Amazon.com

There's always been a psychedelic edge to Rob Garza and Eric Hilton's Thievery Corporation project. 2000's Mirror Conspiracy is a downtempo classic precisely because of its druggy expansiveness; sober listeners and saucer-eyed trippers alike could find common ground. Similarly esoteric and nocturnal, The Cosmic Game floats around the room on a wave of mystic beats and guest vocals from Perry Farrell, The Flaming Lips' Wayne Coyne, and David Byrne. Garza and Hilton are less devoted to non-electronic sources here than they were on The Richest Man in Babylon or The Outernational Sound, though their fascination with dub rhythms and world music remains intact. A fair amount of armchair travel is involved as you go from the late, late-night, beach-club-in-Jamaica sound of "Amerimacka," to the Brazilian percussion of "Ambicion Eterna" and "Pela Janela." But more than anything, the record feels like a return to the duo's own ethereal sonic roots. It's a nice blend of their music over the last half-decade for longtime fans, and a hazy glide down the rabbit hole for newcomers. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (46)

another impressive album!
Thievery has been one of my favorites for a long time now.This album is fabulous!Very smooth and well mixed.

Hat's off the Thievery Corporation
I'm going to have to disagree with some people about the only bad song of this great disc. I personally think Warning Shots is really bad. If they took out the lyrics it would be good, but it's just too out of place of this cd. The rest of Cosmic Game is pure heaven with a great mix of dub, reggae and awesome Indian vocals, percussion, and amazing sitar! It really reminds me of Mirror Conspiracy. All around good stuff, and I recommend it to everyone.

The duo's talent ages like wine!
The three CDs released by the Thievery Corporation are among the best I have listened to. While "Mirror Conspiracy", their first CD, is a classic, "The Cosmic Game" is the high point of their career thus far. Although there are many tracks that do not reflect their previous work, they are exemplary.

A few favorites:

-"Marching the Hate Machines" a song to definitely "just chill to." Every time I listen to it, I feel I must lay back casually and forget my surroundings until its ultimate blend into...

-"Warning Shots" by far the most surprising song produced by the Thievery Corporation. The most beautiful rap song I have listened to. This song is incomparable to really anything.

-"Satyam Shivam Sundaram" in my opinion, the best track on the CD. This song is music at its best. The spellbinding lyrics are so magical, I don't want to know what they translate to... it could break the spell.

-"Amerimacka" is completely and utterly amazing. Melodious poetry put into reggae terms. Notch's vocals are sure to place a anyone into an audio-induced trance.

-"Sol Tapado" a cool, refreashing brazilian tune. Though I live in Colorado, every time I listen to this in my car, I feel as if I'm driving under palm trees. Copacabana Beach compacted into a song.

-"The Cosmic Game", "Holographic Universe", "The Supreme Illusion", and "A Gentle Dissolve" are some of the most mesmerizing instrumentals ever made. The epitome of what the Thievery Corpration is known for.

The Thievery Corporation keep getting better with every CD. They have yet to let me down with their molding of sheer audio beauty. If you thought nothing could top "Mirror Conspiracy" or "The Richest Man in Babylon" then you ain't heard nothin' yet. The "Masters of Bass" (as I like to refer to them) have done another outstanding work. Don't let the stars fool you... ten stars out of five.

Best offering from Thievery Corporation yet
Although there are already numerous reviews of this CD, it's so good that I felt I needed to show support for it in some way.This is a bit of a departure from their more dub-oriented albums, but in no way does that diminish this release.

This album has more of an Eastern (Indian & Arabian) feel to it, as well as some South American influences (occasional tracks on this CD remind me a bit of the inimitable Gran Hotel Buenos Aires (also published by ESL, surprise surprise!) - an absolute must-buy if you're a downbeat/lounge/dub enthusiast).That isn't to say that they don't head back to their dub roots (see tracks like Amerimacka), but this just feels like a very mature offering from a band that has grown immensely over the years.

As some other reviews note, the CD isn't without its weak tracks, but with so many crammed onto one CD, you really cannot go wrong.I would definitely rate this as Thievery Corporations best release to date - perhaps only matched by their recent Babylon Dub Rewind...excellent in its own right, but clocking in at only about 1/3rd the length of The Cosmic Game.

Not as good as The Richest Man In Babylon
I like this album but it definitely has it's weak tracks. My favorite tracks are "The Supreme Illusion", "Holographic Illusion", "Warning Shots", "Amerimacka", "A Gentle Dissolve" and "The Cosmic Game", I think the weaker tracks are the ones with the celebrity guest vocalist. Like the weakest track on here is "The Heart's a Lonely Hunter" (Featuring David Bryne). It's just awful! Overall though the entire album is listenable so get check it out because the strong tracks definitely overpower the weak ones.

SJ
www.bestplaylists.com ... Read more

Reviews (131)

A beautiful album, but too similar to AIR for 5 Stars
I first heard of Zero 7 when I saw their video, "Destiny." I have to admit that they first time I saw it I immediately thought that it was a new AIR song, so I was surprised to see a different name at the end. I just bought this album two days ago and don't regret it. I will say that they are HEAVILY influenced by AIR, which is a fabulous electronic band from France. Zero 7 almost sounds TOO much like them, which is why I couldn't give this album 5 stars. However, their sound is different because of the volcalists. There is a male vocalist as well as Sia for many of the songs. Sia has an angelic yet haunting voice that adds to the mellow and hypnotic sounds of "Destiny" and others. Electronic music is such a general term, since there are so many genres within it. I would recommend this album to anyone who has enjoyed AIR's Moon Safari. (although I still believe that Moon Safari is much more innovative and original than Simple Things).

One of the best of 2001...
Simple Things, the first LP by British programming duo Zero 7 is one of the most imminently listenable albums to come along in a very long while. The whole album is layered with downtempo, almost ethereal beats that will undoubtedly take the edge off any migraine until you're awash in a sea of contentment. Zero 7 (aka Henry Binns & Sam Hardaker) say that the true joy of their music comes from the talented core of guest vocalists found on their debut album. This statement proves true as these vocalists bring out the amazing beauty of this disc. Among the standout tracks on the album is the sultry 'Distractions,' a sensual collaboration with Sia Furler, which feels just as at home in a smoky jazz bar as it does at a candle-lit bedside. Other great tracks include 'I Have Seen,' featuring male vocalist Mozez and the beautiful bonus track 'Spinning,' featuring Sophie Barker. Simple Things is more than just electronic music... it is music that creates a most beautiful atmosphere.

Unoriginal and Uninspiring
Am I the only one who sees that this Emperor has no clothes?! No new clothes, at least. This drippy cd rehashes every uninspired a.m. radio-soft-jazz tune you ever heard.

And people are saying the female vocalists recall Portishead?! What the fuzzy?!! The 2 singers are 0h-So-Pleasant, and Beth Gibbons' voice is nothing if not relating displeasing emotions!

Please, check out some real downtempo, sonic-texture artists like Airlock, Crustation or Thunderball. These artists throw in jazz, samples, djs and guest vocalists, too, while maintaining an experimental edge to create melodies you never thought you'd hear, much less heard before!

Nothing Simple About This Album...
...Except for the fact it is Simply Amazing! Its difficult to even describe the style of music at hand here - chill-out, lounge, trance, with traces of jazz, classical, and pop music throughout. Zero 7 takes you from porno music to polished, sultry and sinful to sweet and smooth within tracks and within the album. No matter what kind of music you listen to, "Simple Things" will surely relax your mind and your soul as you just take in all of the delicate yet complex songs arranged.

There are a number of styles explored on the album, which can be categorized in two large subdivisons - with vocals and with out. The vocal songs mainly feature male singer Mozez who stars on the albums opening disco-lounge track "I Have Seen", the absolutely amazingingly mysterious title track, and the sultry ballad "This World".

