiful synths and bass, plus it gives off a great feeling of Nostalgia.
05. A Huge Evergrowing Pulsating Brain Th...[Live MK Mix 10]
Heh. Long name.
Long song, this is a buildup of noises on top of a brilliant 8-note riff.
Quite relaxing, there isn't too many drums, so put it on when you are trying to fall asleep.

All in all, the CD is great. Buy it, indefinatley, and enjoy it well.

A good album from electronica's best days.
The Orb weren't the first techno band, but they were techno's first major artistic success. Their predecessors confined themselves to the dancefloor, and released their work on the twelve-inch singles most suitable for that realm. The Orb, however, adopted rock's emphasis on the album as one cohesive statement, a collection of songs united by common themes. In fact, Adventures Beyond The Ultraworld, their 1991 debut, is a double album running for almost two hours.

The Orb were not a musically inventive band. The beats on this album are pretty pedestrian, and the melodies are incompetently minimal, three or four notes apiece at best. Even the production sounds kind of grainy. However, The Orb had excellent dramatic instincts. They made use of a large collection of samples, lacing their simple rhythm tracks with bits of classical music, monologues in foreign languages, rushing waterfalls, ringing church bells, and other sundry snippets of sound, to create the appearance of a detailed and enigmatic sonic world. They also knew when to restrain themselves and ease on the percussion, to establish moods and themes instead of trying to get by on pure pounding. Lastly, they understood the limitations of their production, and tried to make it sound organic, with shambling live-sounding drums, while their contemporaries were deliberately trying to sound artificial. The Orb even used a few actual guitars, rarely found in early electronica.

This zesty brew made for quite a few good tracks. "Little Fluffy Clouds," the first and shortest song on the album, shows just how important samples were in Orb tracks. The song has a pretty standard house beat set to a sample from the TV show Reading Rainbow of someone reminiscing about her childhood. A low-key keyboard melody creeps in, and suddenly, the song becomes a compelling story about how "we lived in Arizona, and the skies always had little fluffy clouds...the sunsets were...purple, and red, and yellow, and the clouds would catch on fire...you don't see that here, but you might still see them in the desert."

Electronica owes a lot to reggae, more specifically to the "dub" production techniques pioneered by reggae artists. In the liner notes to this album, Orb frontman and brave physician Dr. Alex Paterson thanks reggae legend Burning Spear, and on "Perpetual Dawn," the track that opens disc two, the Jamaican connection is made clear by one of those good-time staccato reggae guitars playing that good-time reggae rhythm. There's not much more to say there, but it is the album's most instantly memorable and catchy moment. "Spanish Castles In Space," the track that closes disc one, is the Orb at their most relaxed, featuring some acoustic strumming and watery effects in waltz-time, with no beats. As with most Orb tracks, this one's musical core is weak, but it manages to create a pleasant feel that's quite nice to just drift to. "Into The Fourth Dimension" sounds better than it probably should, through judicious use of one sample of a choir singing "Miserere" and another of a lovely violin solo from classical music.

The last track on the album is a nineteen-minute monstrosity with the charming title, "A Huge Ever Growing Pulsating Brain That Rules From The Centre Of The Ultraworld." The music in this track, however, has little to do with brains or ruling, but evokes pristine scenes from nature with great clarity. One time, it so happened that I walked on a grassy, rocky shore by a sea. There were forests on both sides of me, rock formations behind me, endless water ahead of me, and not a soul in sight. So, I reclined on the grass and spent some time watching the waves, underneath a completely white sky. This is exactly the scene embodied by this track; nearly beatless, it's built around a clean, calm, majestic sounding keyboard melody, played relentlessly for all nineteen minutes, but gliding in and out of different keys from time to time, while some kind of male choir sings in the background. Detail is added by the sound of rushing water, shifts in volume, and numerous samples. The track derives some immediacy from being a live recording, all nineteen minutes of it. It's certainly a great way to end.

The success of this album basically kick-started the "electronica revolution" of the early nineties. Unfortunately, it did The Orb little good. After releasing another album in 1992, they got mired in label troubles for three years, and in that time, the electronica crown had been seized forever by bands like Underworld and Orbital. Worse, those bands were better producers and musicians than The Orb, so even before the advent of jungle, Paterson and company's sound became out of step. They tried to adapt to the changing times, but fickle fortune no longer favoured them, so this album remains their biggest contribution to music. Though it contains two or three uninspiring tracks, its best parts have aged pretty well. Anyone with an interest in electronica wouldn't do badly to get it.

ça a qd même vieilli!
Je suis un peu déçu par cet album... c'est morne, le son est pas top... ça traîne dans les longueurs... bref ennuyeux! mais bon il faut se mettre à l'époque aussi! ça à qd même 13 ans!

Demolishing
The Orb's Adventures Beyond the Ultraworld succeeds with ego crushing absoluteness.

