From lwtcdi Sent Fri, Jan 2nd 1998, 00:10
From lwtcdi Sent Fri, Jan 2nd 1998, 00:10
> This is my first taste of Laika, as I don't normally buy trip-hop. Hey, watch out - Laika were around before trip-hop was even spawned! I have the 12" version of the release you mention, where you don't get an edit but you do get a Grantsby mix (don't worry, you're not missing much, just some standard-ish trip-hop!). Whatever happened to Trip-Hop anyway? I loved the Headz stuff, but no-one seems to be making stuff like that any more, it's all big beat, which means less stratching, faster beats, crappy sirens and needless distortion! Someone, bring back GOOD trip-hop! > 2.prairie dog (remix by maxwell house) > > Track two: slower, laid back feel. Sweeping bass line, clumsy drums, jazzy > distorted keyboard. Lyrics reminded me of NIN a little bit: "if i could > pull the nerves from my skin I would." Brought back memories of my angst > ridden youth :) I think this is the least interesting track here. > Remixed by Maxwell House, but it must of been decaf because i'm falling asleep. I liked this remix. I also liked the 1st "Maxwell House" LP quite a lot, so that might explain it. Very interesting IMO, and as you would expect this remix is in the same vein. Live muddy downtempo grooves. I agree that there's too much vocal, and this may be a bit too Tori Amos for some people, but I don't mind so much. Overall sounds like the slower Red Snapper stuff with more keyboards. BTW, I've never heard any of the Max Brennan stuff on Holistic, ie Fretless AZM, Universal Being, does anyone know these compare with the Maxwell House stuff, and what I should get hold of next? Is the Maxwell House II LP as good as the first? > Track three: Starts out pretty good with a bit of noisy ambience akin > to Speedy J "public energy" drums straight out of 'as the bubble expands', > but then the pounding bass comes in (and the ambience stops) and is > unrelenting for the rest of the track. Reminded me to much of a bass-heavy car > stereo to get into this track too much. Much more variety musically than the > previous track, and the vocals don't dominate so much. If it weren't > for the boom-boom bass I'd like it a lot more. Yeah, it's alright. Very underproduced gritty kind of sound, but layered with cleaner bits too. This remix is better than the other Cabbage Boy I've heard, but not as good as that Buckfunk 12" "In Is In" (not that it's even slight like it, though). It's a little electroey too with distorted handclaps and electronic noise in the background. A kind of icy feel but the vocals and the little synth melodies and moogy noise lift it up a bit. > Track four: starts with layering percussion: bongos, snare, that one > hand drum thing that the singer of the who is always shaking...to a nice > melodic bass line, and near unintelligible vocals. bleepy drum stuff, good > beats, playful synth, and excellent rythmic activity that just reeks of luke > vibert. My only complaint is that it was predictably 'song structured' > (verse, chorus, verse, bridge, whatever) and it was a bit short. As usual Vibert comes out on top, but even so this is nothing totally amazing. I like this remix, it kind of reminds me of his version of Ruby's Parrafin, and although, as you say, the rhythms are nice and viberty, I hope his future stuff is a little more inventive. He still hasn't 'beaten' Thobbing Pouch, IMO (mind you, thats a pretty difficult task). This remix, like the Cabbage Boy one, also has a slight electro feel. No real breaks at first, just drum machine snares doubled up, with really nice bits of organ. Again there's lots of vocal used, so beware. > Overall: Since I live in the sticks, and this was imported, it was > overpriced at 10 bucks american. I don't think that this was good > enough (or suited my tastes enough) for me to rush out and buy more Laika Yeah, it's fairly solid IMO, but not worth rushing out to buy. It's grown on me lots since I got it though, and is defintely rewarded with repeated listening... Gb. -- "BIG UP YA CHRISTMAS AND NEW YEAR" from * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * - L@@K WHAT THE CAT DRAGGED iN - ADVENT CRAZY http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/lwtcdi/all/ DAMN JUKEBOX http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/lwtcdi/all/4musjuke.htm * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * X amount of party streamers...