Muki – Cabin Fever

Soaking up the influences at that time, as every Mantra release, not groundbreaking or new, but well produced and makes for a pleasant lazy Sunday afternoon soundtrack. Lonely Planet on the TV and this kind of CD on the stereo, was the modus operandi for many twenty-somethings in 1998.

It's notable the amount of styles Muki is categorized within; yes, they at times are "Future Jazz" or "Downtempo", but at times Drum 'n Bass and at times pure house. Oftentimes one song will shift seamlessly between genres, taking the listener on an extremely tasteful and hypnotic journey. You can tell the musicianship is high here. Real piano/keyboards, real upright bass and real drums interplay with the intricately programmed sequencers and drum machines. Standout tracks include "Jahbar", an epic sonic morph of D'nB-ambient-trance, and "Full Scope", a heady downtempo groove that made it onto dozens of chillout compilations in the late 90's/early 2000's. There is a slight tendency to overdo things ("Concord" could have been slashed by a few minutes, even though its slow rolling builds do provide a fitting closer, and the portamento sawtooth synths on "Runner" can become gratingly repetitive), although these qualities can hardly be called egregious, moreso when judged by electronica's standards. This might not be the best "Acid Jazz" album, but it comes close to the peak that this genre can achieve. As quickly as Muki arrived and departed with only 2 full-length albums, they managed some tantalizingly slick output, and are worth investigating for any musically-inclined techno fan. 5/5

Muki’s first album, CABIN FEVER, brings back memories of the good ol’ days of future jazz, when all things were possible. Ok, so it wasn’t that long ago. From the house beats and wild acid lines of “Jahbar” to the lazy vibes on “Ki Juice,” there’s an unmistakable niceness here. The use of samples from quasi-Indian spiritual guides and the movie 2001 are a bit gratuitious, but the mellow “Esc.” quickly allays any fears. Muki’s willingness to switch up things mid-song (like the funk bass that comes in on “Nite Lite”) keeps things from getting too banal. The plucked notes and ethnic flavor of “Shine” presages the marimbas and wobbly synth lines. “Concord” ends the album with a more stripped-down sound, less layered than the others for a completely different feel, with small builds and swells over its nine-minute length. Overall, while the album is not superlative, it’s still a fine debut effort.