Amazon.com

Seven years after their last release, former Black Dog members Ed Handly and Andy Turner finally get around to putting out a second album. The duo's polyrhythmic soundtracks are now embellished with live instruments and the lush voices of techno divas like Nicolette ("Extork") and Mara Carlyle ("Rakimou"). Plaid manage to hang on to the sparse intensity of Black Dog even with the new frills, only now the songs offer much more in terms of listening experience. Particularly noteworthy is the quietly detailed collaboration with Björk on the jazzy and warm "Lilith." Clearly worth the wait. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (27)

music that cares for people who care
This music quite possibly saved my life; it gave me hope during a very dark time. Plaid manages to have a sense of humour while being very eclectic, intelligent, and beautiful. This album is NOT for music snobs - the people I know who love this album don't necessarily like this genre, but rather have curious, compassionate, slightly childish personalities in common.

This music is complex, but sounds very simple and natural. It's very sincere, but at once casual and effortless. To me, this music is like a person...when I have Not for Threes playing in the room, I'm never alone. This music not only speaks; it embraces with loving arms. It may take some time to grow on you, and you may have to have something happen to you that makes you grow up a little before you can appreciate this music, but this album is among the most beautiful I've heard: loving, thoughtful, funny, fragile, very human music.

beautiful
Plaid and Black Dog (the previous incarnation of Plaid) are a little treasure known only to true electronica lovers. I wouldn't define them a quintessential electronica group like Autechre or Aphex Twin (who is a rather plural musician): programming is only an instrument to express their musical ideas. That's why they can take the human voice so seriously: listen to a full-fledged vocal song like Rakimou, and you'll notice the difference with the little children's sampled voices of Aphex or of Board of Canada. Consistently with this approach, they treat synthesizer as a classic instrument; as a result, their timbric palette is very "clean", without much noise or experimentation with artificial sounds. Plaid know how to craft a good melody and how to make a drum not sound dull, two qualities hard to find in the same group. And, they are not afraid to mix sophisticated tracks with danceable, commercial ones. For the first group, check out Lilith; for the second Spudnik. There is an underlying fascination by early music (milk) or eastern music (Rakimou). But every song is very gracious and definitely original. If you happen to be a novice to the "intelligent techno" world, and would like an enjoyable introduction, flawlessly realized, resistant to heavy rotation, good for both careful listening and background noise, consider this. Another beautiful CD could be the second of the "Artificial Intelligence" series of Warp Records.

You won't be disappointed
I've been a fan of IDM and related genres for a couple of years now, and I just recently bought this album. If you enjoy that type of music at all, I strongly recommend this CD (even if you're not into "intelligent" techno, this might be a good place to start). It seamlessly mixes clever and varying layered beats (Abla Eedio) with gentle, softly echoing melodies (Milh, one of my favorites). It's about as diverse as it is engaging.

Some people have said that the end of this album is a disappointment, and, while the first few songs are exceptional, I think the end is just as beautiful. It's just different. Lilith is incredible, especially if you're a fan of Bjork. Forever, like Seph, is short but very sweet. I didn't like Getting at first, but now it's becoming one of my favorites.

Milh is probably the slowest, most soothing song here. It's very different from everything else on the CD, and I think that's why I like it so much. The beat doesn't even kick in until about 2 minutes into the song.

The last two tracks, Undoneson and Spudink, and both very different, and a bit more simple that the rest of the CD, but they're each really great songs. Spudink is a beautiful, celestial-sounding song. It's probably less experimental than the rest the album, but wonderful nonetheless.

All in all, I can't really think of a reason not to recommend this to anyone even remotely interested in electronica. It's a brilliant, deeply original collection of music that you will not regret picking up.

Sebadoh and Portishead went to the Bahamas on LSD...
... and proceeded to kick the ... out of a calypso band while they were in the middle of a set, all the while commiting the whole thing to tape to later be remixed and polished by Tricky.

at least.. that's the feeling i get from this CD. sound interesting? maybe it is, but it's just not interesting enough for me to listen to more than once. that's not to say that it's a bad album.. there are some really stand-out tracks on it, like Extork, Kortisin, Lilith, and Rakimou. Actually, almost all of this album is more than listenable, but it doesn't ever come into focus as an album.. more like a collection of singles with a little bit of filler thrown in for padding. Therefore, it's difficult for me to recommend this to anyone other than to say it's far from the worst music i've ever heard, even in the down-tempo / trip hop genre, but people looking for something inspired and inspiring should look elsewhere.

an excellent composition
This is simply an extremely creative and beautiful album. Plaid seems to paint in colors more vivid than nearly all others who have taken the electronic approach to composing music. The songs are simple and yet complex and subtle at the same time. All moods and emotions seem to be represented, yet still a single motif unifies the work. The vocal tracks (including the collaboration with Bjork) complement the "instrumentals" very well. The balance Plaid has achieved gives the album tremendous staying power as well as initial appeal. This one is definitely a gem. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Six years after their future shock treatise, Dead Cities, Future Sound of London's Garry Cobain and Brian Dougans return with a psychedelic songfest. Exchanging electronic ambient loops, trip-hop beats, and alien textures for backwards guitars, sitar symphonies, and Donovan-style folk songs, The Isness captures '60s psychedelia in all its nonsense and nirvana. You can still hear the FSOL intellect and collagist aesthetic, but the duo have abandoned the sequencer-created hallucinations of their 1994 masterpiece, Lifeforms. Recording live drums, brass, strings, percussion, and vocals in their London studio, FSOL used an Apple Mac to arrange and treat the sounds into a cosmic song cycle. With Mellotrons surrounding Cobain's ethereal vocals, The Isness matches the "I Am the Walrus" dirge of "The Mello Hippie Disco Show" against the bucolic Donovan serenity of "Goodbye Sky." "The Lovers" recreates a boiling Hendrix funk meltdown. "Galaxial Pharmaceutical" recalls the epic bluster of Pink Floyd, and "Guru Song" the droning loops of the Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows." It all works as magically as a tab of LSD. The Isness is a psychedelic classic, 30 years late. --Ken Micallef ... Read more

Reviews (47)

The FSOL I'd grown to love is gone.. but...
From banjos and trumpets, to sitars and tablas - the long awaited Future Sound of London album is nothing like you'd have expected.

Having grown up to love FSOL as my all time favorite artist, The Isness came a quite a shock. Those seven years off must have involved a lot of acid and Ravi Shankar. Almost every track involves a sitar - a very beautiful and versatile instrument. Then on track three, The Mellow Hippo Disco Show - vocals! FSOL and vocals? Not just once either - track seven, "Divinity" has to be this albums' masterpiece; guitars, muted trumpets, tablas and a chorus to die for. Sounding like a seventies television show theme (but in a good way) it truly touches the heart. (I have the Jewel Case version with a different track listing than above.)

FSOL has grown and matured I suppose. Everything I've stated notes the differences from the FSOL we knew on ISDN and Dead Cities. That dark beautiful beast is gone. Now we have a changed and more lighter sounding artist. I picture playing in a tall, open field on a beautiful summer's day. This is by no means a bad album. It's quite beautiful. But don't expect dark anthems - expect very well orchestrated, experimental, psychedelic airy tunes. At times I can still hear the old FSOL buried inside, especially tracks with that jazzy cold feel percussion we knew from their ISDN album, but overall it is something brand new.

I very much recommend this album to both Future Sound of London newcomers and veterans. It is a feast for the ears, that may be the only thing it has in common with their other works.

The New Psychadelia
Emerging like a brightly coloured butterfly from a 10-year cocoon of dark, ambient electronica, the FSOL duo delivers an album that has a big smile plastered all over its face.
More upbeat and technicolour than previous releases (except maybe the Papua New Guinea Translations album) the Isness is a bright kaleidoscope of sounds and psychedelic grooves featuring a wide variety of assorted instruments (sitars, guitars, organs, flutes, etc.) and some great melodies. Stylistically it is influenced by the 60s (especially that sitar) and 70s Elysian Fields, for example, is a soundtrack of 1966 Carnaby Street grooviness (or 'Lounge' depending which decade you're born in), Divinity is an uplifting, mid-tempo 70s acoustic guitar spritual strumalong à la My Sweet Lord. High Tide On The Sea of Flesh, on the other hand,shows that FSOL still have time for a good old fashioned ambient dirge. Indeed, despite the change in direction that Isness signifies, this record is still essentially ambient, although very different from the frosty soundscapes of ISDN, for example. It works great in the background and is ideal for laying back, listening to and immersing yourself in. I generally try to avoid using words like 'quality' when describing music but this is definitely a high-quality record and there's a big, positive vibe going on here. If this is what spiritual awakening is supposed to feel like, I'll have two double helpings, please, with extra on the side.
,Ã¥