Recommended, from the bottom of my heart, to every sentient being in the universe. Alex Patterson and crew are the masters and this is their single greatest work. Buy it. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 1998

Amon Tobin's mixing of jazz noir with breakbeats on Permutation resulted in one of the most infectious electronica discs of 1998. Using hard-bop drum samples, extended horn passages, and a constant groove, Tobin succeeded where others have fallen short: he captured the essence of jazz and made it ready for the dance floor. Thoroughly enjoyable and swinging. --Jason Verlinde ... Read more

Reviews (48)

absolutely positively undoubtedly excellent
i had first heard Amon's music in the éS skating movie Menikmati. at first, i thought the music was too good to be true, and it almost is. i rushed out, bought Permutation, and listened to it. WOW!!!!!! this stuff is amazing! since then i've bought every Amon Tobin/Cujo album, and absolutely loved every minute of every one! his skill of, not making music with instruments, but making music with ...music... is absoutely amazing, and his work must be extremely difficult... well, my personal faves on Permutation are Bridge, Sordid, Nightlife, Sultan Drops, and Toys. If you buy this or any other Tobin CD, be prepared to be blown away... he's amazing!

This is it.
Yes, this is it. Possibly my favorite album of all time. Amon Tobin is without question my favorite music artist and this is his best work, in my opinion. Supermodified is soooo close to capturing that title, but for some reason I like this album a little more. All of his work is incredible though, and all should be listened to.

I like the album because it takes me to another world. I like how 'Like Regular Chickens' sends a shiver down my spine once the first chords echo at the one minute mark. I like how the bass on "Bridge" picks up and makes me feel like I'm in a car chase in the 1940's. When "Sultan Drops" starts playing, I can imagine myself in the desert. "Nightlife" is all over the place, starting off in a Wild West Saloon, then taking you through some insane carnival at night. I've not been able to find a more addictive beat than the one in "Sordid". I'm not insane, the music is.

Amazon.com called this one of the best albums of 1998. I call it one of the best albums of the 90's period, and easily one of the finest 'electronic' albums ever. I say electronic because the music is made with samples, but it is so much more than that.

If there's one negative thing I can say about this album:
After you listen to it other music will seem, how do I say this... less satisfying.

Woah... Slick stuff
Amon Tobim - what can you say about him? Whether it's his stuff on Ninja Tune that you're diggin' or his stuff under Cujo, one thing's obvious from the get-go - the guy can make one heck of a beat. This one, Permutation, has stood the test of time for me because I picked this one up around when it came out and after about 5 or 6 years, I can still pop it in and it sounds pretty fresh.

But those beats... they kick! From the begging track which displays some heavy beats and jazzed sax's mixed in you get a pretty good idea of what the vibe of this is going to be. Its definitely dark, sometimes eerie but the most eerie parts are the "lighter" sounding cuts like "Night Life" - which has an interesting crash to it - dig the flute in there! The way it speeds up is vintage Tobim. The pure Tobim fans might not have been so thrilled to hear "Sordid" on TV; it was on the BMW X3 commercial circa Jan 04. But there are so many good tunes here, that's only one of a few gems.

HIGHLY recommended. Can't believe it took this long to review it... good cd but it is sooooo heavy. And hey - the last track on this CD can be found with lyrics on Bebel Gilberto's album called Tanto Tempo as they redo a bossa nova classic: "Samba De Bencao". No doubt Tobim laid the groundwork and it was a perfect marriage of the new and old school sounds of Brasil. But be warned if you're more into Oakenfeld, Sasha sort of DJ's this is not in the same mold... not by a long shot. But if you dig this, you might (I emphasis might) also dig Buscemi's "Camino Real".

Classic evolution of Jazz
Call it drum n' bass, trip hop, whatever...but in essense Amon Tobin is without question a jazz musician. Sure, he uses electronic equipment, like Miles Davis and Herbie Hancock encouraged in the 70s, but who can deny that Amon Tobin's music is not innovative, creative, and original.

He first came to my attention under his moniker Cujo in 1996, releasing "Adventures in Foam" on Ninebar Records. Rereleased in 1997 by Shadow Records it introduced the world to it's new ruler. 1997 also saw the release of his Ninja Tune debut, "Bricolage". "Permutation" is his 1998 offering, and possibly the album that forced the underground music industry to see that he was indeed here to stay. Incompassing jazz, hip hop breakbeats, drum n'bass loops, samba rhythms, and a load of otherworldly sounds, this brazillionaire created what is arguably his best work to date.

To go thru a list of tracks on the album would destroy the point. "Permutation" is not purposed to be listened to in tracks, but as a complete body of work. From the beginning we are pulled into his world and not released until the end, and some of us, yes some of us, have yet to be released. Myself included. "Permutation" is a masterpiece. 'Nuff Respect.

