Customer Reviews

Airdrawndagger

5 star:		(122)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(7)
2 star:		(10)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

To even try to describe the gravity of emotion and that this album exudes is absolutely impossible. Sasha has clearly done something that few artists are ever able to accomplish. He has painted a very powerful expression of soul and emotion that enters your ears and soaks deeply into the fibers of your spiritual canvas. Not to sound nauseatingly esoterical, but when I first listened to this album, it was as if I became privy to a new cosmic level of music appreciation. This is music that does not require the nostalgic associations of one's environment to produce emotion. On its own, every timeless note and arrangement builds deep inside of you, painting an extraordinarily haunting feeling that seems to be so parallel with others, yet so indescribable and personal at the same time. Is this album incredible? No doubt about it. Is this album the cure for all the problems of the world? Of course not. Does this album contain something incredibly unique and positive? Absolutely, and that's why it's totally worth checking out.

Anyone familiar with electronic music has allready heard of Sasha. From his constant dj work with(and without) John Digweed, to his writing tracks for sony's 'Wipeout 3' psx game, to his amazing global underground 'Ibiza', he has helped define what trance , and 'electronic' music can be. In 1999 he released the Xpander Ep and created a classic. Now with 'Airdrawndagger' he has upped the ante for his debut full length of original material. This album is both diverse and consistent with his sound. The beats are very tight, while the sonic tension of his dj sets resonates throughout. There are more than a few nods to classic Orbital, and even a bit of bjork can be heard in the atmosperic 'Magnetic North'. Much of the middle is served up through breakbeats as opposed to 4 on the floor, producer Junkie XL keeping the low end tight as the synth ebbs and flows over top. The songs themselves often dont follow typical song structures, and quite often I found myself wondering what twist the track(and indeed the album) would take next. The 2 ending tracks 'Golden arm' and 'Wavy Gravy' are nearly bittersweet pop with the sonic attention to detail only Sasha could produce. Throughout his trance origins shine, but in that muted afterhours way of referencing but never going back. I have listend to this so many times allready, and rarely have I heard such a MUSICAL quality over these types of beats.. this album is fresh enough to almost be something... dare I say...New. If you are tired of the same old club mixes, this just may be the answer.

Sasha's new album is brilliant, and a superb testament to the unique skill, vision, and sophistication of this genre-defining artist. A calculated departure from his definitive high-energy, club-friendly sets (GU San Francisco and GU Ibiza both come to mind), Airdrawndagger is a somewhat subdued yet extremely vivid journey through lush, unseen places. Sasha masterfully controls a complex and diverse web of finely-crafted, richly-textured layers, often exploring the interplay between opposing sonic elements (biological and mechanical, restraint and fluidity, aggression and calm, etc.)

The album starts out mellow and simple and slowly builds to a menacing, bio-mechanical crest, after which it resolves into a warm, satisfying ending. At times the material can be a bit challenging, as probably only half the tracks will lend themselves well to a club environment. But the ever-changing, ever-evolving sounds and rhythms never get slow or weak; similarly its intense and aggressive moments never become abrasive, anthemic, or cheesy. Throughout the album there is an overwhelming sense of sophistication and control, though the music never feels contrived or suppressed. Airdrawndagger grows and breathes as if alive, and at times seems like it actually might be.

In some ways Airdrawndagger is reminiscent of the recent work of other leading electronic artists - it's beautiful, intellectual, and subtle like Charles Webster; it's highly personified, organic, and playful like Richie Hawtin; it's deep, hazy, and sinister like John Digweed. But ultimately this is a truly original work, an unprecedented blend of power, control, vision, and restraint. Sasha has moved us a step or two forward on the evolutionary scale of modern music.

like the others before me, i must stress this album bears very little resemblence to sasha's DJ mixes, or even his previous production efforts (club anthems such as XPander). This however, is not a bad thing. It is an album to be listened to on headphones or your home system. if you dont listen to it closely, it sounds very interestingly like old video game music. that said, this album is wonderful as you listen to it more, particularly with your headphones cranked up. the depth and detail with which sasha tweaked his synths and sequenced melodies is incredible....and some songs are just, for lack of a better word, sweet. Cloud Cuckoo, bloodlock, and Wavy Gravy come to mind. the album opens with some fluttering synths, panning back and forth, which then slide into the next track with a somewhat menacing bassline. a perfect intro for the album, setting the general mood for whats to come. cloud cuckoo has a nice ambient synth build up along with a nice beat, and just before the 4:00 minute mark erupts in a synthesized ecstasy....play it loud on your headphones and you know what i mean. bloodlock is an interesting track, very "trippy", with a thumping beat and a hypnotically repeating synth line with lots of reverb. the track slowly builds up with wispy hi hats and more subtle synth lines..requiem is a very pleasnant, almost entirely ambient track...the last minute or so has a beautiful syncopated synth arperggio which is very mesmerizing. wavy gravy is a very happy sounding song...soothing and relaxing, and a great way to close the album. not every track is a gem, though the album does make a logical progression and no song seems out of place. give it a try with an open mind, and dont expect a floor-rocking anthem packed party disc. dance music this is not.