30 years Ago this was the future sound- OLD IS NEW AGAIN
WHEN THE BEATLES RELEASED REVOLVER- IT CHANGED THE MUSIC WORLD AND KICKSTARTED THE PYSCHEDELIC MOVEMENT AS WELL AS MAJOR ADVANCES IN RECORDING. THEN CAME BARRETT LED FLOYD-TOMORROW- EVEN MODS THE SMALL FACES WENT TRIPPY. EARLY BOWIE WAS THE LAST OF IT BEFORE IT MUTATED INTO PROGROCK AND ELO. FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON WENT BACKWARDS TO GO FOWARDS. STEALING QUITE LITERALLY FROM THE THIS TIME PERIOD- (MAYBE THEY WERE HANGING OUT WITH GEORGE HARRISON(RIP) AT THE TIME WITH ALL THE SITARS AND EASTERN SOUNDS)- YET MANAGE TO CREATE A MODERN AUTHENTIC RECREATION OF THE TIME PERIOD. FROM THE OVERSENTIMENTAL VOCALS AND LYRICS TO THE STRUMMED ACOUSTIC GUITARS THERE IS DEFINENTLY "A HIPPY FEEL GOOD VIBE" BUT WHEN IS THAT SO BAD ANYWAYS PLUS WHEN ITS TEMPERED WITH AMAZING SOUND COLLAGES AND GREAT LIVE INSTRUMENTATION- THE RESULT IS STUNNING. IVE BEEN AN FSOL FAN FOR NEARLY TEN YEARS AND FIND THIS THEIR MOST CHALLENGING AND REWARDING LISTEN. MANY OF THE INSTRUMENTALS ON THE ISNESS SOUND SIMILIAR TO CASCADE(WHICH WAS THEIR PEAK EARLY FORM) BUT ARE MORE HEARTFELT AND LESS COLD- "MELLO HIPPO DISCO SHOW" IS PURE PINK FLOYD BEATLESQUE NUTTINESS( GREAT ORGANS-VOCALS PERCUSSION) AND THE OTHER TRACKS DO PLAY LIKE VINTAGE DONOVAN OR EARLY BOWIE/GEORGE HARRISON EVEN SYD BARRETT. BY RETREADING THE PAST FSOL EASILY WALK PAST MOST OF THEIR COMPETITION WHOSE GENERIC STERILE ELECTRONIC SOUNDS JUST SOUND DATED(IRONICALLY ITS WORSE TO SOUND LIKE 1995 OR 1985 THAN 1965 IN MY OPINION). PLAY ANY EARLY FLOYD RECORD OR SGT PEPPERS(1967) AND THERE ARE IDEAS THAT SOUND FRESHER THAN ALOT OF TODAYS MUSIC AS WELL AS SOUNDS THAT ARE WEIRD AND TRIPPY BUT WARM AND HUMAN. THIS WAS ONE OF 2002S BEST BY A LANDSLIDE. AND IM NO RETRO LOVECHILD- MY FAVS INCLUDE THE JAM-CLASH-COLDPLAY-DJ SHADOW-UNKLE-BJORK-THE VERVE. EXTRA STAR REWARDED FOR THE AMAZING PRODUCTION AND BEAUTIFULLY DESIGNED BOOKLET WITH AMAZING PHOTOS AND ARTWORK-(OF OUTSIDE INTEREST IS THE RARE SYD BARRETT QUOTE WHO DESCRIBED FLOYDS SOUND IN AN EARLY 1968 INTERVIEW AS THE "FUTURE SOUND OF LONDON". HISTORY REPEATING? FOR ANY FOWARD THINKING BACKWARD LOOKING MUSIC FAN WHO THINKS THAT TIME HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH QUALITY.

Which Version?
As a previous reviewer pointed out there are 2 versions of this album. One is a version they released as a promo, this starts with 'Elysian Feels'. Before the official release they decided to release a different version, with a different running order, different mixes and a couple of different tracks, this starts with 'The Lovers'.
So can subsequent reviewers please specify which version they're reviewing because the promo version starting with 'Elysian Feels' is infinitely better than the 'official' version and is a masterpiece.
I hope this sorts out some of the confusion.
Obviously when you buy it make sure the first track is 'Elysian Feels'.

No, it's not Return to Dead Cities. Get used to it.
Everyone seems to like this album of hate it. As a longtime FSOL fan, I definitely didn't see it coming, but having bought the thing just out of habit (I was initially skeptical), I can firmly plant myself in the former camp. This disc is TIGHT.

By now, of course, you should be fully aware that it's not traditional FSOL (if there is such a thing), but is rather a tripped-out psychedelia homage that sounds like outtakes from Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, or maybe early Pink Floyd. But although the 30-second clips on this site are relentlessly unflattering, this is not an obnoxious 63-minute dip into mediocre sitar samples and boring ambient washes to burn incense by, but rather an energetic, cohesive update on a genre that supposedly tired itself out three decades ago. ... Read more

Album Description

Since 1994, Mouse On Mars has evolved into one of the biggest electronic music exports from Germany. Their sound is both challenging and funny, complexly layered yet with a simple driving beat. They've not only found their own distinctive voice, but they've remained a force of imaginative innovation for a decade. This is their eighth full-length and contains nine new tracks. Expect to see the dance floors overflowing. ... Read more

Amazon.com

For Squarepusher's Tom Jenkinson, music is his playground--albeit a very twisted one. One minute you might find the producer carelessly wrecking beats and pieces like a petulant three-year-old boy (see Music Is Rotted One Note); at others, employing the exacting precision of a manic drill sergeant to drum & bass, he produces what could only be called "drill and bass." The unpredictable Jenkinson throws his audience yet another curve ball with Budakhan Mindphone, which turns out to be a softer, kinder, gentler Squarepusher, where tinkling pianos and lush melodies summon a childlike innocence. To be sure, Jenkinson's strange ways are still present (wacky rhythms, check; odd, assorted noises, check). But this time around they're coated with a sugary sweetness never before seen from the mad scientist. --Tricia Romano ... Read more

Reviews (10)

A strange hybrid of old and new squarepusher
Although some previous reviews have claimed that Budakhan Mindphone is really Music is Rotten One Note part II, I really cannot agree. Although B.M. certainly takes a large cue from Music Is Rotted One Note, it also brings back some of the beats of Big Loada and Hard Normal Daddy, although admittedly in a strange new form. Iambic 5 poetry is a very pretty song that is reminiscent of Tortoise; Two Bass Hit is a lopsided bass jam; and Fly Street and Varkatope hearken back to older Squarepusher sounds, while retaining the strange minimalism of more recent Squarepusher efforts. I could do without the tunelessness of The Tide and Gong Acid, but the tuneful-to-tuneless ratio here is much higher than on Music Is Rotted One Note, thus providing a more enjoyable listening experience. This is the sound of Mr. Jenkinson beginning to reconcile the old-school Squarepusher drill 'n' bass sound with the free jazz of his last effort, and it is a worthwhile excursion.

Great Stuff...
Released in the wake of Squarepusher's masterful MUSIC IS ROTTED ONE NOTE, which combined electronica-derived studio wizardy with sturdy jazz-rock musicianship,BUDAKHAN MINDPHONE neither expands upon its predecessor nor returns Tom "Squarepusher" Jenkinson to his drum-and-bass beginnings. Instead, it travels down an entirely different path. While the songs incorporate a bit of MUSIC IS ROTTED ONE NOTE'S jazzy rhythmic feel, elements of dub, ambient and trip-hop are more prominent. BUDAKHAN MINDPHONE features some of the most swinging breakbeats you'll ever hear, with Jenkinson coming off like the Elvin Jones of the sampler. There's a greater amount of space in the arrangement here than on MUSIC IS ROTTED ONE NOTE, and consequently a more luxuriously textured ambience.

A Short Album That Needs Time
"Iambic 5 Poetry" is sheer beauty. It IS the standout track, and at first I thought it was going to be the only one. This mini-album takes several listens to get engrossed and to appreciate all that it offers. At this stage, I can say that I'm thoroughly satisfied with this album. It uses some of the more accoustic jazz style of Music Is Rotted One Note, but this time it's less dark in tone. In fact, it's rather uplifting. There is more electronic sequencing involved here, but it is quite subtle in its execution.

The aforementioned track is the big melody track. Others are more experimental and free-form in nature, but easy to enjoy and complement the overall feel of the mini-album.

emotional classic;;;;
i was in a net DJ radio when i listen a song, that was realy one of the greatest i ever heard,;;; i just wanted to know the name of the artist,,, the suspence remain some months till i visit warp site , whith hope to find something....when from the nothing, in over A look at squarepushers stuffs i decide to hear a sample from BUDDAKAN... EP . The suprise come in the first song ,that song..LABIC 5 POETRY.. its realy great, the atmosfere...a million words in some minuts song, well, a classic.. every one must have this cd.. you will be not regret;;;;;

Good stuff
Quite a good mini-album by Squarepusher on Warp. Splask and Two Bass Hit (dub) are nice. I will probably also get one of Tom Jenkinson's albums. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Weak
This album is filled with pretense. I spin the first record constantly but this one is a piece of junk. One can only hope they abandon the cheesy vocals and equally cheesy beats and melodies (my week beats your year). I feel like these guys are just trying to be funny and make fun of music. I can say there are about 2 minutes of this disc that I like, but by in large this is a HUGE letdown from the debut record and I'll be selling mine for cheap. I also saw them at SXSW this year and the live band stunk. There was no enthusiasm and it seemed like they would have done better to do a DJ type set and lose the lame drumming.