Breathtaking
One of the few idm/drillnbass artists i can stand. To be honest I wouldn't even throw him in with that crowd, Tobin is something completely different. His arrangement are more densely layered than his contemporaries. He also relies more heavily on jazz and hip hop to build the platform for his unique drillnbass style. This isn't one of your typical bedroom DJ's who throw albums together in 15 minutes (cough squarepusher cough). Tobin has crafted every track here with painstaking detail. I can hear something new every time i listen to this album. While every song on Permutation is amazing, "Sordid", "People like Frank" and "Toys" really standout for me. ... Read more

Amazon.com's Best of 2001

Kieran Hebden is, it has to be said, something of a genius. The groundwork for Pause was laid when Dialogue--his debut solo album under the guise of Four Tet--landed in 1999, an album that redrew the parameters of inventive dance music. A peculiar mix of live-sounding instrumental jazz and technologically super-precise laptop dance trickery, it sounded nothing like Hebden's actual group--the post-rockers Fridge--and, as it happened, very little like anything else in existence. Where Dialogue employed jazz sax and flute in its evocation of a 21st-century jazz meltdown, Pause goes even further, coiling whispers of harp and zither over layer-on-layers of fidgeting, rattling percussion. His inspirations? Well, like his friend and protég&eacute:, Canadian tech-wizard Manitoba (whose Start Breaking My Heart is easily the equal of Pause), Hebden collects sounds and melodies from a dizzying array of places--ancient British folk music, the rattle of typewriter keys, the gurgle of running water, even a field recording of a children's playground. Genius? There really is no other word for it.--Louis Pattison ... Read more

Reviews (19)

already one of my top 3 cds of all time
not since the release of dj shadow's 'endtroducing' have i been so excited about an artist/album. this is some beautiful music. four tet(guitarist for fridge) uses sounds/samples/beats in the same fashion as dj shadow. this album is loaded with incredible sounds. don't get me wrong, it's not overly done, but the feel of the album is super solid. certain stand out tracks are, well, all of them. i don't really need to analyze any certain song for you because they are all equally great. four tet has another album prior to this release called 'dialogue'. if you like this album, have at the other. i listen to a lot of music. very rarely do i get an album that really re-instills my faith in music expression. four tet has done that with his two releases. i strongly suggest that you get his two albums. if you are into dj shadow, newer radiohead, boards of canada, fridge, or any other beat oriented instrumental music, you can and will not go wrong with these choices.

Only 5? You ask...
Pause is a majestic accomplishment combining the organic electronic sounds which remind me of Boards of Canada and NOBODY has ever reminded me of BoC before, with acoustic guitars making this CD possibly the most organic sounding electronic album that I've ever heard...
The beats are hypnotic and ydroponic and the use of voices of children, like in the beg. of track 4, and guitar sounds, make for a serene atmosphere in which one can easily loose one's self (which tends to be the point, right?) The song 23 is instantly likeable in that BoC kind of way and contains trippy samples and arresting beats and even has bells and horns!
This album has an upbeat, cheery feeling which is somewhat rare in IDM and Ambient music of recent years. The use of acoustic guitar separate Four Tet from the majority of his contempories and creates an added dimension and more sound possibilities to a genre that seems to be filled with as much sound as anyone could possibly desire in terms of layering and textures. Track 7 is a masterpiece of musical mayhem, the equal of any of the great one's works and exhibits Kiernan's creative mind as well as his insane skills.
The only negative aspect of the CD I believe is track 8 which I think was the single and contains an annoying repetitive vocal sample which begs for the skip button to be pressed.
Pause is one of the few albums worthy to be described as 'Brilliant' and Kiernan is one of the up and coming superstars (although he's been around - check out Fridge) who should be getting serious recognition...

Nice- but doesn't have that umph!
Four Tet is great. Great to just sit back and chill, great to excercise to, great cook to, clean to, drink to... etc. Unfortunately, sometimes that's just not enough! I'm left with a yearning for Four Tet to take it somewhere else... somewhere higher. But he never does.

For those hard-core electronic/ambient/whateveruguyscallyourselves heads, I'd say skip this album. It's not challenging enough for your finely tuned ears. But for your everyday ambient listener, it might be worth your while to take a gander.

Indeed worthy of the 5 Star Rating....
Producer/Composer/Mixer/Turntablist "Kieran Hebden", creates a unique record, by making a record that is parts "DJ Shadow", and taking the scratchy Trip-hop of "Portishead", and although on paper, it doesn't sound promising, 'Four Tet' creates rhythms, beats, interludes with a very unusual choice of instruments 'Acoustic Guitars, Harps, String arrangements, keyboards into a shuffling melodic experimentation of complex electronica / Hip-Hop, in a way that is unique to him. And his music demands more investigation for those seeking something a little leftfield in their music....but it's not just a form of 'Glitch Hip-Hop', as Kieran produces tracks with as much warmth & substance as any contemporary Trip-Hop artists you care to mention, with some tracks stretching into sevens minutes, and others weighing in at a light 2 ½ minutes..yet all this Cd space is used intelligently, to produce something of a 'unified' sound through the use of samples, Turntables, Progressive instrumentals, and magnificent composition.

Absolutely gorgeous
Captivating, organic, earthy, beautiful collaged music at its absolute best. Highly recommended. ... Read more

Album Description

Taken from their 2002 album, 'Genetic World'. The titletrack is backed with four non-LP tracks, 'Breathe' (RadioEdit, Markus Nikolai S Thinking Of S.D.C. Mix, JoriHulkkonen Remix & Extended Mix). EMI. ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Telepopmusik- Breathe
First heard Telepopmusiks "Breathe" on local radio station, missed the name of the song, but then while watching television
I heard the song again in the Mitsubishi commercial and got the name. Love the relaxed chilled back sound of "Breathe" the smooth background beats, and simple repetitive vocals create an enjoyable listening experience, track vibes positively. A nice background track for a commerical, however I wont be going out and buying a Mitsubishi any time soon!