The two female vocalists are quite similar sounding, as noted on the stunningly addictive "Destiny" where they share lead vocals. The sound of Sia Furler and Sophia Barker's voices is accented softly with both a British sound, and almost a southern twang, but no worries their voices are like liquid on all the songs they sing. Furler returns on one of my fave tracks on the album "Distractions" a sweet love-ish ballad, while Barker is given the slightly weaker "In The Waiting Line" which shows the difference in the two girls voices as they are back to back, although Barker recuperates on the closing track "Spinning".

Within the non-vocal tracks the guys that make up our beloved band in question experiment with 1970's synthesized porno beats and keyboard sounds, mixed with smooth bass, acoustic guitars, and elegant strings, and of course that "air" sound that has led them to be labelled as "british air". But if that doesn't sound appealing trust me it is - I'm not a fan of music with out vocals but this album wouldn't be complete without Zero 7's delves into the instrumental and vocal-track worlds. Of course there are a few exceptions to the general sounds they use, including the Semi-lyrical African masterpiece "likufanele" sung by the Philanai Mothers and mixed over a xylophone (i think) driven sound. Another exception is the track afterwards, "End Theme" which is rightfully titled as it sounds very much like a song you'd find in a movie score. A beautiful and energetic, almost regal arrangement of strings is what you'll find here, and is another one of my faves on the album for its uniqueness alone, I'm proud of the guys for taking a chance and putting this song on the album.

The best thing I can say to you at this point is to definitely buy this album, if just to give it a listen, because after hearing the opening strains of "I Have Seen", the vocals of Furler and Barker, or the smooth tones of any of the instrumental tracks you will be so hooked on this album! Its great to play as background music during a dinner with friends, or when you are stressed and enjoying a drink after work, or even just to play in the car - works well for rainy or sunny days. I suppose the most amazing part of it is how simple the songs appear at first glimpse - but when examining the layers and the beauty in each track, you'll begin to realize your feelings for this album are anything BUT simple.

Musical sedative (in a good way)
I won't lie here: I origianlly came into contact with this music because i was looking through one of my friend's music collection on Itunes and thought the name Zero 7 sounded interesting. I know it's a bad way to choose, but the guy had good taste and too many artists to go through them all. So I listened to it and it took me less than 10 mins to get hooked on everything written by this group. I loaded it on my player and took on Spring Break to ski- and literally the entire time this is what was playing. I don't do that often. I listen to a lot of different music and rarely listen to the same thing non-stop for more than a day. I just don't know what to say. This music is addictive. The melodies/harmonies are so relaxing. They just make you want to sit there and contemplate life. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Washington, D.C.'s Thievery Corporation purvey a very mellow, deliberately international mixture of sounds that might be called "lounge music"--not in the kitschy sense, but in the sense of a laid-back local bar (much like the one the duo happens to run) with no dance floor. Rob Garza and Eric Hilton are professed admirers of Brazilian music, and they're determined to inject as much warmth into electronic music as possible. The Mirror Conspiracy is quite a musical travelogue, starting in Jamaica with "Treasures." This dubby opening track, which features vocalist Brother Jack, is quite reminiscent of the start of Swayzak's Himawari. Next up is "Le Monde," a quiet, wah-wah-inflected song featuring a chanteuse named Lou Lou. She reappears later on the somewhat more uptempo "Shadows of Ourselves," which, despite the title, is also sung in French. "The Hong Kong Triad" sounds like a tip of the hat to Shaft-styled soundtrack music. Elsewhere, it's off to India for two sitar-flavored tracks with a similarly laidback groove that gets a bit closer to techno, one of which, "Lebanese Blonde" (hash? a woman?), has been released as a single. Brazil gets its due on the densely percussive "Air Batucada," the more bossa nova-like "So Com Voce," and an instrumental titled "Samba Tranquille." Fans of this style are sure to be pleased. --Bob Bannister ... Read more

Reviews (108)

Continental Groovey Lounge Music For the Modern Man or Woman
Mirror Conspiracy is the latest international down-tempo musical offering from "Thievery Corporation" otherwise known as the dj/production team of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton. Like their earlier releases; "Sounds From The Thievery Hi-Fi" and the inspiring "DJ Kicks", the duo presents a sexy collection of international beats seasoned with an array of jazz, easy listening, lounge, bossa nova, samba, sound track samples and more. Tropical beats and Afro Brazilian rhythms drive the overall late night groove. "La Monde" is a seductive slice of loveliness mixing breathy French vocals with a distinctive Jamaican dub. "Lebanese Blonde" a mysteriously international spy film soundtrack peppered with Baleric beats. "Samba Tranquille" a bit of breezy tropical turntabalism. "Illumination" easily the standout builds hypnotically with its driving indo-pyschedelic drum beats and mysterious middle eastern chanting. These are djs as mixologists, interpreters of world beats, tour guides to a jet setting audio travelogue sampling global styles, genres, cultures and languages. Hip modern day exotica for the modern world. A Must BUY for hip cats!

The blueprint...
This album is by far the best "chillout" or "lounge" album yet made. If you read all these hundreds of Amazon lists for "Top Chillout CD's" or "Music for dinner parties", etc. this cd is usually in 2 out of 3 of them. For good reason too. An essential cd...and I don't use that term lightly. GET IT NOW!

I Don't Know Why You Don't Have This
Do you know?

You'll need it.

Seminal Lounge Relaxation
When I want to relax to something that won't put me to sleep, this CD is always the first one I reach for. You can pick out dozens of influences from one track to the next, and the musical composition created from this fusion really flows. I recommend this CD as highly as I can and if you at all have the opportunity, don't miss the chance to see them perform live.

Can I say they're "Cool"?
Wow! Ya'know, I hear a disc like this and
ask myself "where the *bleep-bleep* have I been?!" - its
2004 and I'm just hearing of the Thievery Corp! All
is not lost however: let this baby spin a few times and the
newbie's ears will find a new best friend in the Corp.
Your speakers will ripple many dispinsations of 'coolness'
from these talented chill-out meisters. And though
I'm just now hearing them, I'm glad - there is all
the more to explore. ... Read more

Album Description

"Home alone and happy / Nothing brings me down" So opens Emiliana Torrini’s second album, a soft-yet-searing collection of twelve intimate and atmospheric songs that will whisper their way into your bloodstream. Back in 1999, when the singer released the critically acclaimed Love In The Time Of Science, Emiliana came out with a gorgeous, electronic trippoppin’ vision of endless summer and moonlit nights out. Following her departure from One Little Indian, there’s a new introspection, closer to Nick Drake or Jolie Holland than Portishead or Goldfrapp. The 27-year-old singer and writer has nonetheless been busy since Love In The Time Of Science. She moved to Brighton, joined the cast of Lord Of The Rings: The Two Towers to perform the enchanting ‘Gollum Song’ wrote and toured with Thievery Corporation, and wrote a Number One Hit for Kylie Minogue in the shape of huge-selling pop smash "Slow." ... Read more

Reviews (6)

Beautiful voice but disappointed.
When I purchased this album I expected something much more similar to "Love in the Time of Science" her 1st album.This is too mellow even for my wife.It reminds me of when Natalie Merchant left the 10,000 Maniacs.She had a cool voice too but it needed some good musical accompaniment.I realize recording artists have to change their sound here and there but this was too much.

*sigh*
acoustic, intimate and breathily soft, a non-jazzy-blues-ish version of norah jones. quite different from her previous album, which triphoppily falls under the electronica genre. i first heard her in "crazy/beautiful" (song entitled "to be free"), remembered her name, found this album last week at a nearby music cafe, bought it, and have been listening to it eversince. icelandic like bjork, and reviewed as a bjorkish artist (it's funny though--i can't stand bjork's music. i appreciate her lyrics, though).