A product.
This album would have been much better as another instrumental work. The vocals drag the band down into a sub-interesting level of commerciality where Gorillaz and Thievery Corporation rule a soulless corridor of repetitive chillout music.

There are many electronic bands out there employing vocals, like Guitar, Lali Puna, Prefuse 73, Styrofoam, Pulseprogramming, etc... most of these bands can't touch Telefon tel Aviv in the programming skills department, yet I could never see any of them trying to pull off the milquetoast ballads and cheesy club mantras on this album.

The whole thing is a real disappointment.

So, So
In the thanks list on their new album telefon tel aviv thank the two vocalists who sang on the album by saying "it's just Fahrenheit without you". It a pretty accurate statement. With the exception of the vocals & some soaring but unimaginative strings, the music is pretty much the same mix of utterly humourless, surgically executed I.D.M & live instrumentation as found on Fahrenheit fair enough. But that's what TTA do; it's just that they've done it all before. Only better.

The album starts well enough with "when it happens it moves all by itself" some Rhodes piano, lots of glitchy noises & a real orchestra, nice. But what lets the album down for me are the vocal tracks & six out of the nine tracks have vocals on 'em. Having said that, I do like the songs featuring Lindsay Anderson. Track 3 "My week beats your year" is excellent. But the tracks featuring Damon Aaron, apart from some nice programming touches are just dull. They seem to be trying too hard to be deep & meaningful. But the melodies are boring & the lyrics have a pseudo-spiritual, over earnestness to them which kind of gets on my nerves....sorry Damon.

Probably my favourite track on Map of.... is track 7 "what it is without the hand that wields it" (...serious dudes TTA). It's a little slow in the build up, but it develops into a really hypnotic, dreamy piece of music. In a nutshell I really like tracks 1, 3, 4 & 7....8's okay as well. The rest.....If you're new to TTA I'd definitely recommend their immediate action # 8 e.p. over this (one of my favourite electronic records ever) either that or Fahrenheit fair enough.

Bid for mainstream acceptance?
I admit i should not review this album. I consider Telefon Tel Aviv's first album to be one of IDM's finest moments and one of the true great albums of the new millenium. It's safe to say my expectations were high. So how do you top the perfect album? Apparently TTA believe to accomplish such a feat they have to make giant creative leaps.

The first album suceeded because it did sound so "effortless". THe music was never over dramatic or too glitchy; it was just a perfect balance of natural acoustics and experimental beat programming combined with some of the most love filled melodies ever commited to disk. Even the Immediate Action single was outstanding. This single was important in not only showing how superior TTA was from the rest of the electronic cognescenti (the over-hyped Prefuse 73 exposed his pretentiousness by trying to remix/improve an already perfect song) but the track was also important in showing the promise of the marriage of vocals with the beats. On this track the vocals were used more like a tool to enhance the melodic layers in the instrumentals.

on "Map" the songs come across as full blown pop ballads. On the vocal tracks the music is just a bed for the vocals which take dominance in the mix. Are the vocals bad? No. Damon Aaron's voice (which bears a resemblance to Craig David's) is a welcome addition. he appears on the second song, which i feel is the cornerstone of the album. So what's wrong with the album? another reviewer used a phrase which i feel sums it up perfectly; "self-aware". It's evident in the Miss Kitten style vocals of the ego centric "my week is better than your year" (sung by Lindsay of chicago Lindsay and Sombionix fame). it's evident in the overwrought tunes full of dynamic changes from tranquil melodies to crashing electronics and strings. it's evident in the attitude of the hipster crowd that attended the record release party(which actually may have been a bad first introduction to this album because intimate music does not work in a club setting). it just sounds like TTA was trying to make the most important album ever and fell short. There are still sublime moments on this album but "moments" seems like an insult for a group who raised the bar so high; every "moment" of every track on their first releases capitivated me. it hardly sounds "effortless" anymore.

Giant Step Forward
Already outstanding, this new release from TTA takes them forward into a realm that is more lush, more vibrant. The addition of Damon Aaron's soulful songs and vocals adds a new twist plus add Lindsay Anderson and then the Loyola University Chamber Orchestra on other cuts--Wow, this is one CD you can spend hours listening to over and over again. ... Read more

Amazon.com

When Coldcut initially released 70 Minutes of Madness, in 1997, it caused a mighty stir among the dance community. Mixing drum and bass, electro, dub, hip-hop, reggae, experimental sounds, and avant-garde techno into a tight and cohesive whole, it was seen as one of the decade's most daring, mischievous, and innovative mixes. One of the album's main achievements was to render many so-called mix compilations narrow and basic, so its current re-release into a musical climate saturated with insipid comps couldn't be more timely or relevant. Not a beat is missed as the record barrels and blusters through tune after tune, climbing from peak to peak with mighty, imaginative strides. If you missed out first time around, this is a golden opportunity to seriously enhance your collection. --Paul Sullivan ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Quite simply: magnificent
In some circles, this mix has been labeled "one of the greatest mixes of all time." That's a tough accolade to live with, but this cd certainly manages the burden with ease, so much so that I was drawn to buy a original copy on "an auction website" last year...!

A journey by dj this truly is. A fan of electronic music for many a year, having cut my teeth on the rave scene of Scotland, and later led through a transition to techno and house by Slam, I found this cd surprising on the first listen. But even now, each time I play it, I find something new to keep my focus. The variety of sounds and styles is what makes this cd great: hip-hop, drum n' bass, techno and even Doctor Who! The mish mash of sound, coupled with probably the most samples used on a mix cd ever, are pulled together by expert mixing skills. This journey just keeps you coming back for more...

There are defining moments in music. The timing of the originl release was perfect, and in years to come, aging ravers and clubbers everywhere will play this cd to their grandkids and say: "This mix pulls together all things that are great about the electronic music scene."

Enough said. Save yourself [money] and buy this cd while you can...!!

Grave Robbers from Outer Space
To avoid the disappointment felt by Mr. One-Star below, realise that this CD is a far cry from 'Havin it Large in Ibiza Vol. 9'.
'70 Minutes of Madness' is often quoted by the dance music press as being one of the most influential mix CDs, which it indeed is, but falls more on the side of DJ Shadow and Cut Chemist's Product Placement mix, only more eclectic.
The blending of styles rather than the individual tracks are what have made this mix stay fresh since it's release, with 'side 2's' Luke Slater/Joanna Law/Photek/Boogie Down Productions splice forming what should be released as a song in it's own right.
Throw into this melting pot a hundred and one different sound snippets and samples, like the Dr.Who theme, old (hilarious) karate movie dialogue and B-movie introductions and the thing comes alive.
If you're interested but unsure of the content, check the artists. Red Snapper, Tim 'Love' Lee, Dead Kennedy's Jello Biafra and Photek in a couple of guises.

you really do need this...
I paid more for this CD than any other in my collection... and I still think I got the better end of the deal! I have well over 200 sets in my collection, and I still rank this one in my top 5. This set crosses many musical genres with relative ease. Who else would dare to cross Funki Porcini, Plastikman, Jello Biafra, and a Roberta Flack rework? Nothing "cold" about these cuts, just plain ol' brilliance.

For those wise enough to heed my advice... you're welcome.

A Definitive Masterpiece
Probably the best DJ set in the world. Made 8 years ago, it's still as fresh today. Tracks mould into a continues blend, creating one continues masterpiece. Tracks from completely different genres find a place together without being out-of-place, and it's all done with the skills of a warm heart. It's amazing that they are called *Coldcut* since they're sets are worm and human, and you can't help leaving with a smile on your face (-:«

What a journey. Do you know the road map?
I have always found Coldcut to be one of the more interesting producers, their mixes are original and perhaps a little hectic. There are always signs along the way however and the beats hold this journey together.You think these songs don't belong together but Coldcut is too gifted forthis to be an obstacle. There are segways and interludes that connect the tunes and a few surprises(the wicki wicki song and Jello Biafra)so that this is not a complilation. I wouldn't think anyone would be bored by this mix, but if your looking for the usuall "DJ" complilation of one song after the next your going to be dissappointed. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Brazilian-born beatmeister Amon Tobin unleashes another genre-imploding and totally killer album (his fourth) with Out from Out Where. Darker, harder-edged, and less jazzy than its predecessor, Supermodified, the album's mood is actually closest to his debut. Out Where is dense and playful in its own ominous horror-soundtrack-with-beats manner, the post-jungle beats lovingly fractured and reconstituted in a way that simultaneously dizzies and makes one's head bob up and down in time. This album reminds the listener that it's possible to be experimental and accessible at the same time. Parts of Out Where sound like a late night pow-wow of lounge lovers Kruder & Dorfmeister, electronic genius Nobukazu Takemura, and DJ Food the cut-up kid. And while the lovely yet menacing Asian car chase music of "Searchers" might have you wondering whatever did happen to Photek, the album truly sounds like nobody else. Each track has actual surprises, and the disc just gets better with repeated plays. Huzzah! --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (39)