I really had no idea of what to expect from [arguably] the world's greatest dj's artistic debut. I knew that Sasha had rare talent, but creating greatness from scratch is exceedingly difficult, and others had certainly failed before him. In a way, I was afraid that this album might not live up to its billing and, more importantly, to the exquisite aural gifts of its composer.
Well, "relief" does not come close to my reaction upon hearing this. "Epiphany" is more like it, and I assure you, I'm not exaggerating. This album transcends modern electronica, and steps onto a separate plane of music.
It's almost ridiculous for me to describe the music to you, because I cannot relate it to anything else out there. It is so rich in its texture--there is so very much more than simple melody overlayed on simple beat. It's geological. The many beautiful layers he (somehow) spun together, work dynamically and synchronistically. His craft as seen on this album is so wonderfully sharp that I almost don't believe a single, normal brain could conceive of such a meticulous and complex thing.
I won't go into track specifics, just listen to it yourself and have your own experiences. The feel of the music ranges from absolute bliss to dark, urban vehicular to epic melancholy. It is definitely more chill than club 4/4, but it is not abstract and without motion (like some IDM).
This is simply one of the most original, most beautiful, most richly developed pieces of art I've ever experienced. I love this CD more every time I hear it, and I can't wait to see what Sasha develops in the future.

Sasha's debut artist album is a gorgeous expansion of the melodic dance music that he djs and produces. However, unlike XPander which is a massive club hit, the songs on this album are aimed at the home listener rather than the avid clubber. Many are downtempo and focus on lush atmospheric effects rather than booty shakin'. And with the combined creative efforts of Charlie May (Spooky), Tom Holkenberg, (Junkie XL), Simon Wright, James Holden, and Sasha himself, one quickly realizes that it is quite enough just to be witnessing the combined talents of some of the best electronic producers of today. Not every track is a perfect gem, but the best ones like Mr. Tiddles, Boileroom, and Bloodlock are some of the most cutting edge and innovative tunes available. Still, because this album defies all the genres that one would want to associate with it, many fans may be disappointed, and newcomers to Sasha may be surprised that he hasn't become a pop producer like Oakenfold on Bunkka. But those with an open mind will find a great deal to enjoy here.

A previous reviewer said it best: I was holding my breath to see which direction Sasha would take with his new album. Any fears about a detour into Radio Friendly Land have been fully eviscerated by this phenomenal piece of craftsmanship. Sasha has given a gift to the True Believers with Airdrawndagger. This is "dance" music because it is eminently danceable. But it is more than a dance album. Much more. I'm certain to be crucified for what I am about to say, but so be it. I continue to believe that really great dance music has more in common with classical music than traditional pop. There is *nothing* "pop" about this album. It builds momentum slowly. It progresses through various movements and arcs. It is always restrained yet exquisitely timely. The pop sensibility is not present here. There are no quick hits; no three minute soundbites. Sasha has made an album full of beautiful, imaginative, tranformative music in the finest classical tradition. The songs are all lush and layered. They are never tired-sounding or stale, and he always throws something new at you just when it seems he's fallen into a rut. I honestly cannot think of anything else that sounds quite like Airdrawndagger. It is not pop because it is too epic and expansive to fit within pop's formulae. And it does not resemble the experimental side of the musical world because Sasha seems to lack those artists' cynicism. No, this is fine, fine music. It is an artistic statement; a gift. Anyone with patience, imagination, and an appreciation for the beautiful will find much to enjoy here.