From Scientist to a "Fisherman's Woman"
Making her American debut in 1999 with the flawless and intense "Love in the Time of Science", Emiliana Torrini established herself as one of trip-hop's finest and a muscician to watch for years to come.After a six year hiatus, along with a song on the "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers" soundtrack ("Gollum's Song"), collaborations with Thievery Corporation, and writing a #1 dance hit for Kylie Minogue ("Slow"), she is back--and with a new sound strumming from her fingers."Fisherman's Woman" is a complete revolution from "Love in the Time oc Science", drenched in melancholy folk music.Ms. Torrini has incorporated so much nature into this album, focusing on hurt and recuperation, that it sometimes sound as if her and her production team fled into the remote forests and lakes of Iceland, recorded music and came back to see what had come into the mix.Some beatiful things include the creaking of a boat, the lovely way in which Torrini strums her guitar and, of course, that voice.She cooes and swoons her way through her music, allowing listeners to feel her pain and happiness, then relies on her guitar to do the rest, which does quite well.What is amazing about this album is how she has gone from hard-core trip-hop ("Love....") to folky acoustic music.In all, it is an amazing sophmore album and a great step in her creativity.Fitted for a lazy afternoon or an hour of creativity, "Fisherman's Woman" is bound to make you want to be that very fisherman of which she speaks.

Emiliana Torrini's Most Accomplished Yet (4.5)
Emiliana Torrini emerged around 1999, at least in the US and most of Europe, heralded as a voice belonging to Bjork's coven, a comparison I always found more related to their common homeland, Iceland, than a deeply strong sisterhood of sound.
Although 'Love In The Time Of Science" did bring to mind some of Bjork's occasional lullaby-like phrasings, and the album's arrangements did rely on subtle and timely Electronica, Torrini was already promising to be her own person, someone with something genuine and personal to say.
The thought that came to mind -please allow an unexpected metaphor here- is that the songs follow each other like geese migrating toward warmth, each of them distinct yet flying at the same altitude and with a common destination.
"Fisherman's Woman," her new album, is that promise fulfilled. Her voice, in this new album, is more confident, more decisive while never raising beyond a tender hush, a perfect tone to deliver lyrics that are at once revelatory, thoughtful and yet innocent and uncomplicated.
But don't let the sweetness of these tunes confuse you about the strength of their confessional power. Whether it is the short title song, the painful and beautiful "Today Has Been OK," or the gorgeous melody of the album's first single, "Sunnyroad," Emiliana weaves images into stories that you may feel she's only singing to you.
Equally worthy of recognition are the melodies and the band, particularly Dan Carey -who plays some unassumingly beautiful and intelligent guitar, as well as bass and pedal steel- and the subtle piano of Julian Joseph. This and the intimacy that Emiliana's voice is capable of, also shows decisively in "Snow," and "Lifesaver" with its bewitching cadence and the brilliant sample of the creaking wood of a boat swaying.
If you come to Torrini for the first time, I can't imagine you not finding enough to remain near, for repeated listenings. And if you were already touched by Emiliana's earlier releases, I predict that you will be elated with this album. She has become her own self yet more deeply, an old skin has shed and made space for a new one.
This is a brilliant album, confirming a voice and a sound that has much more offer to new singers than it owes to the ones that precede her.

different performance, same sublime beauty
*This is the same review I posted for the import version of this album.The two versions contain the exact same content, so I thought my review might also be useful here*

Torrini's sophmore album bares little resemblance to her first masterpiece, "Love in the Time of Science." "Fisherman's Woman" is strictly a light, acoustical production with none of the deep bass lines or trip-hop flare of her previous work. What Torrini preserves, however, is her wonderful gift of poetic songwriting.

As one can infer by the album's title, "Fisherman's Woman" evokes feelings of a simplier life and times. Arrangements are beautifully minimalistic, assembled with great care to accentuate Torrini's breezy voice and laymen's lyrics. In "Love in the Science of Space," her voice often seemed to play second fiddle to the wondrously rich music. In "Fisherman's Woman," however, Torrini's voice clearly takes center stage, with sparse stringed and percussive instruments serving as accompaniment.

Like her previous album, I don't believe there are any particular standouts simply because I find every song wonderfully engaging (I suppose if I had to pick, track #6, "The day has been okay," is very endearing). Torrini's two albums serve as a strong testament to her consistent skills as a lyricist and songwriter. For whatever reason, many musical artists disappear after their second showing. I pray Torrini does not join their ranks. It would be an utter shame to lose a bonafide creative talent in today's sea of mediocre performers pretending to be true artists. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

The third full-length release from Massive Attack is a taste of the future of pop music--a future where precisely engineered events can be seamlessly partnered with the subtle complexities of a human voice. Since their first album, Blue Lines, they've been making similar magic happen with any one of several guest vocalists, but nothing like the way it happens on Mezzanine. This time they take the union further, moving it into a darker space in which the individual elements become less discernable. Guest vocalists are Sara Jay, Horace Andy (who also appeared on their debut), and Elizabeth Fraser (of Cocteau Twins), whose amazingly articulate and distinctive voice works so very well with the music of Massive Attack. --Paul Clark ... Read more

Reviews (310)

simply unbelievable
its now the year 2000, and two years after this album's release, it still remains the first and foremost in musical innovation and just downright grooviness. i am a big fan of complicated music. when a sound, riff or melody seeps into my listening experience even after hearing it numerous times before, i think it is the mark of true music genius. and this ablum does seep, crawl, stalk, flow, seethe, and pulse with sounds, vocals and beats blended into a never before accomplished masterpiece. the music is as layered and complicated as the new NIN cd, but with a groove known only as trip hop. this music is cool, cutting edge, dark, erotic and hypnotic. play it loud at a party for its sheer sound, or low in the middle of the night with your siginificant other. a few of the songs with the female vocalist remind me much of the gothic sound of switchblade symphony, only with sexier, less dated musical support. this album never stops, it'll never leave your cd player. be prepared. leave the boy boy bands and all the mtv trash behind, and come into a world of intelligent, sexy, and challenging music known as massive attack.........

Massive Attack Outstands Trip Hop Genre
Year after year of the same music, artists copying of one another, some artists try changing their taste for music. But there's one group that outstands them all. The group is called "Massive Attack". Massive Attack is a Trip Hop group that has been around for years. The Mezzanine era ranges from deep Trip Hop "Risingson", to classical, jazzy, trip hop "Teardrop".
The album contains 11 tracks, one bonus on the Japanese Edition. The top hit singles were "Risingson", "Teardrop" "Inertia Creeps", and "Angel". This tpe of music is good for strolling in your car driving, or in a dim sun room with your shades on drinking and talking with friends.

Introducing this album in 1998, it seems that the 90s were only for pop artists such as "Madonna", "Janet Jackson" and "Britney Spears". Massive Attack broke the ring of the pop, making Trip Hop the best, outstanding from every other genre there is.
That's why I believe why Massive Attack, and Trip Hop is so popular today. So from reading this review, I HIGHLY suggest you purchase the Mezzanine album. If you are a TRUE fan of Massive Attack, buy the Japanese Edition. It's worth the extra money.

Groundbreaking and breathtaking
I guess I just need to put in my two cents in this sea of reviews (most of them good, obviously) for this album. I fell in love with this album in the summer of 1998. I listened to it while reading the 4th book in the Dark Tower series by Stephen King. They meshed perfectly. The dark, haunting synths, downbeat droning guitar, and spine tingling vocals on this album are simply amazing. I had never heard anything quite like it before, or since. Massive's earlier works are not as dark and moody, and their later work is a little too innaccessible for most people (though I absolutely loved it!). Buy this album! Dont hesitate! Do it NOW!!! SPEND, YOU AVID CONSUMER YOU!!!!