THE MAN IS A GENIUS!!!!
AMON TOBIN--I think I love you, Dude!!! Never in my life have I heard such original material than what can be heard on "Out From Out Where" except for on "Bricolage" and "Supermodified", of course. I hadn't gotten "Permutations" yet--Hell, I can't find it!--, but it's only a matter of time before I do. I'll admit to being a fan of D&B and some house/techno, but it was becoming a dying and very lackluster genre, until Tobin came along!!! This man brilliantly takes so many styles of music and melts them into one creating a landscape of funky, primal, eerie and --believe it or not--beautiful soundtracks. "Out From Out Where" is a little more raw than its predecessors and the jazz embellishments he once used are very minimal here,if present at all, but that doesn't take away from the album itself. Tobin overcompensates with plenty of orchestral sounds, ambient melodies, and quirky samples from God knows where--two samplers, Tobin? I'd say at least 10! This baby opens with a bang with "Back From Space" and keeps it krunk with the super-funky "Verbal"! Next is the utterly chaotic "Chronic Tronic" that sounds like something from one of those Post-Apocalyptic action flix. Then Tobin slows it down a tempo with the swingin',"Searchers" and the psychedelic, "Hey, Blondie!" But wait!! He revs you back up with "Rosies", that is too funky!!!!! "Cosmo Retro Intro Outro" takes you back to the days of breakdancin' and I'm sure will be used in cheerleader routines across the counrty! "Triple Science" is scary, plain and simple, and gives you a sense of impending doom--"OMIGOD!! Don't go in there!!!" "El Wraith", "Proper Hoodidge" and "Mighty Micro People" slows you down once again, which after the thrill-ride you just experienced on the first 3/4 of "Out From Out Where", is just what you need to settle you back down!

One of the Best of 2003
I had been aware of Amon Tobin for a while but didn't listen to any of his CD's until I found this. I immediately knew this was amazing, in fact I best compare it to what DJ Shadow did with Endroducing. This CD revitalized the genre with such a great cinematic vision. Many of the tracks on this CD are perfect for licensing of all kinds, regular commecials, movie trailers, etc. It's definetely very moody and trippy so no comedies here, except maybe with Verbal, but it's a stretch, unless we're talking about a Snatch type of comedy.
Amon is great, I've come to conclude. Since I discovered this album, I have picked up every single Amon CD available, including Adventures in Foam / Cujo, and have located him on a dozen samplers and soundtracks. Keep an ear out for this guy, he deserves to be scoring films, and in fact, he should be scoring for all forms of advertising.
Amon rules, that's all I can say. I'm glad to read that everyone else that listens to him likes him just as much as I do. Hopefully, if you haven't heard this album, you will decide to check it out after this.
Good luck in your musical quest, but just know, I've listened to almost every other CD that came out in 2003 and very few actually compare to Out From Outwhere. It's utter brilliance.

Incredible wall of sound
Brazilian-born beatmeister Amon Tobin is untouchable when it comes to conjuring up a massive wall of sound from a sampler and turntables. Every piece of sound is meticulously chosen and placed to create a symphony.
"Out From Out Where" represents the fourth album (and fourth masterpiece) of Tobin's prestigious career creating albums for the forward-looking Ninja Tune label. After "Bricolage", "Permutation" and "Supermodified", this album comes across as less jazzy and more dense than the previous albums. It is simply a massive, cold black marble monolith of epic sounds and eerie textures. "Back From Space" is a simply genius sci-fi song that sounds more like going into space than coming back; "El Wraith" is akin to spaceships building the Egyptian pyramids (hey, we never know, right?); and "Searchers" is a hypnotic Asian car chase sequence. Even when Tobin plays it light, as in the intro to "Rosies", he quickly injects a mounting feeling of disarray and doom to the tune. Every song conjures fantastical images of space travel, alien landscapes and a surprising sense of isolation from the outside world.
By no means, however, is this album depressing. It is incredibly fun to listen to Tobin as he picks his samples and makes them fit in unexpected places. It is also interesting to pick up new sounds or elements with repeated listens. Listen to this on headphones (and preferably in the dark) to experience a truly hypnotic and exhiliaring ride through the dark recesses and magnificent wonders of space.

Stealth and Power
The (un)usual fusion of samples and ninjitsu style mixing/chopping skills that is Amon's trademark sound is further explored in this offering. Expertly programmed beats, atmospheres with the consistancy of wall-paper paste. This will have your friends asking "What the f**k is that..? "

"Vocal" is a very cool/inspirational track, sounds like James Brown on speed with a bad stammer, with massive reverbed backbeats falling from the sky like meteor fragments.

"Cronic Tronic" another massive, larger than life track... sounds like a load of ants walking across the front control panels of 20+ emu e6400's and recording the intelligble results.

Music to assassinate by.

My first electronica review...yay!
Even as one who tends to make it a point to avoid electronic music, I have to admit that "Out From Out Where" is one brilliant album. In fact, if not for the barely-listenable "Verbal," we might be looking at a five-star rating here. If you're in the mood for a mental workout that can also get your head bobbing, this is certainly a good place to look. It takes a few spins to appreciate an album this complex and eclectic, but it's more than worth the time and effort. In fact, the challenge of putting everything together is the principal basis for the album's appeal: having generally associated electronica with the mindless drivel that gets played in clubs, I was pleasantly surprised that the genre has produced some genuinely intiguing art.

So, you might ask, what does the album sound like? Okay, okay, I'm getting to that. The music on "Out From Out Where" is typically dark and intense, characterized by fractured rhythms and bizarre percussion sounds. Electronica may provide the foundation, but it's fleshed out with an almost impossible array of influences. Tobin is a master of tension and dynamics, creating constantly-mutating pieces that expertly mix contrasting shades of light and dark. Against a backdrop of ominous atmospheres, he unleashes a never-ending sonic onslaught of twisted, intricate beats, with a surprise always lurking just around the corner.

Perhaps most importantly, the variety on "Out From Out Where" is nothing short of incredible. In the space of a mere eleven tracks, Tobin manages to conjure up aural montages of so many different stripes it's hard to believe the same guy did it all. For instance, the opening "Back From Space" and "Chronic Tonic" are filled with otherworldly sound effects and jarring time signatures that will almost certainly make you move, but probably not in any conventional manner. Convulsions are a more likely result. "Searchers" is a harsh, creepy piece that steadily builds tension without offering any catharsis, instead burrowing its way into your psyche in a genuinely unsettling fashion. "El Wraith" is as ghostly and ethereal as its title implies, placing some chilling strings over a Middle Eastern-derived rhythm. "Proper Hoodidge" brings together a pounding, repetitive backbeat with a quirky landscape of electronic bleeps, sweeps, and creeps, and throws in some more Eastern accents just for good measure. In other places, as with the dizzying double-shot of "Cosmo Retro Intro Outro" and "Triple Science," Tobin just goes for out-and-out sensory overload. And while "Mighty Micro People" ends the album on a quiet note, it's still plenty creepy.

Hearing this album, I can't help but wish I'd been open to this genre earlier. And to think of all that time I spent listening to Creed and Pearl Jam that I'll never get back. Oh well. Anyway, if you're looking for some electronic music that will be suitable for your big brain, "Out From Out Where" is certainly worth checking out. So dig in. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Amon Tobin's manic, jungle/jazz-driven records have presented a challenge for him in a live setting, but Solid Steel manages the feat with a combination of technology and Tobin's own unique stylistic approach. It's not easy going on the road to support something like Supermodified or Permutation--albums born almost entirely in the memory banks of a computer--with the usual DJ turntables. Happily, with the advent of "Final Scratch" software, computer files can now be mixed, scratched, and blended just like vinyl. Thus, armed with a virtual record crate filled with bytes instead of wax, Tobin blows the crowd's hair back, barraging them (and us) with a relentless dose of out-there hip-hop, dub, and ambient. Time signatures are realigned, stretched, and broken apart on songs like "Chronic Tronic" (from 2002's Out From Out Where) and "Sittin Here" (from Dizzee Rascal's amazing Boy In Da Corner). As you might expect, this is challenging stuff and Tobin doesn't slow his dark sonics down long enough for the uninitiated to catch on easily. However, for the already converted and others who like their electronic music on the avant-garde edge, Solid Steel captures a tech-wizard in his element, casting rhythmic spells with 1s and 0s. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Album Description

Live From Short Attention Span Theatre (CD + DVD): KID KOALA's brilliant live tour is captured on two formats. They toured the country with 8 turntables - Koala, P-Love, and Jester each handling different elements of the material from "Some of My Best Friends are DJs" and the music behind "Nufonia Must Fall," to create a turntable band.

