Controlled chaos. At the same time relaxing and concentration enhancing. Several moments of true beauty. Has made it into the regular rotation of work music for me. Recommended!
It's easy to over-think the meaningfulness of German rock (Krautrock) of the late 60s and early 70s, especially since its image has always been somewhat cerebral and cold in itself. Too much from the head, not enough from the crotch, some have complained. Its players meant for it to be "head" music certainly, and all that implies - there was an intention to the music, a commitment to experiment and improvisation sparked by the intellectual and chemical freedoms of the 60s. But at its best Krautrock conjured a mood distinct unto itself, which in its post-WWII teutonic heaviness could be as threatening and scary as any music ever made, and in its experimental innocence also convey a warmth and humor that speaks to the soul. The album Yeti does both these things. Amon Duul II's second record is a double-album monument of dark European soundscapes that possess a Led Zeppelin heaviness without an over-reliance on the blues or a dependency on rock cliches. The hard riffing has a much more exotic, eastern European or central Asian tone, and the improvisatory tenor, no matter how edited the music might have been in the end, contributes to the feeling that this is NOW music, that this music is happening in the present. Made in 1970, it could be straight out of any time in history. It's as heavy as Beethoven, as Gothic as, well, the Goths, as free from the restrictions of language as Can, as art-y as Roxy Music, as punk as you think you are, and ROCKS in its way like the most electric god of all time. So yeah, it's music that's actually worth thinking about.
What some people appear to have not noticed is that although LTJ Bukem has been around for a while and has mixed and produced many records, Journey Inwards is in fact his first solo album. It mixes great Drum & Bass with a Jazz influence and is well worth the money. It is a great step away from the dark, and in my opinion boring, turn that most Drun & bass has taken. It has soul and feeling this is definately the way forward for Drum & Bass.
To say that the debut solo album from Miguel 'Petalpusher' Migs has been highly anticipated would be a major understatement as the hype has been building since early Spring and expectations float among the clouds. Migs' remixing credentials: solid. Big ups and deep head-bobs for his work on the Nude Dimensions series. People demand a lot from Miguel. While Naked Music co-founder Jay Denes' 'Beautiful Tomorrow' got the critic's nod earlier this year, would this album do the same? I'm not convinced.
Miguel knows his way around the studio as the production and arrangement are tight. But there is no definable peak and its consistent mid-tempo, soul groove will appeal mostly to the ladies. Deep heads out there will be disappointed. 'Days of Color' is the most qualified remixing candidate for the dance hall. 'Don't let me Down' and 'Waiting' was very R&B and pop-like. A stripped down version of 'Breakin It Down' is refreshing and almost as super soulful as 'The One'. Miguel's strength is clearly not in the lyrics with extra syrupy vocals such as 'before you break my heart, think it over.' Uh ' what? Next thing you know, will Migs be hanging out with Carson Daly on Total Request Live? No thanks. Not for me. I hate to knock Migs, but I think we were all expecting just a little more. After all, Miguel helped Naked Music set one of the standards when it comes to deep house flavors. The complete lyrics are included in the liner notes. Total time: 74 minutes. While I was hoping for some deep thumps and serious head-bobbing grooves, instead it was too sugary sweet for my taste buds.