Whew! 'Nuff said. Bye!

too good!
This is by far the best album ever released, not only by massive attack, but i'm talking about the best album ever released in the music world. angel, rising son, mezzanine, I couldn't stop listening, it crabs you and doesn't let you go until the last sound. it's just hypnotising. God, I wish I could listen the album for the first time again!!forget blue lines, this is the album you should get!

I Wish I Could Use More Stars...
This is, flat out, (in my opinion) the best album ever released. Massive Attack is an utterly awesome group, and by far the best Trip-Hop band out there.
The album begins with some of the best songs ever created by any artist of any kind, starting with "Angel", sung by Massive Attack's honorary member, Horace Andy. With his wonderfully haunting voice and the song's slow beats and humming bass, the song becomes dark, desolate, and completely otherworldly.
The second song, "Risingson" is probably the best song Massive Attack has created. It's yet another dark song, filled with paranoia and doubt. I love it.
The third track, "Teardrop" is one of my personal favorites. The song is sung by guest vocalist, Elizabeth Fraser of the Cocteau Twins. It's Ethereal, dreamy, and utterly wonderful.
And, of course, there is "Inertia Creeps". A truly great song and one of Massive Attack's bests. Eerie, paranoid, and hypnotic: it's a great song to lose yourself in.
The rest of the album cannot quite keep up with its first four epic tracks, but none the less, it's other half beats out most albums without ever even trying. A truly wonderful album. I highly recommend it. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Thievery Corporation's Eric Hilton and Rob Garza have always treated the line between acoustic and electronic music as a drunken sailor might, unpredictably falling on one side or the other with equal frequency. By this measure, The Richest Man in Babylon is their soberest effort to date, striding confidently into jazz, soul, world beat, and other styles with a direct, reverential approach. The band's last record, Sounds from the Verve Hi-Fi, featured a set of classic jazz tunes unadorned with remixes or reinterpretation. But the songs on Babylon are originals, incorporating not just jazz but Afro-beat, Brazilian dance, Persian and Indian music, reggae, and psychedelia, all while making expert use of new and old collaborators like Sleepy Wonder, Lou Lou, and Shinehead. Icelandic singer Emiliana Torrini makes an instant impression on the first track, "Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes," her voice freeing the song's melody and structure with just a few hypnotic bars. It's hard to call this an electronic record at all; even their dub-influenced tracks miss a certain studio sheen, as if Hilton and Garza simply waded into a sweltering Jamaican beach party and hit record. But while it misses the ambient, ethereal edge that made The Mirror Conspiracy a downtempo classic, Babylon satisfies with organic energy and tasteful eclecticism. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (78)

One of the Best Records of 2002.
Eric Hilton and Rob Garza of Thievery Corporation are two undisputed masters of cool who have released one of the richest and most engaging albums of the year: "The Richest Man in Babylon." To call these guys mere chillout gurus is to do this duo a disservice. On this album, they've taken cafe lounge to exciting heights, incorporating reggae, Eastern influences, and African styles into their already tightly-woven grooves. "Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes" gets things right with its frosty vocals from Emillana Torrini. "Facing East" grooves along thanks to its (surprise) Eastern flavor and its sitar, while the electro-laced "Omid (Hope)" delivers airy vocals, mid-tempo drum loops, and light touches of synth bleepery. Reggae gets tossed into the mix in the form of "Exilo (Exile)," and the stellar title track stands out wonderfully. Using both electronic beats and real instruments, Theivery Corporation weave together a multitextured album that cements the duo's reputation as one of the classiest recording acts around. "The Richest Man in Babylon" is more than just music to listen to. It's also music to live by.

Thievery make it their own
The Richest Man In Babylon shows Thievery's style crystallised; the influences that have all been prominent on 'Sounds from the Thievery Hi-Fi' and 'The Mirror Conspiracy' are here made Thievery's own, being incorporated with Thievery's smooth measured breakbeats and synth atmospherics. The production is uniformly excellent and sounds even slicker than 'Mirror', and is more cohesive. Rob Garza and Eric Hiltons unflinching attention to detail is apparent everywhere.

The presentation has changed from 'Mirror's spying 'n' flying references - the outlook is more earthy, less technical. The CD came with a booklet of excellent black and white photojournalism images on good quality paper. The images feature people from areas which have inspired Thievery's music.

Their early dub style of 'Sounds' is most apparent in the 'Outernationist', and also appears in 'State of the Union' and the 'Richest Man in Babylon'. The title track is certainly the most commercial track here, featuring some Wailers style horns and a regular song structure.

The latin/bossa influence which came to the fore in 'Mirror' is represented by 'Meu Destino' and 'Exilo', both featuring male singing (as opposed to MCing) by Patrik De Santos and Verny Varela. The sound is lighter than previous Jazzanova-esque grooves such as 'Samba Tranquille'. 'Meu Destino' features nylon acoustic guitar by Ramon Gonzales.

Eastern music is represented by 'Facing East', and 'Interlude'. 'Facing East' features santur and tabla, and vocals, which are joined by a breakbeat a minute in.

However Thievery's strongest developing style is in the ambient-pop-breakbeat style which this album confirms as their trademark. The sublime, Cocteau Twins echoing 'Omid' is the direct descendant of the superb' Shadows Of Ourselves', LouLou singing on both. 'All That We Perceive' is sung by Thievery regular Pam Bricker, and bears resemblance to 'Lebanese Blonde', which she also appeared on.
'Heaven's Gonna Burn Your Eyes', the first track, was initially a surprise in that it bears resemblance to Air with it's string machine and heavily compressed bass. Thieveryness is restored by a trademark breakbeat 2 minutes in. With repeated listening this sits well as an intro to the album.

There is a new direction in the form of Liberation Front, a funk track with excellent horns credited to Rick Harris. This is a standout track.

The only filler is From Creation, and this is not bad, just dull.

Is this a better album than 'The Mirror Conspiracy'? It is certainly more polished, easier to listen to in one sitting. 'The Richest Man In Babylon' is more able to put Thievery Corporation in the mainstream, and this is music that everyone should hear.

GREAT MUSIC
In my opinion probably the best CD they made so far.
I can surely recommend it to people who are also fan of Siddharta, Buscemi, Buddha Bar, etc.

A Chillout Masterpiece
I can't believe how much I love this album. I had heard of Thievery Corporation from Yahoo's Launchcast, so I downloaded a couple of tracks that I thought sounded good. I liked them, but I didn't end up buying this CD for some time. When I got it, I was blown away. This album must be taken as a whole, even though there are standout tracks. As a whole, it is one of the best chillout CDs of all time. Emiliana Torrini's vocals add a unique flavor to the tracks she appears on, but my favorites would have to be the more middle eastern tracks. The beginning of "Facing East" still gives me goosebumps whenever I hear it. And the more reggae influenced tracks are great too, like the title track with a great beat and soulful vocals. Most of all, what I love about this album is the organic feel to it. When listening to this, you forget that it's a CD playing on a stereo, and you can almost see groups of musicians jamming together and taking turns on who sets the tempo and regional influence. It's really amazing to behold. And rarely do I find a good chillout CD that I can put in my car stereo and not feel geeky about rolling down the windows and cranking up the volume. I highly recommend this if you're a fan of eclectic world beats, and even if you're not, buy this anyways. Thievery Corporation will convert you.

Truely Amazing
This cd even now is always in my playlist. Thievery Corporation never ceases to amaze me, no where else can you find the musical combinations they create. This cd has a more 3rd world country interpretation to it. Many people said it didn't sound like thievery corp but that is what is so great about this cd, they don't limit themselves to a linear sound, they take a worldly approach. If you haven't heard this cd buy it, turn down the lights and lay back in your house, maybe throw back a bottle or two and listen to this amazing cd. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

not worth it
massive attack are very goodthis cd is worthless do not waist your money like I did

Massive Attack Still Have Their Edge
I don't want to start arguments about 100th Window but this album is much better.It has a more electronic feel that's closer to 100th Window, however it has the much needed edge that 100th Window was missing.This album is totally instrumental but most of the tracks are enjoyable nonetheless.I would recommend using this more as background music because it gets very slow at times to fit the movie.The production is still very good and the tracks show the creativity and darkness that made Massive Attack so popular.