DVD also includes 3 shorts from MONKMUS, who made the genius "Basin Street Blues" video (also included) plus the video for Fender Bender. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

modest live effort
i would have rated this more three and a half than four stars, yet the awesome bingo card included with the dvd makes up for it. The artwork is fabulous as usual (kid koala, aka Eric Sans is quite the artist!)and the packaging is superb in mock vinyl format. The album folds out with the cd inside of a white sleeve tucked into the left side and the dvd in a white sleeve and bingo card in the right side.

The liner notes are very humorous and creative and had me in stiches.

Finally to get to the content of the album. Sure, you'd be better off to find some unreleased live material as the choices of songs for this live disc isn't really up to Koala's par, but, being the first officially mass produced dvd/cd ep of live material, i'm not complaining. Its well worth the money, especially hearing the live versions of the Nufonia Must Fall soundtrack, it was great to see how it was assembled. Also i must point out that the dvd does show part of Kid Koala's humor, little breaks in between songs where he says things like, "we call this the short attention span tour because all the dj's are under 5'6" its very refreshing and i wish i had more words to express why Koala is one of my favorite DJ's out there.

All in all a great decision for Ninja Tune records... it was about time they gave us a sampling of Kid live...can't wait till he rolls into town again!

This doesn't capture Kid Koala's true talent
Without a doubt, Kid Koala puts on a remarkable show. I saw a show on this tour myself, in Minneapolis. It was an atmosphere unlike any concert I've ever been to. The dance floor was filled with circular tables, covered by white linen table cloths and candles, along with waitresses taking our drink orders. Kid Koala is an amazing turntablist, but this live album left me wanting more.

The DVD is the highlight of the package. It features 3 short films by Monkmus, and his video for "Basin Street Blues", also included as a CD extra on the "Some of My Best Friends are DJ's" album. Although the live performances were satisfying, the running time of the DVD is only 30 minutes. The CD is only 16 minutes long, and features the exact same recordings of the songs that are included on the DVD.

16 minutes (5 songs) does not capture what Kid Koala can do live. Aside from seeing him live, I've heard several unreleased mixes (Breezeblock mixes, Essential mixes) that blows this material out of the water. If you are starving to "see" Kid Koala live, behind the decks for roughly 16 minutes, then buy it. If not, then I suggest you look into some of his live unreleased material; which is mind-blowing, and much longer than 16 minutes. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Angry, Energizing , Alive and Fabulous
Hip hop meets Mideastern chants. This album is masterpiece.
That fact that this album was released just a month after the
September 11, 2001 attacks is more than a curiosity, it's almost creepy, particualarly when one looks at the track titles. "Day of Dispair", "Eastern Winds" and the title track.
The mixing and mastering are incredible, Play it LOUD!

Eastern flavor meets western favor...
I found this to be extremely catchy and totally infectious. The title track, "Blood is Shining" will stick in your head for days. Another well done album from the folks at WaveformHQ. ... Read more

Album Description

UK EP for the Scottish electronica act. Tracks, 'Happy Cycling', 'Aquarius (Version 3)' & 'Olson (Version 3)'. 2001. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Worth more then you might think
I have everything B of C have done and this is one of the best. They are at their most happy-sounding, almost giddy, with the first two tracks and then a meloncholy, gorgeous third track. The tracks flow together perfectly and it's impossible to listen to this and not feel slightly happier and in a better mood. It's minimal - short and sweet, if they put any more on it would ruin the effect.

You may not think it's worth it, but this is a really special record.
ok, this is a single with 3 tracks:
-Aquarius - a different and MUCH better version then on 'Music has the Right...'

-Happy Cycling - already on the american release of 'Music has the Right...'

-Olsen - see Aquarius. Almost a completely different track. Extremely beautiful.

= good compared to avg but 2=so-so if you have MHtRtC
OK, this CD was worthwhile for me only b/c my copy of MHtRtC was a ($...) promo that was missing the amazing Happy Cycling. The other two peel sessions of album tracks are an interesting example of what can be lost when a song is excessively layered ... the changes make you appreciate the album versions even more intently, but aside from that aren't so hot. Therefore, I'd deem this as an intellectual nonessential for the curious ... with, of course, strong urging to for the seeker to be sure to own Music Has the Right to Children. (...)

The best thing they've yet done
I really love this release. Short, yes, but it is very VERY good, the one CD of theirs which I play the most.

VERY recommended.

Da Bomb
Boards of Canada are the bomb, this disc is the bomb, buy it

3 stars for quality, not quantity
The tracks on this cd are very good, but I can't justify the price for the very short playing time. As another reviewer has noted, the album is better value. Also check out 'Hi-Scores', a superior 6-track ep. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

soundtrack to your transcendence
This album is nothing short of awe inpiring bliss. Upon opening the plastic and peeling the seal off, the magic starts. The artwork is stark and beautiful. Very Tim Burton-esque. The listening experience is breathtaking. It is a half hour of the most beautiful piano peices ever composed. This album will be the soundtrack for many experiences in my life. Experience this masterpiece. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Like an angry thunderstorm dissipating into still winds and humid temperatures, Optometry opens like gangbusters with free jazz and DJ squabble, and then slowly spirals into more meditative moods. Manning laptop, kalimba, and turntable, New York DJ-theorist DJ Spooky stretches and shifts the free jazz ramblings of the Matthew Shipp quartet like a sea captain navigating a treacherous ocean. Spooky is as much an improviser as Shipp and crew, adding atmospheric samples, gentle melodies, and laptop mayhem at will. Beat poetry by Carl Hancock Rux adds hip-hop edge, and Spooky still opts for pretentious song titles ("Reactive Switching Strategies for the Control of Uninhabited Air"), but you definitely get the feeling that something fresh is happening here. Optometry sure ain't dance music, and it's too funky for free jazz purists, but it's just right for DJ Spooky's subliminal mind music. --Ken Micallef ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Best DJ album ever!!!
This is a fine piece of work. DJ Spooky is tops in my book. What better way to create a master work than to hire the help of musicians like William Parker, Matt Shipp, etc...

Great, great album!

Warning: Mostly Jazz
Perhaps I'll sound terminally ignorant for this statement, but I was a bit surprised by the jazz content of this album. I expected that Spooky would use some jazz samples, but it's more Spooky as a guest on Matthew Shipp tunes.

Nothing wrong with that, it just ends up being a very heavily jazz-flavored album. If you like jazz with a touch of hip-hop, I recommend it. But those looking for normal Spooky stuff should probably check out his other albums.

More great DJ Spooky:
This is my third DJ Spooky CD (File Under Futurism, Modern Mantra, and Optometry) and I like it a lot!

File Under Futurism was garbage except for a few songs. Modern Mantra is absolutely spectacular, and I have listened to it over 20 (yes, twenty) times in that last week! This CD fits between the two. Some of the songs are great, some are just OK. The first few tracks are kinda toned down acid jazz, but after those are over, the CD starts to pick up. Some of the songs are a little too slow, but it all works together in the end. Some rap, some techno, some real imagination on the behalf of Paul D. Miller (DJ Spooky.) I would not recommend this as a first DJ Spooky CD (that job goes to Modern Mantra in IMO), but if you like DJ Spooky, this is definitely a must have!

Optometry
This is a very interesting album. Most hip hop/jazz projects fail to be ingaging, but optometry is different. It combines the talents of such great avant-garde jazz musicians as Matt Shipp and William Parker, as well as the interesting effects Spooky adds to the mix. Although this album lacks in some places, There are tunes, especially tracks 4 and 5, that bring the piece to another level. Track 4 features intense spoken word over a nice combination of sax and cuts from spooky, and the title track is an insane mix that samples herbie hancock that goes on for over 9 minutes. It's interesting how spooky sampled playing from shipp's nu bop, which actually fits in quite nicely. although spooky adds nice effects, his beats aren't exactly spectacular. This may be a good thing though, as there is already so much going on. More of these types of projects are expected to be released on thirsty ear, including matt shipp's collabs with anti pop consortium and el-p, which should be exciting.