Breathe is for Mitsubishi's mini-SUV commercial
Mitsubishi featured The Dirty Vegas tune Days Go By in their Eclipse commercials...the one with the lady doing that "popping & locking" style of dancing in the front seat, while her male counterpart in the back seat seems to be doing the same (and the driver just grins and digs it).

In Mistubishi's ad for their mini-SUV, which features a bald light-skinned black man driving various people various places (like the lady in the passenger seat with those rose petals that float up to the ceiling of the vehicle)? That's the commercial that features Telepopmusik's single Breathe.

Of course...the regrettable, truly annoying Mitsubishi commercial for their Lancer model (I think) features that utterly obnoxious Barenaked Ladies tune that everyone in the commercial actually sings along out-loud to, rather than simply miming it as in previous commercials with previous songs.

Personally, I hate that song and that commercial so much, I'd never buy that car from them...ever...based solely on how much i loathe the commercial (and as far as i'm concerned, i'll never buy a Barenaked Ladies album either...that's how much i loathe that commercial and that song).

Second string...
The second string of advertisements from Mitsubishi was coupled with "Breathe". Just wanted to clarify this.

wrong song...
The song from the Mitsubishi commercials is "Days Go By" by Dirty Vegas, not Telepopmusik. You are mistaken. Otherwise, this CD is good.

Buy this instead of the full album.
I am sure many of you know of this group from the Mitsubishi Outlander commercial. If you are interested in Télépopmusik because of the superb song Breathe and simply want that song, I would suggest buying the Breathe single instead of Genetic World.

The album itself will be disappointing to those who had Breathe's unique energy and great beat catch their attention. The best way to describe the majority of songs on Genetic World would be as a cross between Eiffle 65, Daft Punk, and a little Chemical Brothers mixed in. That combination in itself may be alright at first, but at times it gets rather boring and lacks the originality and energy that Breath alone has. They just aren't on the same level as Breathe.

If you've heard Breathe on the radio, or just know it from the commercial, and want to own it, I would highly recommend buying the single instead of the album; you'll save yourself a few dollars, and in the process you'll avoid having to own a boring album just for one excellent song. Also, you will get some great remixes. ... Read more

Reviews (222)

5 Flys
5 started out slowly for Lenny Kravitz with the first single, the smooth and soulful "If You Can't Say No" and it seemed he lost all his momentum from the three year lay off in between albums. But then he released "Fly Away", a sublime slice of funk rock, and Lenny Kravitz's career soared again. The rest of the album had a soulful sound to with the likable "I Belong To You", "Thinking Of You" and "You're My Flavor" standing out. "Can We Find A Reason?" was the original album's closer and it is one of the strongest tracks he had ever recorded. The album sales started to wane after "Fly Away" ran its course. He then contributed a propulsive cover of The Guess Who's "American Woman" to the Austin Power's Spy Who Shagged Me soundtrack and people couldn't get enough of the song. Many thought it was from his 5 album, but it wasn't included there. He re-released the album including "American Woman" and another great song "Without You". Sales for 5 increased again. It was a major triumph for Mr. Kravitz who had gone through some personal tragedy including the death of his mother. After ten years of releasing albums, he was one of the biggest acts in rock.

One of the best
No, this is not Lenny's sell-out album. Yes, there is a techno/house song ("Black Velveteen") and yes, there are things you won't see on any other Lenny album (electronic drums, "If You Can't Say No"), but is that all so terrible? Here, Lenny not only let loose and experimented with almighty digital recording, but recruited a new generation of fans.

Why is it that people always get so mad when an artist wants to experiment? If you listen to Circus, Lenny's previous album, you hear unhappiness. Lenny flew off to the Bahamas, took a break, and ended up writing lyrics for 5, which is his most positive and upbeat album to date. "Live" tells us to get off our butts and dance; "It's Your Life" is about grabbing the opportunity of love and running with it. The longest track on the album is "Little Girl's Eyes", about his daughter Zoe, and it's really a good song. No, really, listen to it. I happen to have the rereleased version that has "American Woman" and "Without You" tacked onto the end, bringing the total number of songs to 15. "American Woman" never was a big deal to me, but it probably got the most airplay, next to "Fly Away". In fact, "Fly Away" is the song that got a lot of people turned onto Lenny, mostly the younger fans like myself. Don't hate him (or us) for that. Even if Lenny strays from his classic rock roots on 5, it doesn't make for a bad album. You should still buy it. Trust me.

FIVE STARS for 5
Excellent feel. Deep, concentrated, get-in-your-bones good music. Lenny par excellence.