I rated the Danny the Dog soundtrack (same movie) higher because they had the good sense not to include two very crappy bonus tracks.

same as "danny the dog"
GET.THIS.CD.
you can't go wrong w/ Massive Attack.:)

A great album
I agree with nearly all the other reviewers here - this is a FANTASTIC album.

However, I would like to clear something up: This IS the same as the "Danny the Dog" soundtrack. In fact, they are the same movie, too. It was release in the UK as "Danny the Dog", but will be released stateside under the "Unleashed" moniker. In the localization process, they found that the name "Danny the Dog" wasn't "tough" enough.

So, if you already own the Danny the Dog soundtrack, pass this up. But if you have neither, buy this. I've you love Massive Attack, this will not disappoint.

Same tracks as DannytheDog, w/ 2 extra tracks
This is an AWESOME soundtrack. Not that I ever expect less from Massive Attack, however, I bought the Danny the Dog soundtrack first, and now this one came out. Wonder why they released 2, I guess it was too obscure NOT to have a picture of Jet Li on the cover, and to have a different title. But hey, I understood! There are two extra songs on the Unleashed CD, however, they are not Massive Attack songs, so no loss. Just depends what cover you would rather have. I think the Danny one is pretty rad though. ... Read more

Reviews (9)

Just like their "DJ" Set....
Well the Outernational Sound has come around. And if you caught their DJ Sets from the "Richest Man" tour,(not the live set w/ band), then you may have an idea of what you are in for. For me it boiled down to this: Good Music, Bad Mix. But I've come across this many times...Great producers that aren't so good at DJing. Kind of dissapointing, but there is still some musical gemms on this disc....

Solid mix-tape for a classic theivery heist
Theivery Corp. have built their reputation as tastemakers over the years by releasing records so hypnotic and streamlined that, though most of the music is stolen -- i.e. thievery of sounds--, the brand name Thievery Corporation is another way of saying good taste.

So by releasing a CD containing some of their favorite songs, did Thievery live up to its reputation? Yes, mostly.

There's no fancy mixing here, and the songs do not always blend together in seemless fashion. But the brothers do dig some gems from their crates 'o wax.

The music ranges from South American rhythems to North Atlantic drum and bass to Washington DC dub to the Beatles (off of Sgt. Peppers) to Funk to Asia (but not really) and ends with one of the best Jamaican rocksteady songs, by Delroy Wilson, I've ever heard.

To top it all off, the CD is encased in layer after layer of shiny-psychedlic-Warholian-pop-art-packaging - which may be worth the price of admission if that's your thing.

My overall impression is that, after spending a decade or so trying to be as effortlessly-cool as possible, Thievery is dying to get a little funky. They've amassed wealth through many heists, and this mix-tape album is their chance to just let the good times roll.

If you're looking for high art, go elsewhere. But if you're looking for an intruiging mix of sounds that would probably do well at a party, check this out. Grade: B.

Outernational Groove
I was really psyched when I heard Rob and Eric were going to be coming out with a new mix cd. Outernational Sound delivers the goods; this cd is packed with rare blissful beats and vibrant sounds. It is very diverse and encompasses Thievery Corporation's current direction in their music. (Anyone interested in the other ESL artists pickup the Modular Systems cd)

The only thing that kept me from giving this 5 stars was there are a few points where the tracks catch you ear because they don't merge as well as the others. That said trust me, this cd is not one to miss.

Great tracks but
I just wanted people to know it's not really a "DJ Set." In other words it's a great mix of songs but it doesn't flow together necessarily well. It jumps from one style of music to another with abrupt tempo changes. Again, not a bad thing. It's more like a "Back To Mine" compilation than a "DJ-Kicks" set if you know what I mean. Like listening to Rob and Eric's favorite tracks at their house rather than listening to two guys at the decks. Also, please eat meat. It tastes good.

Best Compilation
All I can say is WOW!I put on this CD today and it just made me smile.One thing I have always said about Thievery Corporation is that these guys have taste.Damn good taste.I have a couple of comps by them(dj kicks,den of thieves)and I think this one is the best.Which is really saying something.The mix really flows quite well despite the diverse tracks.The cover art is cool too.1st class all the way. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The collaboration of studio whiz Geoff Barrow and singer Beth Gibbons, Dummy was made at the same time as a short film noir called "To Kill a Dead Man," and the same approach--gloomy, tormented, and wildly melodramatic--permeates the album. "Sour Times" (the hit in which Gibbons cries, again and again, "Nobody loves me, it's true") and the more cryptic "Glory Box" are the linchpins of the album, defining its sound: dark flashes of old soul and film music, dehumanized electronic bleeps, Gibbons emoting like she's consumed by shame, and a bass-and-beat pulse derived from the slow bump and grind of the Bristol scene that spawned Barrow's old collaborators, Massive Attack. --Douglas Wolk ... Read more

Reviews (216)

If you like Hip Hop, then you'll like the Trip Hop genre
The scenario: It's 1994 and I'm stationed overseas in the military and a friend of mine says to me "Yo man, listen to this group from England called Portishead." "Since you're a hip hop fan, you'll probably like this stuff." He pops it into the stereo and plays "Strangers". Instantly the sampled breakbeat and lingering bassline overwelms me. It was the first time I heard of such a thing as "Trip Hop". Since I was already a fan of rap music and breakbeats, I became infatuated with Portishead from that point forward. This is perfect head noddin' music while your're driving down the road on a summer evening, winding down after a hard day's work, having candlelight dinner with your girlfriend, or just coming home from a club/rave. Beth Gibbons's vocals compliment the beats with perfection. This music isn't meant to get you worked up and ready for battle like a Mobb Deep or DMX album. It's downtempo/chillout music with a blend of hip hop beats, vocals, and dark sometimes eerie melodies. Would I recommend it? Of course I would.

No "Dummy"
Trip-hop was never so dark and magnificently despairing as it is here. Portishead draws listeners into a velvety abyss in debut album "Dummy," a glorious blend of jazzy instrumentation, subtle electronica, and Beth Gibbons' sweet moaning vocals.

"Mysterons" opens with an chilly, ghostly air, followed by the exotic despair of "Sour Times" and the jazzy, eerie "Strangers" and "Wandering Star." Portishead delves into pure trip-hop in the pulsing "It Could Be Sweet" and "Numb," then synthesizes strings and stately organ in "It's A Fire," before wrapping things up with the steady lament "Glory Box," with its undulating riffs.

A noir feel permeates "Dummy," giving a grounded feel to the spacier edges of the music. It's easy to imagine trenchcoats, smoky offices, rainy days and femme fatales set to this music. It's soaked in melancholy and dreamy depression, set to music.

The blend of lounge music and trip-hop could have been awkward, but it blends seamlessly. The Rhodes and magnificent Hammond organ are the core of the silky unearthly sound, adding an epic feel to many of the songs. At the same time, the flexible guitar riffs and jazzy percussion bring it down to earth. And the Hammond does double-time as a jazz instrument as well, even when paired with strings.

Beth Gibbons's vocals are outstanding: high and clear and sweet, except in "Strangers," where she sounds like her voice is being filtered through an old radio. She pours plenty of emotion into the despairing lyrics. The songs themselves are simple and evocative, with loneliness and regret dripping from them. ("The salvation I desire/Keeps getting me down")

Jazz and trip-hop blend seamlessly into the beautiful haunting whole that is "Dummy." A beautiful experience, and one of the best albums of the 1990s.