Powerful, engaging, contemporary music...
This great CD makes you sit up and listen! I am a jazz fan of long standing, preferring Miles, Trane, Monk, Rollins, etc..but I like to keep my ears open for new interpretations. This is a fascinating blend of great drum licks, keyboard and reed improvs, combined with beautiful, spacy, delicate mood pieces. Even the rap tunes, and I have not been much of a rap fan (until now) are extraordinary! I can hear Miles saying "yeah, man!!" Go buy it! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Manchester natives and unblushing fans of Miami bass music, Sean Booth and Rob Brown have been terrorizing techno enthusiasts since the late '80s with their haywire electronic compositions. Autechre is the latest chapter in the group's sonic assault on the senses, expanding on the disorienting arrangements of the group's previous work with even faster rhythms and more-perplexing song arrangements. In comparison, the jagged compositions of Aphex Twin sound as if Elton John wrote them. Still, there is something hypnotic about the way the abstract soundscapes unfold, even if the closing track, "Drane2," does contain a wily 10 minutes of silence. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (40)

The slowest burning CD ever...
This has been my least favorite Autechre CD. While I still thought it good, it never grabbed me in for repeated listenings. True, some of the songs I really liked, but the album as a whole just didn't grab me. Now I'm sitting here, Christmas Day, on my second listen and absolutely hooked. In it's own schizophrenic futurist way, it makes tons of sense. I could go on about the album in detail here, but I won't. It's great. It's relentless in it's scope, and down right in your face. I now realize why I didn't appreciate this album for what it was. It's downright hard to swallow.
I don't see this as music of the future either. It's the music of now. It's the sounds of humanity merging with the sounds of the machines that run our lives. It's truly a beast to behold. cyborg collossus spitting out bullets and crying out for help at the same time.
And a bonus is that it's up pretty well over these years. No one has truly revisited territory that Autechre has conquered since. Damned impressive.

A+, better then I had anticipated.
After hearing Autechre's remix of "Killing Game" on the new Skinny Puppy, ReMix DysTemper, I thought that Autechre had transformed in 1998 into a more noise sound than ambient or electronic soundscapes. I thought that this album would be a disappointment.

As you may have guess by the summary, I was wrong. This album delves into complexities and sounds that I never would have anticipated.

With the opening track, "acroyear22," starting out as minimalistic and then crashing forth with fast and outrageous beats, I knew that this album wasn't going to be a noisey disappointment. Their innovation and experimentality is obvious in this release as with most of their others.

Their sound is clean and unique, putting amazing imagery into the mind of the listener. Only those with truly evolved and comprehensive musical taste could throughouly appreciate Autechre, but for those that can, there is nothing else really left to desire out of music.

Autechre is overrated.
This group is always held up as some kind of paragon. Perhaps a model, but of what? Seems too mathematical and sterile. You either like it or not, not any fine line.

"A poor man's Aphex Twin"? Not even close...
Well, I keep making references to Autechre in my reviews of other artists, so I figured it's about time to write one on the band themselves. And what better place to start than "LP5" (or "Autechre", as Amazon.com seem to refer to it as)? My initial encounter with Ae wasn't great, to say the least. I made the mistake of starting with "Confield", to which I listened in my local CD shop. I was left thinking, "Why the heck would anyone want to listen to an hour's worth of pointless bleepy noise?" Still, I was intrigued, and the band did seem to garner much praise from the underground music press, so... I figured I'd explore the rest of their discography. I bought "Incunabula" and "Tri Repetae" on a whim, and I kinda liked what I heard, although I couldn't escape the nagging doubts in my head that told me the band was little more than a poor man's Aphex Twin.

This all changed when I laid ears upon "LP5". After the open bleeps and electronic zeep-kaboings (I'm stuck for a better description, please bear with me), Acroyear2 kicks off with one of the most convoluted and spazzed-out breakbeats in the history of modern music. My jaw, as they say, hit the floor. I hadn't heard anything like this before. It made pretty much everything I'd heard by Aphex Twin sound childishly naive and simplistic by comparison. Written in a time signature only an alien could stand a chance of comprehending, the beat is soon joined by a simple, yet effective melody, and then proceeds to undergo a subtle, barely perceptible shift in texture until you realise, about two thirds of the way through the song, that it's completely changed from its original incarnation. The rest of the tracks follow suit, offering up some of the most twisted, cutting-edge and downright ingenious electronica ever pressed to hard disk. My favourite tracks would be the aforementioned Acroyear2, 777 (bleep heaven - yeeeaaahhh boooyyyeee!), Vose In, Fold4wrap5 (note how the beat winds down to half its original pace within each measure - simply amazing) and Under BOAC.

When it comes to IDM and electronic music in general, Autechre are right up there with, if not, the best. No-one programs a drum machine quite like they do (well, except perhaps Agoraphobic Nosebleed... but they belong to a different genre entirely, heh heh), and the way they make beats, bleeps and keyboard textures spin, decompose, fizzle, pop and intertwine with each other simply defies description - you just have to hear it yourself (and forget about the lo-fi samples provided by Amazon, they'll never be able to do justice to Ae's sound). It will take literally months of intensive listening to get a full grasp as to what's happening within each of these songs, but it's worth it. People, years from now, are going to look back and think, "How on earth did they come up with this stuff?" A wise question indeed. If you're serious about electronic music, this album is a must. Period.

Side note: I actually love "Confield" now, having been warmed up by "LP5", so make a point of investing in that album once you're done listening to this.

Avant Electronixxx
OK people always seem to put Autechre into the IDM pile, along with a bunch of other artists who aren't even in the same sound as AE. They do have a minimalist techno sound I guess, but who ever actually 'danced' to Ryoji Ikeda? Autechre is Avant Electronics, plain and simple [in a complicated kinda way] which is better exemplified in Confield with that almost organic feel, like a robot with a human brain malfunctioning or something. Saying that though, I find LP5 much more of a pop record than Confield, which is why I'm reviewing it. I find it easier to dissect.
Autechre have definitely come along way from the very cold and moody Incunabula days, but the intensity of their music remains, and also every single album feels like an epic release. It really does feel like every album is a towering monolith ready to be approached head on, and not one is easy to forget.
I take this as one of my favourite releases because I basically like the use of sounds used, and it was a kick in the face hearing 'Acroyear2' for the first time after spending several months trying to make sense of an almost incoherent Confield [not anymore mind].
Auctechre took me a good solid 2 years to actually understand, and now its been steadily on my playlist since, it's made an apparent superior Richard James seem almost two-dimensional, and all his records sound like theyre in lo-fi/mono.
'Vase in' sounds like 'Windowlicker', 'fold4,wrap5' sounds like BOC, and 'Rae' is excellent.
I don't know what album you've been listening to, but I think it's a pretty catchy record. ... Read more

Album Description

First single (3 inch CD in a digipak that looks like abook) from Icelandic band with 2 songs, from their debutalbum Finally We Are No One on Fat Cat Records. The titletrack is backed with 'In Through The Lamp'. Housed in aplastic mold. 2002. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

Unavailable
Despite Amazon's continuing to list this item, they have been unable to supply it for at least six months. In this case, "limited availability" means none at all.

Emotional and surreal experience
This has a very surreal, macabre, depressing, and yet heartwarming sound. Anyone familiar with Aphex Twin, Silent Hill series and Cronocross soundtracks will definetly get a little reminder here. The music can have a different meaning to everyone who listens to it. This is definetly something for the more open-minded individuals who are willing to try new things. It's also enjoyable to listen to when your in deep thought. I recommend it! ... Read more

Album Description

Uzbekistani Bizarre and Souk has long been considered one of the pillars of the Muslimgauze catalog, but has never enjoyed a proper release. Frequently passed around on CDR, it has only been available through Staalplaat as a D.A.T. in trade for proofs of purchase from Staalplaat releases. This first-edition release comes housed in a numbered, hand-fed letterpress digipack made by Manifesto Letterpress. Also includes material left off the recent LP release of Izlamaphobia. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

An ambient-techno classic, UFOrb captures Alex Patterson and his sonic henchman at their early peak. While the Orb had already created a dance-floor and chill-out-room sensation in 1991 with Little Fluffy Clouds, this follow-up disc displays Patterson's talent for fusing ambient music with dub science and a club culture mindset. Incorporating psychedelicized samples over the era's reigning techno beats and deep reggae bass lines, heady compositions such as "Towers of Dub" and "Close Encounters" are excessive in length but consistently entertaining. The album's highlight is an 18-minute version of "Blue Room" (there's a 40-minute version out there, too), which features the sensual bass playing of Jah Wobble and the oscillating guitar of coproducer Steve Hillage. A most serious contribution to the legacy of the modern DJ. --Mitch Myers ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Bliss Packaged Into A 70 Minute CD
Possibly the Orb's greatest and most accessable album, U.F.Orb was one of the most defining albums in electronic music's history. It's not a CD you can get tired of easily. The first track, "O.O.B.E." sets the mood for the whole album. It gives off an ethereal feeling, like you're floating far above Earth looking down at all the colors of the world. The title track picks up the pace, getting rather heavy and driving, voices permeating the bleak soundscapes, and giving the feeling of an alien invasion of Earth. The masterpiece of the album, "Blue Room", is a 17 minute epic into alien abduction. Where it starts out giving off the feeling of standing on the seashore where the moon is shining and dolphins are at play, everything quiets down and the air raid sirens belt out across the horizon. Then, the aliens come down and steal you away on an amazing voyage up against the bass rumblings of Jah Wobble and guitar mayhem of Steve Hillage. When they return you back to Earth, you'll be ready to visit the dubby bliss of "Towers of Dub". Starting with a prank call made to an English TV station, you soon find yourself in a field with harmonicas and a wishy washy dub bass playing over the playful barks of Rags the dog. The track warps, and you're climbing the towers of dub with Rags chasing after you. After you've made it out of the towers of dub, "Close Encounters" and "Majestic" take you on a whirlwind tour of the Earth as viewed from far above, with creative sampling dashed through both songs. Then the album comes to a halt with "Sticky End", a ponderous 50 second track of elephants defecating.