Lenny Is For Lovers (4.5 Stars)
Lenny Kravitz isn't exactly the type of stuff the average hip hop head grows up listening to. I grew up in a neghborhood where hip hop was king. Like I said before though, good music is good music regardless of what genre you're into. This album is no different. This was the first Lenny Kravitz CD I ever listened to because my college roommate used to shower to it all the time. So it eventually grew on me. Afterward, I went out and purchased a few of his other albums (except for Mama Said, which I stole from my dad's collection....if you're reading this, I'm sorry pops....and yeah, it was me, not Chris). Anyway, Lenny is a genius in my book. This is still my favorite Kravitz album out of all the ones I heard. Lenny brings back feelings from my childhood with this CD. It's refreshing in a time where everything is starting to sound the same. If you're like I once was and you think Lenny Kravitz is on some spaced out, bud smokin', left field, white boy isht that only geeks listened to.....then you thought wrong like I did. This album helped me open up to different stuff that I wouldn't have ever given a chance before. Now I don't judge before I listen. And this album played a large role in me becoming a more well rounded listener. This album is arguably a classic. If you haven't heard it by now, give it a try. You'll love it.

Personal Favorites: Thinking Of You, It's Your Life (my favorite), I Belong To You, Live, Fly Away, If You Can't Say No, & Straight Cold Player

Lenny is a Genius
This album is incredible! While I do love all of Kravitz's other albums, this one grabbed my attention the most (even more so than "Mama Said"). Many bands try to change the way they play from album to album, but lose many fans in doing so. Lenny Kravitz can do that successfully and still sound like Lenny Kravitz! This album experiments with a lot of techno-type stuff and digitized sounds and what not. But when Lenny comes in with his guitar playing, it is quite obvious that it is still the same old Lenny. Another thing that stood out on this album is Lenny's incredible voice. He harmonizes abundantly on this album. I believe the harmonies are his own voice-overs on top of his singing. Also, the album is so incredibly emotional! You can really tell that Lenny put his whole heart into this one. On songs like "I belong to you," "Thinking of you (awesome song about his mother)," and "Little Girl's Eyes," Lenny's emotions are full-swing. A favorite of mine is "Black Velveteen." It is a very techno-oriented song, and I never thought I'd say I liked it being a guitar player, but when Lenny comes in on the chorus with his guitar, it rocks! "If you can't say no," "It's your life," and "Can we find a reason" are the other A rated songs on the album. My least favorite on this album are "Fly Away" and "American Woman." So if you are also bored with those songs from being overplayed, don't worry. This album is very diverse and has much more to offer than those two songs! If you are a Kravitz fan, get this immediately. If you are new to Lenny, get it anyway and give it a few listens. Maybe it will grow on you. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Fluke first gained notoriety in the early 1990s with singles like "Joni" and "Pearls of Wisdom," songs that infused hummable pop sensibilities into credible underground dance music. Their lighthearted songs and showy live PAs stood out in a scene dominated by faceless producers and music that was, at best, opaque. Unfortunately, they were too far ahead of their time. Years later, Techno has become "Electronica," stage shows and vocals are now the norm, and the aesthetic of a band like Fluke makes more sense than ever. On 1997's Risotto, they borrow heavily from the rulebook laid out by Underworld, working a series of deep and distorted grooves into a sound that's more AC/DC than Tangerine Dream. But unlike their contemporaries, Fluke have a solid understanding of simple verse/chorus/verse pop music and a broad emotional range. Fans of Underworld will appreciate vocal tracks like "Absurd" and "Atom Bomb," but Fluke's diversity and inventiveness is best shown on the narcotized and spacious "Bermuda" and the smooth drum and bass of "Setback." --Matthew Corwine ... Read more

Reviews (69)

It's... different.
Quite different when compared to their previous album - more instrumentals, harder songs and edgier lyrics. I don't like it as much as Six wheels on my wagon, which isn't to say that it's a bad album, but it loses energy too quickly. Moving one of the first two tracks down into the middle of the album probably would have fixed this somewhat.

Compare and contrast to Underworld's Beaucoup Fish, released two years later.

1. Absurd

The opener, and the other famous song from the album. Starts off with thumping bass beats and a woman moaning, before upping the tempo and bringing the rest of the instruments into play. The lyrics make absolutely no sense, except in an Underworld streamofconciousness sort of way. This is another one of those "better with vocoders" songs.

2. Atom bomb (atomix 1)

The song that really got Fluke noticed by the masses. Played continuously pretty much everywhere during 1996, made it onto a couple of soundtracks and into at least one game. Hard, fast, edgy techno, danceable, and with great lyrics about a cute, megalomanical girl just trying to take over the world and have some fun doing it. The video clip mixes the WipEout 2097 intro movie, in-game footage, some quick shots of Rachel Stewart dressed up as Arial Tetsuo, and a short anime sequence involving a lot of blood. I'm sure the only reason they picked 2097 was because it had just been released - Arial Tetsuo is from the first WipEout game.

3. Kitten moon

Oooh, pseudo-trance! And dreamy, heavy pseudo-trance at that. Even though it's not one of the more famous songs on the album, it probably should be. Gets fast towards the middle of the track, probably breaking the "trance" thing, but I'm not all that great with genres anyway.

Oh, and it's the second longest song Fluke have done. Now you know.