10 years old and still hasn't aged a day.
The sublime, noir beauty of Portishead's debut hasn't been replicated since its '94 release. No other British trip-hop act comes close, save maybe Massive Attack (and I find their work to be somewhat uneven over the course of their four albums--Mezzanine is genius, Blue Lines is good but dated, and Protection and 100th Window are merely so-so). Vocalist Beth Gibbons and studio artist Geoff Barrow really tapped into something brilliant here.

While most trip-hop strives to sound dark and downtempo, Dummy is the only trip-hop album that feels like it could be incorporated seamlessly into a '40s noir flick while sounding perfectly distinctive on its own. There are traces of jazz, hip-hop scratches and beats, acoustic guitar flourishes, chiming percussion, and some clever, low-key sampling. Sometimes the crackly sounds and pops of an old 45 can be heard. It establishes a perfect atmosphere, one in which smoking a filterless cigarette and wearing a trenchcoat would not be out of place; and I haven't even begun to describe the vocals yet.

Beth Gibbons' melancholic wail just oozes soul out of every pore; on the hit single, the James Bond-esque Sour Times her sorrowful voice runs a chill up my spine. In other songs like Glory Box, she recalls the stylings of Billy Holiday, and on It Could Be Sweet her smoky, low-key singing is downright sexy. Overall, Gibbons is one of the finest voices in trip-hop, up there with contemporaries Elizabeth Fraser and Tracy Thorn.

There's not a single out-of-place track here, just an excellent unified sense of moodiness and sorrow, not feeling too bleak but not insincere either. If you've come looking for the perfect music for rolling down the sparsely populated city streets in the rain at 3 am--you've just found it. Dummy is absolutely essential.

A timeless masterpiece
There are few albums in this world that I have ever regretted selling, one of them is Portishead's amazing debut album "Dummy". I sold my copy a couple of years ago because I was short on cash but since then I had come to regret selling my copy of this stellar masterpiece in downtempo music. I was fortunate to find a used copy at my favorite record store today so I bought it. Along with Massive Attack, Portishead has helped to forge a new sub-genre of music in the dance genre most people know as 'trip hop' music. "Dummy" personifies the laid back grooves that fuses hip hop beats, jazz melodies, and sensual female vocals that helped influenced later trip hop acts like Olive, Zero 7, and Supreme Beings of Leisure. "Dummy" definitely was ahead of its time when it came out ten years ago. Beth Gibbons' plaintive wail and the laid back grooves was nothing that I heard of at the time. It was the break through single "Sour Times" that attracted me to Portishead. I could imagine hearing it play in the background in a James Bond film. It had that sensuous, mysterious sound that would have been ideal for a James Bond film. One of my favorite songs on the album is the ballad "Roads". It is one of the most beautiful songs that Portishead had ever created. I also love the opening track "Mysterons". I am so glad that I bought "Dummy" again. Next time I will know better than to sell it. It is one of those albums that should not be sold. One more thing, contrary to what a reviewer wrote, Beth Gibbons has only released one solo album as herself. The artist known as "Poe" is a completely different artist and is not Beth Gibbons herself. Poe is an American artist while Beth is from England.

Give Me A Reason To Hate This
This album is very interesting. If you've heard it before, then you know what I mean. The songs are pretty long but that really shouldn't be a factor in anything, because the songs are classics.

1.Mysterons-There is this one part in the song (I think it's after the chorus) and it's just this really cool instrumental. Onto the song, I think they were smart to have this song as the opener.

2. Sour Times- "Nobody loves meeeeeee, it's true." wails Beth. This song is a very good song, and, with msot of their songs, there are some creepy instrumentals.

3. Strangers- Not a personal favorite of mine, but I think that this song is an excellent song in terms of jsut vocals.

4. It Could Be Sweet- A rather unforgettable song, with the singer going "I don't wanna loooose what we had...."

5.Wandering Star- This is a very good song, one of my favorites. I don't know exactly why, but it's just a good song.

6.It's A Fire- Not as good as the upcoming song, but it's still a pretty good song...

7. Numb- Probably my favorite song. There is just something eerie about how she goes "Still feeling lonely, feeling so unholy"

8.Roads- This song is a little slower (well none of the songs are exactly fast paced, but this is almsot like a "ballad", if there is such a thing in Portishead Trip Hop.

9.Pedestal- I can't seem to make it through this song, it just seems a little too boring.

10. Biscuit-Good, but you can tell that this album is almsot over.

11. Glory Box- I like it, but it doesn't seem to be an appropriate closing song, but maybe it's just me. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The sequel to 2002's Verve Remixed follows and improves upon the original's formula; take material from the storied vaults at Verve Records and let top DJs of the modern era have at them. Featuring an impressive roster of dance artists like Miguel Migs, Koop, and Fila Brazillia, the trick is matching DJ with jazz standard in a way that compliments both. It's a tough chore, given the classics involved and the need to do them justice. On Sarah Vaughan’s "Whatever Lola Wants," Gotan Project manage the task with distinction, filtering rustic and romantic accordions through the song's lusty machinations. Astute choices are required, like Mondo Grosso’s decision to build a solid thump out of just the central melody of Archie Shepp's "Blues For Brother George Jackson." Sometimes, the best thing to do is get out of the way; Mr. Scruff's Soul Party Mix of "Do What You Wanna" only adds some background party noise to Ramsey Lewis’ ripping keyboard solo. VR2 doesn't hit the mark every time, but the combinations that work accomplish what only the best dance music does--they crumble the walls between genres and encourage us all to get down together. --Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (41)

bemixed and between
Obviously "the shock of new" helped propel the first Verve Remixed record. This not to say that remix records are new, but certainly the Verve crew took a step into uncharted waters by allowing electronic music producers free reign to remix its storied vaults.

Rather than just stay in the realm of downtempo and do the same thing over again, there is a greater diversity of styles on VR2 from the trippy tango treatment of Gotan Project on S. Vaughan's "Whatever Lola Wants" to swing house style of Mondo Grosso on the remix of "Blues for Brother George" to Jaffa's soulful downtempo take on "Black is the Color of My True Love's Hair."

Jaffa's track to me is the standout on the record, and I'm also in partial agreement that jazz lends itself better to downtempo treatments.

But that doesn't stop me from lovin' the hell out of this record. So what it if makes want to shake your moneymaker? Just bobbing your head gets old after awhile. GET OFF YOUR COUCH AND PUT DOWN THE CHEESE CURLS.

Obviously, the VR2 is going to be judged on a different basis -- the second record must live up to excitement and quality of the first and deal with the "sequel" detractors. Well, so far I think its doing well on both counts.

So thanks to Verve, almost 60 years after your inception, you're still one of the coolest labels on the face of the earth.

C'MON, FOLKS, LIGHTEN UP!!!
Was this CD really that bad, to all you three and two star reviewers? In my opinion, it takes incredible skill from producers and DJs like Herbert, Miguel Migs, Layo and Bushwhacka, Fila Brazillia, Gotan Project, et al to make old jazz classics sound fresh and alive! These songs range from funk to house to soul and acid jazz, and the re-mixing from the aformetioned in no way distorts the original material--if anything their personal touches have made these songs more accessible to today's music listeners! I have a new appreciation for Ella, Sarah, Dizzie, Nina and Astrud, and after hearing "Verve Remixed 2" I may even be persuaded to go out and get some of their stuff!

Love it!
It's even better than the first. A definite must-have.

A Worthy Followup!
Hopefully, Verve Remixed 3 will be released this year so I'll have some more amazing remixes to listen to. Volume 2 has some truly mindbending work, as well as a couple that are somewhat pedestrian. For me, the standouts are Gotan Project's remix (love the bandoneon!), which turns this song into audio crack. I cannot get tired of listening to it, and feel the need to take a tango lesson. Other standouts include Mondo Grosso's remix of Archie Shepp, which absolutely drags you onto the dance floor, Miguel Migs' "Slap That Bass," which does the same. Of course, the two Nina Simone songs are standouts, as her music is ripe for these kinds of projects. The only three that didn't do the trick for me were numbers 4, 8, and 9, since they were too close to the originals and fairly unimaginative. If they weren't going to do much with them, they should have remixed different songs. Still, there is some amazing work present here, sure to delight your next house full of guests.

