11i

Supreme Beings Of Leisure

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 12, 2008)
• Original Release Date: February 12, 2008
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Rykodisc
• ASIN: B000WPNKJ6
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (15 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #36,082 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

There may be no more aptly named band than Supreme Beings of Leisure. On this L.A. duo's third album, 11i, a musical aesthetic once called trip-hop reaches archetypal heights. Ramin Sakurai's loping, electro-orchestral production and Geri Soriano-Lightwood's breathy, clarion vocals tango with nary a misstep. Opener "The Light" sets the bar loftily. Despite how many others have lounged in these musical waters, it asserts, we do bass, beats, and luxuriant bombast better. Why? Take "Angelhead": Soriano-Lightwood sings a difficult but unmoving melody only "The Star-Spangled Banner" could love, but Surakai's lush instrumental wraps the vocal in a silken sheen that leaves the song sounding timeless--almost impossibly, it seems, but there it is. Skeptics may write SBL off as a 'Dead Can Dance for Dummies,' and lesser successes ("This World," "Oneness," "Lay Me Down") do tend too often toward romantic clichés and an forced cosmopolitan mojo that seems hell-bent for a future elevator. But when Sakurai emerges from his lagging tempi and turns up the volume, both musicians bloom. When, for example, the chorus of "Mirror" delivers its tectonic slab of drums and bass, this is a band bursting forth with its deluxe best yet. 11i is music for the leisure class, perhaps, but--as advertised--it doesn't get much better. --Jason Kirk

Product Description

Supreme Beings of Leisure return with their third album, 11i a darkly cinematic collection of enchanting, hypnotizing songs. Sultry rhythms and understated electronica complement the sophisticated songcraft behind their signature sound.

The album is a song cycle about daily life that begins with the sumptuous prelude of The Light and seamlessly evolves into the concluding drifting-into-dreams track, Lay Me Down. In between are standouts including the wistful and melodic This World, Mirror and Angelhead (feat. Lili Haydn).

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's chill-out music, pure and simple., February 13, 2008

By	Adarsh Amin - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

With two releases under their belt, 2000s self-titled debut and 2002s sophomore effort Divine Operating System (D.O.S.), the Los Angeles duo delivers on their signature sound imbued with laid-back glamour, witty drama, seductive allure, and cinematic lushness.
The third release, after a five-year hiatus, maintains the band's previously established sultry, low key sound.
In doing so, they've produced 11 tracks that draw you into a world of swanky bars, minimalist design with ambient lighting and good-looking people sipping martinis.
"11i" sounds like a natural progression in that trajectory. As ever, the whispery, sensual vocals of Geri Soriano-Lightwood coo, croon, and playfully tease the listener while Ramin Sakurai's subtle, gently undulating beats and sparkling, atmospheric electronic textures provide the perfect framework.
On this album you will hear strings, Eastern instrumentation as well as plenty of tasteful ambience, blissed-out vocals and sleepy beats (not to mention a Toto-like guitar solo in "Oneness").
Unfortunately the low key seductive quality of the songs can be lost after listening to a few tracks, as they begin to blend in with each other. Fans of the genre will enjoy the album, however the casual listener should stick to a few tracks at a time.
"11i" is purportedly a concept album meant to document the various phases of time and feeling encountered over the course of a single day, but whether you pay attention to that theme or simply lie back and let the sounds envelop you, this is one big comfy chair of an album, something to sink into with hedonistic abandon.
In an interesting move, this lush album of entrancing lounge and downtempo electronica follows the chronological path of the day, opening with the track "The Light" and closing with "Lay Me Down".
There's no doubt the songs are well crafted and blend seamlessly from start to finish - they're layered with sophistication - but herein lies the problem. One can't help but feel it's all just a little too polished. Rather than conjuring up feelings of chilling out and relaxing, it feels passionless and homogenous.
"Our 2 previous albums have been collections of songs that we wrote during those periods of time", observes producer/programmer Ramin Sakurai. "This new album is more of a book with each song being a different chapter. "11i" is meant to be read cover to cover".
It's chill-out music, pure and simple. You can play it in a softly lit blue room with a mirrorball. You can let it fade into the background (which it does with great ease). Or you can take it in and let SBL's dreamy soul-pop take you to a less stressful place.
Which isn't a bad option.
Supreme Beings Of Leisure: Geri Soriano-Lightwood (vocals); Ramin Sakurai (various instruments, programming).
Additional personnel: Lili Hayden.
Stand out tracks: "This World" and "Angelhead"
Supreme Beings of Leisure
Divine Operating System

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Alas...they're back and sexy more than ever!, February 12, 2008

By	Anthony Morelli "Woofbear" (Montreal, Canada) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Bought IIi this morning and couldn't wait to pop it into the cd player. From start to finish, the album has their sexy and trademark sound, yet the songs are far less electronica based, meaning there are less dancy beats. The music is a little edgier and more ambient than before. My boyfriend and I rate it 5 stars, just because it's still so good, and worth the wait. Due to the slower-paced style, the album tends to drag on at times, longer than the previous two albums, although there are only 11 tracks. So far, there's only 1 version/edition of the CD, which is housed in a stunning digipak. The cover art is divine and stunning, featuring a charicature of Geri & Ramin. Very suave & sexy, just like they've always been...I must say. The duo definitely know how to sell themselves cleverly! :-)

The CD is simple (White background with red floral graphic). The booklet is 12 pages long, consisiting of only 4 photos (2 of Geri and 2 of Ramin, featuring closeups of their eyes on pages 2 and 3. Not too fancy and quite subtle, the packaging & design concept features a more abstract take. The booklet features full lyrics & liner notes. Regarding my opnion of the album itself, I think it's great, but it doesn't meet the standards of the previous albums. Track 11 ended too slow and the song just dragged on. I guess I feel this way because of the slow pace feel throughout the CD. Still loungy and sexy though, IIi will definitely grow on me. Most likely, my opinion above will not be the same after hearing the album 1 week later. But I know this album will be memorable as did the first two, for all SBOL fans. For now, my review reflects how I feel at the moment.

Tracklist:
01- The Light
02- This World
03- Mirror
04- Swallow (my favorite track)
05- Good
06- Pieces
07- Angelhead (Feat. Lili Haydn)
08- Ride
09- Oneness (Feat. Marty Friedman)
10- Everywhere
11- Lay Me Down
Produced, Mixed and Engineered by Ramin Sakurai
Co-Produced by Geri Soriano-Lightwood

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Possibly SBOL's best?, February 18, 2008

By	Daniel Ackermann "Technocub" (Austin, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: 11i (MP3 Download)

I rarely take the time to share my feelings here, but...Wow!...am only halfway done listening to their new album, and have been blown away...their first 2 CDs are incredible, but this one is so solid, so layered...Geri's voice is in crisp, amazing form!

This band has grown so much, and their remix work is amazing too!

"Mirror" and "Swallow" have now changed my life: as well as all the other songs on this album!!!