4. Tosh (mosh)

Surprisingly, this isn't punk or metal. In fact, it's more of a buzzy dance/trance beat than anything else. You could mosh to it, but you'd look pretty damn stupid.

5. Bermuda

Another synth and piano number, feeling a lot like something out of Oto.

6. Setback

The intro part before the breakbeat kicks in reminds me of tolling church bells, for some reason.

More Underworld-style lyrics, and a sort of ambient background to go with the beats (although, there's some bleeps that make me think of CoLD SToRAGE).

7. Amp

Similar to Setback, but without the vocals and more bouncy. Not too much to say about this one, really.

8. Absurd (reeferendrum)

Is it just me, or are Fluke the only ones who're any damn good at remixing their own tracks? Don't give me any of that "Born Slippy vs. Born Slippy.NUXX" crap - this track sounds absolutely nothing like the original. It's mostly heavy drum beats with a soaring, twinkly piano and harp line.

It's also the 10th track on the Sasha/Digweed mix album Northern Exposure 2: East Coast Edition, albeit slowed down a little.

9. Squirt

Yet another breakbeat number with a swelling synth-line. The lyrics really make this one stand out; they're not like anything else on the album, and Jon Fugler really doesn't sound like himself. Nice track, though, and the single has some excellent remixes.

10. Goodnight lover

Ambience. Bells. Guitar. Progressive backbeat. Wind off the bells and up the guitar and backbeat. Add in a synth-violin noise until it sounds like something from a James Bond movie. Not a bad closer, and the lack of lyrics winds down nicely from the previous track.

Fluke had some help from Steve Dub on this track - he's the guy who engineers all the Chemical Brothers albums.

incredible!!!! awesome album!!!
fluke is truly an incredible band. risotto is an absolutely outstanding cd. their style of techno/elecronica is just amazing!! you can relax to it, you can dance to it, you can listen to it anytime and enjoy it! every track is awesome (except bermuda, which is mediocre), one can literally listen to the whole thing and not get bored.i buy new cd's, but i keep coming back to risotto. absurd and atom bomb i think are by far the best tracks. i personally like setback and mosh too, although some would disagree. squirt is also excellent, although it takes some time to develop a liking for it. basically, if u are a techno, electronica, and drum n' bass fan, this cd is one to buy!!! way to go fluke!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nice
I actually found this album after searching for a song from one of the Matrix Reloaded trailers (Absurd-Whitewash Mix for those who are interested). Great album though, it's that kind of music you search for and perhaps find one song of on any one album - here you get ten... YAY!!

Very very very good stuff
It is exactly how I thought it would be when I only knew Atom Bomb. It doesn't have a dull moment, every song is a joy to listen. I definitley recommend it.

A Keeper
I came across Fluke when searching for some electronic videos about two years ago (Absurd, Atom Bomb, Bullet, and Tosh). I really liked their unusual style and quality. So, I bought "Risotto" because it was somewhat instrumental. They do have the similarities of Underworld, but when you listen carefully they're actually different.
"Absurb" and "Atom Bomb" are my most favorite tracks. Both had great beat and mysterious vocal which I find very mesmerizing. And the short lyrics of not knowng what he's trying to say just makes me want to hear more.
Nothing boring here. Where else can you find a cd like this? It's one of a kind (may go out of print). "Risotto" is definitely something you can keep in your electronic collection and play it all the time. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Oft-sampled electronic pop pioneers the Silver Apples released two exceptionally influential, off-kilter records in 1968 and '69, then apparently vanished. The group was formed in New York City in the psychedelic heyday of 1967 by drummer Danny Taylor and protosynth player Simeon, who quaintly named his hand-built instrument the Simeon. Taylor was a powerhouse of polyphony and his looping, loping playing is the engine that drives the Apples' experimental music, characterized by snippets of found sound, weird and warbly high-pitched singing, stray banjos, and--most importantly--the battering, buzzing, bleeping beauty of the Simeon synth. The two albums are a bizarre, sincere mixture of avant-garde sensibilities, pop melodies, folk-psyche song structures, overwrought poetry, and hefty percussion. It is difficult-to-describe, signature music that ranks high alongside the most forward-thinking avant-prog. The group got back together in the mid-'90s, spurred on by the enthusiasm that many acts showed for their music (the group has been name-checked and more by Spacemen 3, Low, and Stereolab). But as is often the case, the reunion records just don't quite cut it--this one CD has everything you need. Lazy electronic musicians are encouraged to sample the heck out of this band; you won't be the first. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Techno bands can trace their music and equipment to Contact
I knew Simeon of Silver Apples back in 94. At that time he was working as an artist (the kind that paint). His work and exhibit were great, I bought some of his work. He had mentioned that he was in a band in the late 60's called Silver Apples and that he had, for practical purposes invented the synthesizer. Being a musician I was intrigued by his story and periodically looked for Silver Apples' records without much luck. Then I stumbled on this re-release here at Amazon.com. What a surprise (I realize now that Simeon really "played down" his musical career and contribution to music technology.). The album Contact is phenomenal. At the risk of oversimplifying Silver Apples "two decades ahead of the rest of the world" sound - I would say the album has lyrics and vocals that resonate with hints of Jim Morrison/Doors poetry. But that would be the only 60's reference I could use. The real power of this album is that you have to jump ahead 20 to 30 years to provide any other comparisons. All syth-pop, techno and industrial bands of the 80's and 90's can trace their music (and equipment) back to the two original Silver Apple's albums found in this compilation. Songs like "Oscillations" and "You and I" give witness to the birth of synthesized music. Ironically bands now program drum machines to sound like "real drummers". Silver Apples percussionist Dan Taylor's driving metronomic style is so precise that, if it weren't 1969, you'd swear he was a machine. All in all, anyone who makes claim to being a connoisseur of, techno, industrial or alternative music must have this album. This album is at minimal - important. Simeon if you're out there email me. Jim Callahan (jlcallahan@rocketmail.com)