AS GOOD AS THE FIRST!!!
Classic songs!!! Great interpretations by great producers. The Unmixed version is great as well and it's priced low! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The growing, if belated, popularity of Ivy is a happy event. Over the course of a half-dozen releases, the band has married slightly trippy atmospherics to immaculate popcraft and the melancholy vocals of Paris-born Dominique Durand. In the Clear, their fifth album, finds the guitars occasionally louder (they roil and distort on the kiss-off "Clear My Head") but the mood essentially the same. It’s a romantic, cautiously hopeful one, exemplified by the disc’s closing "Feel So Free."Special and secretive--"Tess Don’t Tell" repeatedly insists "It’s just for you, it’s not for anybody else"--In the Clear thrives on trademark Ivy contradictions and, now and then, an unexpected noise in the corners of the sound.--Rickey Wright ... Read more

Reviews (16)

Great Album
With their latest album, Ivy manages to do what so many bands find so very difficult -- make music that sounds fresh and different than previous efforts, while still retaining that which musically makes them who they are.Ivy has done exactly that in the present case.'In The Clear' is great because it will appeal to all, wooing those not familiar to Ivy's music and delighting those who have been waiting 4 years for the new album.Not a single throwaway track -- this is a great CD by a great band.

Some things don't change...And that's a good thing!
This is Ivy at their best. I've been a fan of Ivy's for a while now and up until this point my favorite album was probably "Realistic." But Ivy stretches their sound on this album; up-tempo songs like "Thinking About You" really aren't typical Ivy, but they really make it work. Songs like "Four in the Morning" and "Feel So Free" could easily be off any Ivy album. These clean, melodic, yet slightly somber songs are Ivy's home turf.

So far, my favorite songs on this album are "Thinking About You" (they owe a lot to New Order's sound on "Republic" for this song) and "Ocean City Girl." I haven't heard anything this catchy since Phoenix's "United" (I listened to "If I Ever Feel Better" for a year straight and never tired of it).

"In The Clear" is a great album. I highly recommend it.

Flawless
Ivy have always been one of those cool New York bands that have been around a while. Ivy have joined Luna and Blonde Redhead as the elder statesmen in the New York Pantheon. They combine French cool with lush vocals and memorable songs. I have heard many of their songs in commercials. Much of their music was used in the film Shallow Hal, and TV programs like Roswell and Kingdom Hospital. It's because the music of Ivy has that otherworldly feeling of some of the shoegazer bands that inspired them at first. Now they have been on the own for ten years or more, and have hooked up with producer Steve Osborne. The results are terrific. Whether it's the longing of "Thinking About You" or the quiet mood of "Four In The Morning." Even fellow NYC scenesters James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins) and Scott McLoud (Girls Against Boys) show up on this CD. The song "Feel So Free" gives us the powerful music that this band has been doing for so long. They are great indeed. Fashion comes and goes. Ivy is a band that will be remembered.

Freshly-cut music.
You know the feeling - It's the first day of spring, birds are singing, flowers are blooming, it's about 75 degrees out, and the smell of freshly-cut grass is in the air.It's been so long since the weather was this nice (at least in the Midwest) - that's what I like to compare this album to.It's fresh, it's got personality, and it's really easy to listen to.
I admit, this is my first Ivy purchase, though I've heard all their albums at one time or another.This is my favorite, and the most accessible, for those who are looking to start listening to Ivy.
One of my personal favorites is "Thinking About You", with its blissful, so-happy-you-want-to-slap-someone vocals and driving rhythm.It's almost TOO cutesy, but it'll perk you up.
"Keep Moving" is another favorite, with it's disco-esque beat, funky guitars in the back, and bumping bassline, I think this song would be really complete with one of those fruity disco flutes tooting away in the back somewhere. Dominique skips across the beat flawlessly on this one, and even when the lyrics aren't quite so happy ("All I can do / in a world without you / is keep moving"), she sounds like she's still bouncing around.
"Tess Don't Tell" is similar to "Thinking About You" in format, fast beat, husky vocals, guitars, but for some reason, it's completely different.Fresh - just like this album, when you compare it to the excess fluff in the pop scene these days.Free your mind - this is what good music sounds like.And sure, if you're my age, you might get all sorts of homosexuality-themed remarks thrown your way in traffic when you turn this up in your car, but that's all the more incentive to turn it up more and drown out whatever their bandwagon's playing at the moment.

back at the top of their game
if you were a little disappointed with the excessively mellow electronic noodling on Long Distance, Ivy's latest release will set your mind at ease.this album sounds a lot more like their earlier stuff-- it's all catchy guitar hooks and great melodies to complement the breathy splendor of Dominique Durand's vocals.highlights include "tess don't tell" and "corners of your mind."this album is a real treat and it's great to see Ivy return to what they do best. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Hailing originally from Chicago but long associated with San Francisco's jazz-house scene, Mark Farina returns to his bread-and-butter mix series Mushroom Jazz after 2003's eclectic artist record Air Farina. Less laid-back than Thievery Corporation but not quite as deep as Om label mates like Marques Wyatt, the Mushroom records often delve into hip-hop, and Jazz 5 is no exception. But while rhymes and raps jump out alongside snappy beats to startle the listener from chill tune-induced hypnosis, large chunks of the record, especially in the last half, are completely instrumental. Some of Air Farina's electro-funk adventurousness is here as well; check out the dazed and hazy original track "Cali Spaces." Consistently clever and packed with urban energy, it's an ideal Sunday evening record for those not quite ready to let the weekend end. –Matthew Cooke ... Read more

Reviews (7)

It's cool, but I expected better
Mushroom Jazz vol 5 is an interesting mix of never heard of Hip-Hop songs. Farina does a good job blending as every good DJ should do. His choices of songs are decent. I really like Track 6 "Flow" and Track 15 "Like my style", but other than that, nothing really stands out to me. Those two tracks have down tempo Hip-Hop down pat. Overall it's cool, but other than the two mentioned above, it really lacks the special quality that I was looking for.

He's done it again!
I'm ashamed to admit that I discovered Mark Farina a few years ago by happenstance while browsing, and bought vol. 4. and subsequently purchased vol. 3. Love em'!Vol. 5 - oh my goodness I didn't think it could get any better. It did! I purchased this earlier today and after several times through I'm still tryin' to dissect it. It can't be done - Farina's got a gift.The way he blends, locates rhythms, and takes risks is still unprecedented. Two of my very early favorites are 9 & 15 (the beat on 15 is ridiculous) and quite frankly everything else makes you feel good as well.For those who ushered in hip-hop in the 80's - us 40 somethings - and still thirst for beats with an inordinate amount of sophistication, this is it. 5+!

Better than any other Mushroom Jazz
I bought this, and listened to it on a long bus ride back home late at night.Usually on such a long bus ride I would just fall asleep, but after putting this on I had to stay awake to listen to it in it's entirety!This is simply one of Mark Farina's best offerings.I'm a huge fan of all the other Mushroom Jazz albums, but this one puts the rest to shame!

This album ise a bit more uptempo than the past Mushroom Jazz albums, and the fact that there seems to be new life breathed into the series is refreshing.You should go buy this album!!