With every Orb album to date, the focus of each album seems to get more detailed. Whereas "Adventures..." focused on space as a whole, "U.F.Orb" seems to be more focused into the Earth as viewed from Space. Each new album seems to bfing the Orb's focus back into our planet Earth. I would not hesitate to buy this album.

UFORB: The Orbs crowning achievement
There isn't enough to say about how incredible this CD really is. Overall this CD is one of the Orbs mellowest albums and one of their darkest too. The album also has a mysterious and futuristic feel to it. Every song on here is almost produced to perfection in a way that this 1992 album beats out just about everything else that the Orb have done(Orblivion & Orbus Terrarum come close behind though). There isn't a bad track on here and the voice effects work so well. The album cover sets the overall mood of the record with it's mysterious artwork. 74 minutes of bliss compressed onto one CD! You couldn't ask for much more playing time.

The rumbling hum and electronic cricket sound effects of O.O.B.E begins the Journey above the Earth. O.O.B.E. is a very dreamy song with a very eerie mood like that of orbiting above the earth or when strolling along the outer suburbs at 3 AM on a foggy night. Eventually the dreamy ambient crescendos and the spaceship machine sound effects are laced with electronic keyboard blips and a wash of flutes that gives the song a very eerie, spacey feel almost as if you're looking out the window and seeing Earth from orbit. The keyboard blips stop around the 10:10 mark and the spaceship machine and circket effects keep going before a watery chime sound effect ends O.O.B.E. and ushers in the title track. The title track begins with with a haunting intro and the sample of a general during the Bay Of Pigs and the strange loud watery sound effects and then a helicopter sound effect comes and then the song becomes a driving techno number with pounding beats and sonic bite to it. After that we head into much darker and more mysterious territory with the ever so timeless Blue Room. This song isn't one I could explain enough with words as it's absolutely an amazing track streched to 17 & a half minutes. It starts off with strange guitar effects and the sound of an air raid siren in the background giving the song alot of spook factor. The siren returns at the 4:10 mark and then a strong ambience comes in like an approaching storm. I just love the clinging keyboard sound effects. The real good part of the song begins around the 6:50 mark with a misty ambience and the sound of a female chanting before a techno beat comes in. The song becomes an ambient techno song with incredible funky bass guitar. I just love it. I consider this song to be the Orbs darkest song and one of the eeriest tracks they've ever made. Blue Room offers more than what I can explain in words! To me, this is Dr. Alex Paterson at his best as Blue Room ties with Huge Evergrowing Pulsating Brain as my favorite track by them. Towers Of Dub is another bizarre track that begins with a conversation of someone being asked to meet someone at Babylon Antine. The dingling sound of a keyboard comes in and then a harmonica comes in and then funky bobbling bass lines come in and Tower Of Dub becomes a bizarre track with echoing harmonicas, awesome guitars, and the sound of a gong in the background. The song overall is an awesome track that is one of their dubbiest tracks to date and offers far more than I can say in words. A barrage of shooting laser sound effects ushers in Close Encounters with a much more ominous intro and then becomes a much heavier techno beat driven song with a very intense almost space battle like atmosphere. I just lov e the middle part of the track where it seems to struggle between a major and a minor note track. Definitely a rave like classic. The ominous rumbling sounds tie Close Encounters with Majestic. This song starts with someone saying "WAKE UP!...WAKE UP!....WAKE UP!....WAKE UP!" and jungle sound effects. A barrage of tingling synthesizers come on almost like raindrops and then the song becomes a funky upbeat song and with an earthier feel but still maintaining the spacey feel of the album. I just love the bizarre flutes and the crazy sound effects that go along with the beat. Overall Majestic is another classic. After the beats stop, all there is is just a cymbol going and a rumbling in the background when a waterfall sound effect ends the song and begins the final track Sticky End which is a 49 second outro with the sound of what I guess is the sound of sticky paper being pulled off a surface (Some say though that it's actually the sounds of elephants defecating) and the sound effects being toned way down. It ends this incredible journey of UFOrb.

This CD is a masterpiece that I cannot reccomend enough. Believe me this disc is worth owning just for Blue Room alone(There's a 40 minute, that's right, 40 minute version out there somewhere which I've had no luck in hearing or finding). No other album by the Orb has the punch that this one has. In fact, it deserves a rating of five galaxies, not just five stars. It's that good! For the next four years, the Orb would put out much earthier materieal with the bizarre and chaotic Pomme Fritz and the misty Orbus Terrarum before returning to their trademark sound with the apocolyptic Orblivion. There's lots more from this CD than what I could give away. Go and buy it now!

An Ambient Epic
Undoubtedly one of the greatest albums of recent times, of any genre: I can still put this on and get something fresh out of it.

One of the album's strengths is that it simply defies categorisation: after the first track you've probably settled down for yet another ambient ride, albeit a well-executed one, then you're thrown straight into a bass-driven dance track underlaid with a carpet of Cold War paranoic samples; next we're onto an extended guitar-noodling session and head-trip, followed by a blues harmonica and dog bark duet... it just goes on and on, the inventiveness never flagging.

Samples are humourous and pithy, rarely outstaying their welcome. Genuine musicianship is on display courtesy of Steve Hillage and Jah Wobble, amongst others, which adds enormously to the album's staying power. Epic in scope and sound, and you never quite know just where it's going to next.

A true modern classic - you won't regret buying it.

Unreal!
This CD has influenced my life beyond that of any other recording. Buy it, breath it and embrace the Orb!

I would give this CD ten stars if it were possible.

The best CD on the planet.
If you just got into Orb, listened to ABUW, and loved it, prepare for something a little different if you go here..

U.F.Orb is dark. It's VERY ambient, and is WORTH however much money it costs.

O.O.B.E.: Two tone, rhythm striking, drumless masterpeice, you just can't measure how relaxing this track is, it floats around in your mind, and gets stuck in your head. (Though, that's a good thing.)
U.F.Orb: Hah. Probably the worst track on the CD, but still one of my favourite songs of all time. Good dance beat, powerful, moving synths, and a sample of some guy saying PORNO at the beginning.
Blue Room: When I said the album was dark and ambient, this song is kind of what I meant. It has a great long buildup that seems to be more like random sound than music, but it's so well ordered you can't tell the difference.
Towers Of Dub: Words cannot explain how much I love this song. It has an acoustic harmonica for the melody, a really deep bass that also appears to be acousitc, and these DRUMS... Just, wonderful bliss filled DRUMS...
Not to mention the dog helps sing. ;)
Close Encounters: Hoohoo! Part of the world's greatest "Last-three-songs."
It's dancable, infact, it's VERY dancable, I would recommend turning off the lights, getting your glowsticks and putting this track on.
Majestic: Beautiful-ness in 11 minutes. This song was perfectly written. No other song in history comes close to matching it in rhythm, drums, key, alignment, and melodic content. If I didn't know any better, I would say it were the best song on the earth.
Sticky End: about 47 seconds of watery noises. But still fun to listen to. :D

Some fun facts: I wrote this review, and I wasn't even listening to the album. I was listening to "Blue Mountain" by Underworld.

Tom Green played the flute and other woodwind type instruments on this album. ... Read more

Album Description

Evan Bluetech is to Southern California as ambient is to dub.With a background in classical and improvisational piano, he has honed his wares with yearly performances at the infamous Burning Man festival and other outdoor gigs.He serves as Music Director and performer for the living ambient gallery Project Cathedral in San Diego and has contributed his work to the award winning Continuums Project as well as numerous television commercial soundtracks.He is also one of the founding members of the art collective Native:State, a group of quirky circus performers, DJ’s fire dancers and music makers.

Bluetech melds the electronic with the organic, utilizing custom-built Reaktor instruments and software-based synthesizers. His traditional classical training brings a warmth and musicality to the precision and detail of his extremely fresh electronic style and sound.Besides ambient dub influences, Bluetech also borrows from the worlds of IDM and experimental electronica.Inspired by artists like The Orb, Sounds From The Ground and Higher Intelligence Agency, Bluetech delivers a vivid distinct sound that is both modernistic and retrospective. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Love this CD!
It's been years since I've owned a CD that I simply must listen to over and over again. I just don't get tired of this incredible music. What a talent Evan Bluetech is.

thousand faceted light crystal sound weave
this supple design science crossed our speaker paths and stayed there. luminous dynamiks re-engineering sound that is shifting the surface of a new music culture. essential listening for audiophile and dancer alike. evolving the possibilities.

Totally Hypnotic
This CD will take you away from everything. I have never heard such awesome connected sounds and rhythms that make you feel as if you are in a dreamland. I agree with one reviewer that it is hard to believe that this is their first album. I am already looking forward to their second, third, etc. This is a CD that you can listen to over and over again without feeling that each song sounds exactly the same.