way ahead of its time
this duo created music that was way ahead of the time in 1968-69. not everything on this album is exceptional, but it is very intriguing nonetheless. the music ranges from amusing to eerie. the songs are strange and mystical,yet often very catchy, rythmic, and ethereal. i would say that the 1st album is the better of the two, but contact contains what may very well be the silver apples' finest accomplishment , the superb " A pox on you", a truly incredible and ominous sounding track that is done with great emotion and excellent percussion. fans of psychedelic rock of the 60's as well as techno-industrial bands( which i normally loathe) will enjoy this prophetic release. for example,if you like, say, (the band not the country!) the united states of america , you'll probably like this also.a highly recommended release, especially if you're interested in the roots of electronic music in rock

A Severe Disappointment
I picked up this album after hearing that Silver Apples basically invented electronic music, and since I'm always interested in musical evolution, I decided to give it a try. The fact of the matter is this: If it weren't for the fact that this was one of the first bands to use electronics, no one would listen to them. The trembling high-pitched vocals are obnoxious to say the least, the song structures are basically nonexistant, and the lyrics are terrible. I'll add a star for influence, but give me Kraftwerk any day.

Silver Apples - 'Silver Apples/Contact' (MCA Records)
This eighteen song disc is actually two albums on one CD;the
band's first self-titled('68)and Contact('69).The Apples were
a duo made up of Simeon on audio generator and vocals and Dan Taylor on percussion and vocals.After hearing "Oscillations",
"Seagreen Serenade","Velvet Cave",and "Gypsy Love",you'll get
to really appreciate their 30-years-ahead-of-their-time
electronic wizardry.I believe this band was a MAJOR influence
on bands like Meat Beat Manifesto and Spacemen 3.Even in their
heyday,their following was pretty much word-of-mouth.Simeon
suffered serious injuries in an auto wreck several years ago
and I haven't heard anything more about him.I spoke to him
on the phone in,say spring '98 and he shared an interesting
tale with me.That check out the cover of the 'Contact' lp as
someone got in a lot of trouble for allowing the duo to have
a photo shoot inside a cockpit.Top on the line electronic
music with nothing held back.

Like, WOW Man... Like ... far out
I heard the Silver Apples as a College DJ on WNTC radio,
Clarkson College (now Clarkson University) in 1969. We had
a 45 single on Kapp "Oscillations" byt the Silver Apples. I played the ^%$& out of it! It made our "WNTC (Wincee)
Dean's List" rocketing up to #4. It was Peter Post's
(My air name then and now) "PICK to CLICK"
If you like Avant Gaurd music, a style a decade ahead of
it's time, It's the Silver Apples for you.. Turn off the lights, turn up the volume (If it's Too LOUD you're TOO OLD)
and... scrape the dried insides of a Banana Peel into an old
pipe and Light it! GRoooooovy, man! Hip & Far out!!!
You will relive the 60's again, and Donovan will do a tap dance on your head! It may take more than one playing, and it
might not be your cup of tea (cough-cough) at first... Just listen to the musical style so unique it's hard to describe..
It's just WOW! Get out your love beads and burn your draft cards and bras... the 60's live again!! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Besides Tom Rolands and Ed Simons of the Chemical Brothers, few artists have the clout, chops, and DJ wherewithal to change the landscape of dance music. Still, it's not something the duo seems in a particular hurry to do. Since the release of the now-classic Exit Planet Dust, an intensely groove-able rap-stomp hodgepodge, and Dig Your Own Hole, their 1997 breakout record, big beat has been eating itself in a commercialized frat-boy frenzy. Yet the Brothers haven't found--or even really tried to find--that Something Else to turn the masses on in a different, exciting direction. True, their last full-length, Surrender, found them incorporating a house-ier feel, mixing a retro aesthetic with four-on-the-floor beats, but it was really the same old batch of clever samples and rolling thumps. Which wasn't necessarily a bad thing; most of us have happily run in place right along with them. Come with Us also finds them pulling all the usual tricks; there's an irresistible dance-floor anthem or two ("Star Guitar," "Denmark"), swooping keyboard tricks ("Come with Us"), guest vocalists (Beth Orton, Richard Ashcroft), and the amazing fluidity that allows a moody song like Orton's "The State We're In" to sound perfectly, logically in its place. While it sounds like they're coasting, their refined, sugary formula is so sweet, it's hard to complain. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (117)