Incredible
DJ Mark Farina, without doubt synonymous with "quality", has put out yet another astounding release. The sound on this one is not as hardcore as on IV, not as cloying as on III, not quite as hip as on II and not entirely so silky smooth as on the original. It's absolutely beautiful to hear 10 years of evolution passed off as just another release. Farina's quiet thunderstorm had better not be overlooked, though. This release packs a trendy and substantial punch.
My first major complain is that no track really enjoys enough time to develop. I guess that is a problem on a release 70 minutes and 21 tracks long. At best that's 3 minutes per track, nearly a radio vibe passed off as a deep setting. The moods also change drastically, from chill vibes to pensive anticipation of the next song while in repetitive limbo. However, these minor, although nagging, setbacks don't even for a second detract from the mind-blowing content of the disc.
The opening by J Boogie is infectious and sets the nocturnal tone for the rest of the disc. Charlie Tate's Colossus alias does him no justice in the slightly lackluster "The Tribute." Soundproviders' beautiful "Autumn Evening Breeze" thankfully saves the mix from becoming transfixed on entirely simplistic rhythms. With a quick introduction to Chali 2na, the track transitions into DJ Numark's "Chali 2na Comin Thru". Great rhymes, great beat, but however not really fitting on this disc after heard a few times. Red Astaire's "Come Down" is a good chillout track, really nothing much else. Zion I's "Flow" instrumental is great at finally shedding rowdiness and replacing it with a flowing aesthetic. DJ Spinna's "Nostalgia" possesses his signature sound and comes off strong just like all his other work, a muscular, perplexed track. The next track, Farina's own "Cali Spaces" is not only undeniably unforgettable, it also holds its own against the other great artists on the disc (Farina's entirely original project, Air Farina, lacked tremendously in places). Blu Bizness's "Funky For You", reminiscent of Deadbeats' Funky For You (whose work strangely was absent from this release, unless they're under a different alias) holds its own and is catchy. We Bee Foolish's "Puttin in Work" is not too great. DJ Dez's "Hollywood" is also not the best track on the CD, it packs no punch and appears like a party favor more than anything else. Jazz Liberatorz' track comes in saving the disc and setting it up for a few moments of bliss. For one of the shortest cuts in the mix, The Strange Fruit Project's "Maintain" easily wins me over any other track on the disc. It's almost a throwback to the old chill-out days, though rudely interrupted with the upbeat "Back in 92". Shortie No Mass's track is surprisingly good, sandwiched inbetween stellar male MCs. The Earl really confused me with his all-over-the-place track, not quite focused anywhere, but rather standard Mushroom Jazz fare. Johnny Alpha's track is great, although by this time in the mix, fashionably late. Starving Artists Crew's song is alright, even if only a minute long and layered inbetween other samples. Pete Rock's track is strange and unfitting for this kind of mix, but then again, it is Pete Rock. The great Thes One really pulls the mix out of its drag with "The Yacht Club", a super track with quick, clever rhymes. The worldwide collaboration Foreign Exchange finishes off with the mellow "Nic's Groove."
Overall, a great disc, with some dull tracks, some entirely blinding tracks, unmatched mixing, and moods only Mark Farina can evoke. At a sturdy 21 tracks, it packs more music in than most CDs and it feels like a solid, thought-out, although sometimes just a tad abstract project. 5/5.

Yes!He did it again...
Just wanted to add my two cents to reassure everyone out there that this is an amazing mix!If you know Farina, then you know what I'm talking about.If you don't, just go ahead and place your order.You won't be disappointed! ... Read more

Amazon.com

The manipulation of classic jazz tracks has been part of DJ club culturesince the '80s, as artists have continually scratched, looped, and sampled beatsand phrases. Verve Remixed has been in the planning stages for years,with in-house producers inviting an international cast of remix artists toselect songs from the label's vaults. The results are often tremendouslysuccessful, as the remix artists have picked up and expanded upon elementsalready present in the original. The funky Latin beat ofWillie Bobo's "SpanishGrease" gets new life fromRichard Dorfmeister,along with a prominent new bass line. Similarly, King Britt pumps up the Indianelements of Tony Scott's"Hare Krishna."dZihan and Kamien'strance remix (with tabla drums) ofBillie Holiday's "Don'tExplain" is among the most arresting tracks, creating psychodrama betweenHoliday's original vocal and the new environment.Nina Simone's voiceseems tailor-made for this approach, as if it has always cried out for thelayered rhythmic emphasis.Masters at Work's takeon her "See-Line Woman" is electric in its intensity--cool flute sonorities andmetallic percussion embrace and catapult the original vocal into a new presence.--Stuart Broomer ... Read more

Reviews (58)

Nueva Verve
After listeninig and comparing this dj project to the original recording on the Verve Unmixed LP--- I've got to absolutely declare... Verve Remixed is Amazing!! This astonishing dj project takes some of the hottest house producers and victoriously salutes the art of verve culture! The first and most amazing track has got to be the opening track--- the Willie Bobo remix is incredible. This track is completely uplifting! Mj Cole gives the How Long Has This Been Going On classic a new theme with his poppy almost playful beat. This is no longer a sad song-- but it is still the voice and the notes you have grown to love from this soulful singer. You get the picture. Verve Remixed continues... If you are a jazz lover, a deep house, or lounge music lover --- you have to check this cd. You will love it! Verve Remixed is a CD for the new breed of jazz lovers. Once you bring the legendary voices of coveted jazz singers Astrud Gilberto, Nina Simone, Ella Fitzgerald, and others into your cypher you wont want their voices to leave! You'll be off curiously buying the Verve Unmixed and then you'll be in search of other Desert Island Discs. This upbeat CD puts a new swing on the classic jazz style. A Must Buy-No Doubt!

A Cosmopolitan, a few friends and just kick back
Loving most of these tracks in the original form I approached this CD with anticipation but at the same time with trepidation. Too often we hear the classics remixed but to what purpose. However, this CD seems to add a layer to the tracks that not only maintains the purity of the original but lifts them into a different sphere.

Nina Simone's See-Line Woman (remixed by Masters at Work) and Dinah Washington's Is You Or Is You Ain't My Baby (remixed by Rae & Christian) enter a whole new dimension of electronica and beats whilst maintaining the integrity of the diva's vocals and nuances. The amazing pair of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton from Thievery Corporation have always defined cool for me and with their remix of Astrud Gilberto they don't disappoint. Joe Clausell's remix of Nina Simone singing Feelin' Good would have to be the funkiest chilled track of the year. That haunting piano remains with a backing of electonic funk. This is a great album for chill out Sunday's, friends for brunch, coming down from Saturday night or just you at home alone with a Cosmopolitan. A must have for fans of Verve and some of todays masters of remix.

Balance
It seems that there are three types of people who purchased this CD.

1. The Jazz fanatic who ends up hating it because the work is not in tack or the artist vocals where rewroked.

2. The uneducated "Techno" (Its a genre of edm not a generalization of edm folks) fan who doesn't get or appreciate the beauty of the classic jazz tracks.

3. The heads who get jazz and understand the mantra like qualities of EDM.

The remixes on this album are mostly fantastic, some are creative and dont hold to a pop format which makes them more uncomfortable than the standard "song"

If you are someone who read Kerouac in high school or university, dug nina and ella and monk and davis and mingus and then discovered the New Jazz (EDM and IDM) then buy this CD. If you are in either of the 2 catagories of uneducated techno fan or old school jazz purist you may have to open you mind to get the beauty of this piece.

Awesome
This is a great album. House meets old jazz. Great energy but also mellow. Get it, it's great!!!

JAMMIN @$$ CD!!!!!!!!!!!!
The Verve Remixed Volume 1 is the BOMB!!! I bought Volume 2 first and thought it was the shiz-nit, but Volume 1 is just as good if not better. I absolutely love the the blend of [nice] vocals from the legendary Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Carmen McRae, Dinah Washington and Nina Simone with the electronica (if you will) of today's contemps like MJ Cole, The Dorfmeister, Thievery Corporation, De-Phazz, Rae and Christian, Tricky, Joe Clausell and others. This is a very ambitious series that I doubt will end soon, and may even generate other compilations of its ilk. Well done mixing from all involved! ... Read more