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Buyer Rating: 81.8% positive (11 ratings)

Skalpel - Konfusion - 20-Feb-08 09:56 AM
I might be in the minority here, but I found this to be a decidedly lacklustre affair.

The idea is definitely there; resting somewhere in between The Cinematic Orchestra and DJ Shadow. But there is a complete lack of originality and musicianship in Konfusion that sticks out like a sore thumb. The samples and loops are unimaginative and poorly executed, and none of the pieces seem to move in any tangible direction.

The only thing I can say in defence of Skalpels efforts is that your appreciation of the album may well depend on which lens you choose to view it through. If we accept that this is an attempt at jazz meets hip-hop, then you could be left with two very different appraisals. From the jazz angle, it is lazy, unpolished, and lacking in direction. From the hip-hop angle, however, it surpasses the production values usually associated with the genre by several miles. Hip-hop (in its commercial form, at least) is a very lazy genre from a musical point of view. Samples and loops are often cheap, and are commonly derived entirely from previously existing material. Dr. Dre made millions off his Next Episode single, and the entire backing track was knocked off from David McCallums The Edge.

Although this concession might shed some light on Skalpels apparent success, from a un-biased, genre-free perspective, this is a lazy effort worth nothing more than a casual glance. And if you dont believe me, have a listen to The Cinematic Orchestras first album, Motion. The method is exactly the same; samples, live instrumentation, jazz meets hip-hop sensibility.. But the creativity and musicianship on that album leaves Skalpels efforts for dead.

Hoppy Kamiyama & Bill Laswell - A Navel City / No One Is There - 17-Feb-08 09:35 AM
This is not your typical Bill Laswell venture, but it is one of the most unique productions hes been involved with, and arguably one of the best. Although there are distinct elements of free jazz present in several of the pieces, the majority of the album is tightly structured, with some of the most phenomenal drumming Ive ever heard (courtesy of Kiyohiko Semba).

I feel that the term "defies categorization" is bandied about very loosely these days, but this album comes damn close to being worthy of it. Part jazz, part funk, part electronica; both none and all of these things at once. Im probably making the music sound far more pretentious than it is, but its genuinely difficult to assign genres to this record. There is an influence of Laswells time working with Buckethead here (namely on Colma), but the music is far too influenced by jazz to be lumped in with it.

In essence, if youre a fan of Bill Laswell, Japanese jazz / electronica or the avant-garde, this is well worth your time. Amazon should have samples up, so check it out for yourself. The cover art is quite reminiscent of Miles Davis Bitches Brew, and as far as originality and creativity goes, A Navel City is certainly on par with it.

4 Hero - Les Fleur / 9 By 9 Remixes - 05-Feb-08 08:45 AM
Id have to agree with the previous reviewer; the clip to Les Fleur is fantastic.

When I first heard 4 Heros cover of the classic Minnie Ripperton song I was a little dissapointed.. Not because they ruined the track in any way, but rather because they didnt really do anything new with it. The full length version (not featured here), however, strikes up a stunning swing-oriented groove after the first chorus which carries for around two minutes.

Check out of the video on Youtube, and definitely seek out the full 12" version. One of the greatest songs made just that tiny bit greater.

Robert Rich & B. Lustmord* - Stalker - 18-Dec-07 10:51 PM
Dark-ambient albums are a peculiar beast; favourites in the genre frequently achieve the mood and tone without difficulty, but struggle with active direction from that point onward.

Stalker is one of the few exceptions. From the very first track, Elemental Trigger, its clear that a great deal of time and thought has been put into these compositions. I listen to this album frequently whilst falling asleep, and it manages to trigger some fantastic mental images.*

The album is based liberally on Andre Tarkovskys 1979 film of the same name, and the mood of the film is captured admirably by Rich and Lustmord. But any resemblance to the arc of the film seems almost inconsequential, as the compositions stand well alone from any existing pretext.

Fans of ambient music, dark or otherwise will be duly rewarded for seeking this album out.

* I could go on for some length about these images, but that would ruin the experience. Just close your eyes and let your mind wander..

St Germain - Tourist - 13-Dec-07 07:44 AM
There was genuinely a period in 2000 where you couldnt walk into a cafe without hearing St. Germains Tourist. It single-handedly put the cafe / lounge / nu-jazz movement on the map.

Whilst its not an album thats going to blow your mind apart, theres a good chance Id listen to it more frequently today if it hadnt been so hideously over-exposed at the time of its release.. And I suspect the fact that Ludovic Navarre hasnt released any further albums under this moniker is a solemn nod in that direction.

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