Did you have any doubt? Brothers gonna work it out!
Funky grooves, thundering bass beds, and a heaping helping of that Chemical ingenuity we've all come to know and love are the ingredients that have been lovingly mixed into "Come With Us," the Chemical Brothers' latest bake. While die-hard fans may have been patiently expecting something a little more in line with their earlier releases, "Dig Your Own Hole" and "Exit Planet Dust," the brothers have apparently opted to continue in the vein of 1999's stunning "Surrender," mixing house, trance, and big-beat grooves with a pop sensibility and musicality that is, as of yet, unrivaled in the electronica genre. Of particular note is the down-tempo track, "The State We're In," featuring vocals by Beth Orton, and the epic dance anthem, "Star Guitar." So if you're looking for immense soundscapes, catchy leads, and an infectious groove that finds its home on or off the dance-floor, consider your wish granted.

They're back!!!!!!!!!!!!
After taking a couple years off, presumably for touring gigs, they've returned in full effect.

Dig Your Own Hole was a darn good album and is arguably one of the albums that pushed electronica into the mainstream. After stumbling a bit with 1999's "Surrender" the duo known as the Chemical Brothers decided to return to their roots with straight up high-energy dance floor tracks... and the results are nothing short of stunning!

I was expecting more commercial big-beat stuff, but was shocked to hear tracks that stand on their own. It appears that the Bros decided changes were in order to avoid being cast as "sell outs" or "too commercial." I'm proud to say that they've succeded admirably and have cranked out what will probably be one of 2002's best dance records.

This could very well be their best work to date. The whole album is solid from start to finish. The opening track "Come With Us" is a solid opener and sets the tone for the album quite well. I won't go on rambling about every track since they're all great. Tracks 7 and 9 are a bit weak, but provide the lighter fare that provide a nice break from the up-tempo dance beats that permeate the set.

My faves: "Galaxy Bounce", "Star Guitar", "Hoops", and The Verve's Richard Ashcroft on "The Test"

Highly recommended!

Subtly different album
I generally listen to artists such as Squarepusher, Aphex Twin, and the like., but I found that this album really was a change from Chemical Bro's usual. It seems to be a transitional period to the band, which of course leads to experimentation. If you like this album especially, you should look into early and mid career squarepusher.... one of my favorites.

As good as always (almost)
None of Chems' works have ever disappointed me. I like this album very much. But to be honest it's a bit worse than DYOH.

voy con ustedes---lo mejor
que puedeo decir, es un exelente album, donde la homogeneidad de los beats te hace viajar por un trance de euforia y lacitud continua. comprenlo es un disco genial. ... Read more

Album Description

Meat Katie, AKA Mark Pember, is a ceaseless devotee of "music for music’s sake."Recognized by many as one of the finest breakbeat producers currently on the scene, Meat Katie has grabbed the attention of music fans in the last few years through his production and remixes for Island UK, Kingsize, Marine Parade, Bedrock and his own label Whole 9 Yards.

On FabricLive 21, Meat Katie provides a full throttle eclectic late night dance floor mash up.Lee Coombs vocal led "Banned Practice" sets the pace as Mark weaves through the throbbing beats of Albino Allstars, attention grabbing vocals from UNKLE over Infusion’s enthralling "Better World."Real ear-openers include Jem Stone & JC’s "Disco Daze," Meat Katie’s own grinding remix of "Salty," Vandal’s unreleased track "Mad as Hell," and future breakbeat heroes Atomic Hooligan’s evocative "Shine a Light" keeps the listener gripped to the very last note. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

5 out of 5 !!!
For those people who appreciate Break beat this album is a must have!!!! The fines break beat album since "Eargasm" (Plump DJs) and "Stanton Sessions" (Stanton Warriors).

This album is my personal favourite alongside FabricLive 08 (Plump DJs) from the whole Fabric and FabricLive series! People who like d'n'b might also find it interesting. ... Read more

Album Description

It is with great pleasure that we unveil the secondinstallment in Naked Music's Carte Blanche series, pushingthe envelope even further and blurring the lines betweenjazz, funk, trip-hop and soul. Dedicated to fulfilling thesonic desires of our 'between the cracks' quest - we've dug up a good sampling of musical gems worthy of recognition. ... Read more

Reviews (3)

Classy
being a House fan from the old days and only buying classics,
i just recently discovered this remarkable and hypnotizing brand of music.
I'm kicking myself for not pursuing this earlier...
Shame on me for giving up hope on House.
It's a nice welcome.

sensual and soothing
This album in every aspect is fantastic!
Great chillout tunes, excellent for any occasion: A party with friends, a night with your loved one, or even when you're alone at home, or driving your car.

Excellent!!!

Excellent chill out music
Relaxed, Jazzy, Laid-back house music. Make me remember my first Naked Music album was Midnight Snack which is released in 1999, what a nice album it was, so different from other mainstream chill out flood. This album is even better with much better sound. Non of the songs in this album disappoint me.

By the way, Amazon.com wrote the release date wrong, it is not in 2001, it was in Oct. 2000. However, this album still has the refreshing and up-to-date feeling. ... Read more