The color and the shape
I owned Prima Materia for a few weeks before I listened to it. When I got it, I knew it was right, but I didn't know why. When I listened to it, I understood. The first half of disk held my hand and led me to a warm comfortable place where the auditory imagery flashed through my mind like stars on the shortest day. By "7th phase dub", I was in awe at the idea that music could be so dynamic... spanning the landscape of light and dark spaces, making me aware of movement in and outside of myself...so many colors...no I wasn't high....Track 11, "Cliff Diving" brings you back to zero, completing the circle with all the soul of a thousand bright lights and the temperate vociferation of piano. Prima Materia is a true phenomenon. I highly recommend that you get this album, a pair of good headphones and experience it for yourself.

F*R*E*S*H!!
gawd this CD is fresh ... it's like a whole new west coast sound that's catching on even back in the rust belt. it's chilly contempo electro but man, this will warm up even the deep freeze folks. i love the sounds from the ground remix, er retriangulation. LOL. this is mono cooliosis ladies and gents. ... Read more

Album Details

Oval are a unique techno group who are sponsored by the Gothe Institute, and use their own digital programs, as well as physical manipulations of disc to expose the process, and the equipment. Their previous record Systemisch was featured in Spin as ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Blew me away!
How can something so fractured and disjointed be so darned mesmerising? This is music to really listen to and immerse yourself in. Sounds wonderful with headphones - real sound painting experience for the head!

"Do While" just keeps on at you, for 24 minutes, seemingly monotonous, but sneakily interlacing irregular beats with insinuatingly jangly bits and pieces of distorted sound-world-spaces. Almost teasing, with its determination to suck you into its warped world view. Gimme more!

A month on, this CD is still getting a lot of airtime. It never ceases to amaze me how "Do While" does not waste one second of its 24-odd minutes and the follow-up tracks are strong enough to hold interest through the other 27 minutes of this fabulous glitch-journey.

The other stand-out track, and by far the edgiest is "Shop In Store" and it is a great lead-in to the 4m 50s of the "Do While" reprise that brings this amazing album to a close, which elicits a sense of diappointment the journey is over!

If you like quirky electronica, this is a CD for your collection.

mellow atmospherics
This is a good Oval album. For those that are new to Oval it is a good introduction and preview to his later works. The main track and A side on the record is a very long, very repetitive track with clicks and atmospheric synth sounds entitled "do while". Its enjoyable. This music calls to mind post modern nights in some international club. As the track suggests, you should do something while listening to this, as it is heavy on atmospherics, the perfect background for a mellow Saturday evening or music to listen to while surfing the web. Though I am not sure about the cd, the record version contains 4 remixes by excellent artists: Scanner, Christian Vogel, Jim O'Rourke, Mouse on Mars. Buy this record if you are looking to get into Oval, or, if you have already, buy it to round out your collection.

Music for the children of the future.
While I must admit that the most recent Oval albums, "Dok" and "Szenariodisk" have failed to inspire me, 94Diskont is an album I never get tired of. Half of the CD is taken up by 'Do While,' the first track, and it reprises at the end of the CD as well. If 'Do While,' a repeating and slightly changing loops of tinkling bells and other sounds, is at all indicitive of the future of music, then I can sleep well from now on. It is, quite honestly, one of the most soothing pieces of music I own: 20 minutes of bliss.

Though the album is worth it for that track alone, many of the shorter tracks on the latter half of the album are excellent examples of Oval's computer-manipulated music, particularly "Shop in Store," which sounds as if constructed from an orchestral work, and "Commerce Server." Though I've heard people complain that Oval sounds like someone holding down the fast-forward button on the CD player, regardless it still sounds quite unique and very interesting.

Beauty with jitter...
Oval's music is often the result of extreme deconstruction of other musical works. And on this release, the 24-minute showpiece "Do While" is no exception, taking a snippet of Steve Reich's "The Four Sections" and subjecting it to a bewildering computer/sampler-based de-and-reconstructive effort which renders the original source into a swirling, almost Balinese tapestry of bell fragments. This one track is definitely the draw here, but the shorter tracks also offer a good view into Oval's herky-jerky 'damaged CD' sound, with frequent dissonances in evidence. This is probably the best introduction to Oval for the casual listener, and it's an amazing straddling act, balanced on the corner of three fences between ambient, techno, and New Music. Strongly recommended for anyone who likes any of those styles, and especially for someone who can wrap their head around two or all three.

Intoxica for the Information Age
While Oval's philiosphical stance of "spatial disorientation" and "interface noise" may scare off pedestrians, "Diskont94" is perhaps their most public-friendly offering to date.

The tones and sound-waves move like amniotic fluid, running through an ear-baffling, Escher structure. Digital errors are present to convey the reality that the music is all artifical. Overall, "Diskont94" exhibits images of a night-fallen 22st century city, as generated by a computer that's overloaded and choking on excess data.

I recommend the vinyl version, which contains some fantastic remixes by Jim O'Roarke, Christain Vogel and Mouse on Mars. ... Read more

Amazon.com

This is a fabulous compilation of squiggly, squirmy, and arty post-everything electronic music. It's weirdly accessible, decidedly futuristic stuff, though sonically and BPM-wise, it's located closer to the chill-out room than the dance floor. Like "click-hop," "blip-hop" is one of those goofy record-collector terms that no one really uses, and the closest this music gets to hip-hop is that the two terms sound alike. Compiled by David Byrne and Yale Evelev, the disc snags some of the best recent recordings by a host of big names from the more krautrock-y (Mouse on Mars, To Rococo Rot) and dubby (Pole, Pickadelic) ends of the esoteric dance spectrum. There are lots of undulating blips and bleeps here, but this is not your dad's techno. It's a weirdly organic, imaginative music, where you never quite know what's going to come next. Cartoon sound effects, bizarre human beatbox sounds, and farty synth squelches give way to gorgeous textures and subtle melodies perched atop a clatter of mechanistic, humming tones. It's a gorgeous late-night mix tape. --Mike McGonigal ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Fails to showcase a fascinating genre
David Byrne's good taste and perceptive commentary introduced me to Brazilian popular music, and for this I am grateful. But his take on 'blip hop' -- these days, most people are calling it 'click-hop' or 'glitch' -- is surprisingly weak. There isn't a single track here you can't do without. It fails to show you why you should care about this really amazing sub-genre of electronic pop music. For a much better introduction to the genre, buy anything by Andreas Tilliander, who also records under the name Mokira.

Pay attention to anything with David Byrne's name attached
Sure, not for everyone, even those naturally inclined towards electronica. But if you dig something a little quirky, definitely unique, and well-suited to your psuedo-futuristic space lounge cocktail party, this is it.

And, I suppose it goes without saying, if you ARE a serious fan of "Blip Hop", you'd probably be best going after the full-length albums of the artists present on the disc. This really is a brief overview of the genre for the casual passerby.

Like nothing I've heard before
I have to admit, I didn't really start liking this CD til about the forth or fifth play, but now I can't wait to listen to it again! You just have to let it all sink in, and might I suggest a decent pair of headphones so the weirdos, who don't get it, don't criticize. I picked this up having never heard of any of these bands (which is rare for me) or the name "Blip-hop." But I liked the idea, so I said, "I'll check it out." Now...I wanna hear more. God I hope there's a Vol. 2, and 3, and 4...

Anything New Out There? Look Here
R U WONDERING about (i) the future of music, (ii) whether rave/trance has anywhere else to go, and (iii) just where the latest digital music-making technology has gone? Well, here, we have - from Luaka Bop Records (David Byrne's label) - a compilation of musics (from the recently liberated eastern bloc) which may have some answers. Trance has never sounded so... freaking trance-like. Don't be fooled by the post-hip suspiciously David-Byrne-sounding oh so detached description on the back of the CD. This compilation is NOT machine-like. It truly reflects the human emotions behind the various projects - playful, hypnotic and, at times, truly sublime (if somewhat repetitious ONLY if you are not REALLY listening). The future of music may be found here. As musical wallpaper, or as an intense listening experience, these layered, poly-rhymthic, musical adventures will amuse, mystify, and entrance your mind. Welcome to the New World!

Could have been better
All of the artists on this CD are talented, but the tracks seem to have been selected to minimize their differences, which results in a surprisingly bland offering. If you're interested in this whole blip-hop, glitch, IDM-thing, there are much better places to start (such as the "Clicks + Cuts" series, "Electric Ladyland Clickhop V.1.0," or even Warp's "Compilation").

The essay (by David Bryne) included in the liner notes is meant to be a tongue-in-cheek anthropological analysis of the influence of cold climates on people and their technology, but it comes across as sloppy and trite. It is doubtless intended to be a not-so-serious analysis of what Bryne thinks is a not-so-serious genre, but his writing is littered with repetitions of the same stock phrases and lacks focus, while the artists on the CD are very focused and precise (however playful their sounds). ... Read more