Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein

Label:

Definitive Jux

Catalog#:

DJX007-2

Format:

CD, Album

Country:

Released:

20 Aug 2001

Genre:

Hip Hop

Style:

Tracklist

1	Iron Galaxy	5:56	X
	Turntables - J Fluid*
2	Ox Out The Cage	3:28	X
	Rap [Featuring] - El-P
3	Atom	5:52	X
	Rap [Featuring] - Alaska (3) , Cryptic* Turntables - DJ Cip One
4	A B-Boys Alpha	4:27	X
	Turntables - paWl (2)
5	Raspberry Fields	4:01	X
6	Straight Off The D.I.C.	4:17	X
7	Vein	4:27	X
8	The F-Word	5:27	X
9	Stress Rap	5:31	X
	Turntables - DJ Cip One
10	Battle For Asgard	4:26	X
	Rap [Featuring] - C-Rayz Walz , L.I.F.E. Long
11	Real Earth	3:57	X
	Turntables - DJ Cip One
12	Ridiculoid	4:46	X
	Rap [Featuring] - El-P
13	Painkillers	5:58	X
14	Pigeon	6:10	X
15	Scream Phoenix	5:05

Credits

Artwork By [Art Direction And Design] - Dan Ezra Lang
Artwork By [Cover Illustrations] - Tyson Jones
Mastered By - Emily Lazar
Mixed By - El-P , Matt Quinn (2) (tracks: 3, 4, 13) , NASA (3) (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 13, 15) , Phil Painson (tracks: 5, 7, 8, 10, 15) , Vassos (tracks: 1, 6, 14)
Music By - El-P
Producer - El-P
Recorded By - El-P (tracks: 2 to 5, 7 to 13, 15) , NASA (3) , Vassos (tracks: 1, 6, 14)

Notes

Recorded at Def Jux except 1, 6 & 14 recorded at Ozone.
1, 6 & 14 mixed at Ozone.
2, 9, 11, 12 & interludes mixed at Def Jux.
5, 7, 8, 10 & 15 mixed at Greene Street Recording.
3, 4 & 13 mixed at The Cutting Room.

Cat# is actually DJX07-2.

Track 15 is an unlisted hidden track.

Barcode and Other Identifiers

Barcode: 6 00308 88242 3

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Reviews & Discussion

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Rated 5/5

Review by ecuadorian_bass Jul 31, 2004 (edited over 5 years ago)

After hearing "Vein" on DJ/Rupture's "Gold Teeth Thief" mix umpteen times (and lovin' it every single time) I finally got my arse in gear and purchased Cannibal Ox's full length contribution to hip hop and electronica...oh what a clever boy I am!
From the outset this album is jammed full of witty and sharp rhymes that never descend into the expected contrived cliches territory that unhappily dominates a wide area of hip hop. Vast Aire's unmistakable voice and cadence serve to strengthen his metaphor-strewn lyrics, reminding me of Asia/Lyrics Born unique contribution to the Quannum collective.
But the real star of this album is El-P who single-handedly lays down a whole new template and set of values for hip hop production. Synths swirl and layers of effects create a blanket of sonic emotion, whilst the drums rap out crisp and Vadim-like rhythms that hover on the boundaries of experimental electronica. Samples are abound, but of particular note is El-P's appropriation of Philip Glass's minimal compositions (Koyaanisquatsi if I'm not mistaken). El-P manages to combine the repetitive mantra-like ghostly voices and strings from various parts of Glass's work with his non-formulaic approach to hip hop production.
There are moments of pure bliss when these elements are combined (particularly on "Straight off the D.I.C." and a secret 15th track on the CD), which allow the Glass samples to elevate further the intensity of the rhymes and beats.
Breath-taking, staggering and immense are just some of the words that describe this milestone of an album.