It's one of the most eagerly awaited dance music albums of all time, the debut artist album from Alexander Coe aka Sasha. Sasha's "Airdrawndagger" avoids pure dancefloor fodder in favour of a more understated, almost chilled out approach. It melds his love of breakbeat and soundtrack work and pays tribute to some of his biggest influences. 1. Dremples 1:23 - A short burst of shimmering, bleepy, analogue soundscape clocking in at just under a minute and a half. A warm-up to get your ears attuned.2. Mr Tiddles 4:53 - As with much of the album, 'Mr Tiddles' seems to pay tribute to an era in the early Nineties when artists such as Spooky and The Drum Club were at their peak. A cool, understated five minute introduction that unfurls with all the production manners of Future Sound Of London circa 'Lifeforms', it's bass-heavy with loads of delay, like a Germanic minimalist cathedral of synthetic sound supplemented with massive, washing synth sounds.3. Magnetic North 5:17 - A bass pattern rises out of the darkness. A flurry of shuddering drums and shifting, haunting keys. This is where things move subtly up a gear with a glimmer of a nu-skool breaks rhythm track.4. Cloud Cuckoo 8.26 - A pure ethereal soundtrack with menacing keys is split by a tough West Coast drum pattern with an up-front snare sound. More deep, brooding, bass-heavy breakdowns with cascading synth patterns filtering down. Ends with a Jan Hammer/Miami Vice-style drum stab and melts directly into. 5. Immortal 4:54 - A brooding, buzzing nu-skool bassline underpins this downbeat slice of breakbeat. Hovering around the 110 bpm mark, the track is covered in crisp, cut-up hi-hats (sounding like high-pitched scratching) with a rising and descending 'horror movie' hook line the creates a lot of tension. Includes another rippling bass breakdown. Wouldn't sound amiss in a Meat Katie DJ set.6. Fundamental 9:13 - Dark, robotic breakbeat atmospherics with a touch of the Timo Maas in the bassline and lots of twisted filters. Morse code bleeps play in the upper frequencies. Really kicks in round the six minute mark and rides the same dark riff for a further three minutes. A Mixmaster Morris-ish take on current fixations with all things electro. 7. Boileroom 7:04 - A looped-backwards brassy sample cycles round before exploding into a classic Sasha breakbeat - lots of space and contrast between pounding low notes and trebly rhythm track. High bell notes play against twisted electronic noises further down. A BT-style crescendo around the two minute mark reminds of the days when Sasha used to cane 'Embracing The Sunshine'. 8. Bloodlock 7:53 - The track that's most akin to 'Xpander'. A floor-shaking bass rumble growls along as more synth arpeggios cascade down. A hi-hat pattern plays left and right in the speakers and a marching pattern plays towards the end, rising in frequency. Very Orbital-ish and something of an updated tribute to the early sound of Sven Vath's Eye-Q imprint.9. Requiem 6:08 - Like incidental music from Bladerunner, this track betrays Sasha's love of movie soundtrack dynamics and looks to Vangelis for epic inspiration. Heavy delay cuts up an almost guitar-sound melody that descends into computer game bleeps that in turn fade to echo.10. Golden Arm 5:45 - A cute melody cycles round before the 4/4 bass kicks in with a very 'Euro' rhythm pattern. The bass and deep synth are linked in a rising and falling cycle while echoing noises play beneath. The closest thing to a pop song on the album. 11. Wavey Gravy 7:29 - 'Wavey Gravy' was previewed on Sasha's boat party at The Miami Winter Music Conference and is the album's most obvious contender for first single. Like Kevin Beber reworking one of Hybrid's more symphonic excursions, this seven-minute cut is built on a strong rim-shot rhythm pattern. Evoking images of sunshine falling through leaves, this is another track with a touch of Vangelis about it, with a blissful, swooping synth melody that plays to fade.

Sasha has had the weight of expectation upon him with the release of this long-player. But when you've become one of the world's top DJ's it's hard to just slip a quiet little experimental album out and see what people make of it. Top marks to Sasha for sticking to his guns and releasing an album that he's so obviously been aching to make in his own time, his own way. It's worked beautifully because where he could have so easily wheeled out eleven dance-floor pleasers for the commercial masses (they'll lap up any bilge with the 'trance' tag these days), he's crafted eleven wonderfully unique and stirring tracks that, as a whole, make an album that sounds like nothing else out there. Like BT's 'Movement In Still Life' in 1999; he hasn't just pushed dance music's sagging envelope, he's exploded it. It's filmic, deep, dark and emotive stuff. When you feel like instrumental tracks can actually move your soul and not just your ..., you know there's go to be something special going on.

Though all of the tracks stand out on their own merit, some are worth special mentions. 'Magnetic North', with it's cascading synths shimmering against the breakbeats. Yet the beats become even more low-slung and heavy as 'Fundamental' kicks into gear. If there were ever a track for driving deep into the night at crazy speeds then this is it. Awesome. 'Boileroom' has a backwards, shuffling opening that is lets the album pause for breath before plunging headlong into another aural assault. 'Golden Arm' and 'Wavy Gravy' manage to close the album in remarkable style. You'll actually feel a tinge of sadness as the album draws to a close, believe you me. If you own any of the 'Northern Exposure' mix CD's you'll know why; it's not an album, it's a journey.

"Well...sometimes there is a man..." The man like...
He will make you smile... Has music ever been so good to us? Has it ever felt so good? Possibly not.
Airdrawndagger is beautiful. In a very true sence of the word. Its beauty is perminent. People think that electronic music cannot stay fresh for a long period of time, new material always keeps pouring...but this album is not music, Sasha has created an emotion, a single moment of pure bliss, like the first kiss. Do any of you remember?

People that graded this album lower than four stars are understandable, they followed Sasha from his beginning, and usually what you hear first, that first time you listen to this kind of music, it stays with you, this album is simply too much for them, Sasha has risen.

The album opens up with an intro, that's about when you start feeling like there is no gravity, but of course I cannot tell you the way it feels after this, just because each of us would fly in different directions.
The album contains MANY so long awaited melodies that WILL haunt you for the rest of your days, and the sounds are INCREDDIBLE. But most of all, what's important about this album, in everyones tongue...it is hella deep!!!

I personally see this album as a very big change in electronic music. Sasha, for years now has been an idol for other musicians and djs. Well...if this is true, then we are going to be in for a nice surprise!