Ju-Ju Space Jazz – Shloop

More than any other act, Ju-Ju Space Jazz probably best defines Matsuri Productions willingness to try things that other psy labels would never dare do. The results are hard to describe in a way that Shpongle is hard to describe. Not that I think Ju-Ju comes anywhere near Shpongle's level of genius or that they even sound remotely alike, they don't. Rather Ju-Ju Space Jazz has something of an unique sound. trippy down tempo, jazzy, freakfest lounge perhaps?

This album is not for the narrow minded psy-listener as, on first listen it doesn't have much of anything to do with psy-trance. Closer inspection does reveal psy-like influences. Mermadium Palladium is a classic example here with its very "goa" like synthlines added in a track that reminds more of trip-hop than anything else. Pizza sounds like a slow freak form attempt at Drum n Bass by a room full of stoned jazz musicians. While the opener Fudge is a bizzare array of horns, trip-hop and strangeness that gives a good idea of what the rest of the album will be like.

Depending on one's musical inclinations, you will probably either love or hate this album. I personally enjoy it as something good to throw on when you are just sort of hanging around and want something of a laid back mood, but not a totally ambient one. Strange, but tasty stuff for the open minded. 7/10

a very weird cd at all...
Not really jazzy, a certain value of the free jazz construction, it needs a relly hard smoked listening to be appreciate...but when you've learnt the way to appreciate it,
you also found new schema to explain what artistical subjectivity means at all...