Customer Reviews

Buddha Bar II

5 star:		(28)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

Having become somewhat a connoisseur of downtempo electronica, I sought out Claude Challe's much lauded "Buddha Bar" series. Lured by the promise of blissful chill-out music and decadent packaging (all right, I'm a sucker for good packaging), I eagerly plunked down forty bucks for "Buddha Bar 2." The legions of five star reviews here on Amazon assured me and my soon-to-be empty wallet that my purchase had been a wise one. The album arrived, and I rushed home. I turned down the lights, lit a spliff, and laid down; my ears eagerly anticipating downtempo bliss...

Was I ever disappointed.

Halfway through the fifth track (Deepak Chopra's "Desire"), it became apparent that blissful downtempo is not Claude Challe's forte. "World muzak," however, is. You could really cut the pretension in this music with a knife. I recently read an interview with Monsieur Challe, and was amazed at the man's pretentiousness. I'm sorry, but it doesn't really take a rocket scientist to mix records.

"Buddha Bar" is split into two discs, a "dinner" disc and a "party" disc. Disc one is a slow, occasionally monotonous journey through India, Arabia, and Latin America. The only highlight for me was De-Phazz's cheeky "Mambo Craze." The second disc is a decent organic house set, with a few good tracks like dZihan & Kamien's "After," and Suba's "Felicidade." But unfortunately, so much of this music falls into the "muzak" category. How, you ask? Why?

Don't get me wrong, I like world music. The world is full of incredible sounds, and I make a point of seeking out the best. This is not the breathtaking Cuban "son" and "bolero" you'll hear performed by the Septeto Nacional De Cuba. Nor is it the sensual bossa you'll find in music by Jobim and Baden Powell. Nor does it even come close to the wonderful Indian music you can find in those corner spice stores. Rather, the music on "Buddha Bar 2" takes elements from [the music] and puts it through the washing machine a few times; expunging the raw and powerful ingredients and creating something smooth, bland and generic.

In much the same way the Tiki Bars of old bastardised Pacific Islander/East Asian culture, "Buddha Bar" succeeds in taking elements from "exotic" cultures (Arabia, India, Latin America) in an effort to extrinsicly create a new form. Please don't misunderstand; eclecticism is not a bad thing. "Buddha Bar" is not eclecticism, but rather an attempt to conjure up something pseudo-mystical, to confuse and astound the listener. Rather than sounding like something wonderful and eclectic, "Buddha Bar 2" comes off sounding shallow and conjured. Judging from reviews and talking with friends, the cuisine at Buddha Bar has the same problem.

"Buddha Bar 2" does have one particularly fine use. I found disc one espcially nice for making love to. The music does not require any attention, and fits well in the background.

P.S. Sorry about the British slang. I couldn't resist.

If you love To chill, then this is the best purchase that you will ever make... Let me tell you something, I DJ and there is no better cd to have play in the background than the Buddha bar Dinner cd... It will give a whole new meaning to the word chill...
It sets a real cool mood to your party... and even if you are not a big partier...you can listen to the Buddha party and that is truley one of a kind cd....
ON this buddha cd you will here songs from all over the world mixed to make you move and chill at the same time...
The songs come from Greece, Persia, Arabia, Spain, Asia...it feels real cool to listen to a Buddha bar cd... it is an experiance that you will never forget......

I just have good things to say about this CD, it's music is strong, colourful, full of spice & depth, eclectic yet homogeneous and harmonious.

I was reading a book at The Second Cup, a coffee shop close to my place, when suddenly this amazing sounds fill up the whole space, I couldn't concentrate anymore on my reading, spend the next 30 minutes listening to the music, when I was ready to leave I asked the name of the CD, Buddha Bar II, It felt like I had travel the world, without moving one inch.

I met Claude Challe at the Buddha Bar in Paris in 1999. I hadn't heard of him before but I was absolutely amazed and impressed by his very unique music. I tried last year to get his CDs from the states, but no one had it at the time (I'm glad Amazon.com has them). I would highly recommend this for anyone who loves fusion styles of Techno, Middle-Eastern and Indian music.

Forget Buddha bar II, a huge dissapointment and the poorest of the buddha bar series. It is buddha bar 1 tracks 1-8 on disc one that you must listen to. Tracks 1-8 are mind blowing and inspirational and these tracks alone are worth the hefty purchase price of the double CD priced at around 32.00 pounds sterling in most UK stores. It is an absolute essential buy.

I compile and have done so for the past 10 years, a variety of music for K2 Restaurant in Moseley Village, Moseley, Birmingham, England from genres as varied as calssical, blues, flamenco and world-essentially downbeat and laid back (I hate the over used and commercially exploited term of chill out).

I thought my compilations were unbeatable (not commercial or for sale but unique, special and superior to anything available commercially, so I am told)as our clientelle will testify and I would have to say that my track sequencing is far superior to Monsieur Claude's and others in that I manage to create and maintain a consistent but varying mood throughout, it's the intensity man!

However, when I heard tracks 1-8 of buddha bar 1, it took my breath away and inspired me to try a new direction - the Claude Challe experience.

Nirvana Lounge and Lover Dose are far better than BBII and Sun is even better than all of the former, particularly Disc one and the latter is the best release since BBI. I cannot comment on Les Bouches Daines or whatever because I have not manged to locate a copy from the UK.

Check out Karmix on Claude's own new record label and this is more focused upon Arabic Berber traditions with breakbeat and scratching. It is a worthy debut and most promising of things to come from Claude.

However, why not also try K2 and our soon to be opened basement (bar-members)only in or about 2002 and I'm sure you will find a more consistently produced laid back and other (world and Jazz)compilation derived musical experience to take your breath away and maybe even Monsieur Claude's breath would be taken away.

Hats off to Claude for reinvigorating my exploration of new music.

Oh by the way sorry about any spelling mistakes!

Wonderfully hipnotic, this compilation of world inspired tunes is a veritable compendium of all that is great. Claude Challe has done his homework here, grabbing what must be the creme de la creme of international artists, fusing their flawless masterpieces together, to create a tireless album, of endless listening pleasure. If you are an aficionado of modern world music, then Buddha Bar 2 will most definitely take pride of place in your collection. This is an album truely worth the investment.

I first heard this CD set at the Hummingbird bar in Wellington, NZ. It started out as the background noise as we sat outside with our coffee, but quickly distracted us to the point where we both went in and asked the bar staff what was playing.

It's hard to describe, it's so incredibly varied in its musical styles, yet it all somehow fits together and flows beautifully, mesmerisingly. The film equivalent would be Baraka: a mixture of styles and imagery from all over the world, from places us comfortable Westerners have never imagined or been to. It's like nothing you'll ever hear again...except maybe his next compilation.

Ideal album for lazy-lying in your sofa, drinking a gin and tonic and dreaming away to buddha's paradise. Fantastic music!

We discovered the Bhudda Bar CD in Paris before we went to the actual Bhudda Bar in Paris. I won't be surprised if this concept starts catching on in the US, specificially in New York and San Francisco...having a really cool bar with it's own soundtrack! It is a marvellous piece of music, suitable for setting a mood, sitting back and enjoying yourself. Price tag probably a bit steep for the average consumer...Get it, you won't be dissapointed. Also enjoyable is the set of Cafe del Mar from Cafe del Mar in Ibiza.

First, it is disappointing as I flat out think Claude Challe is brilliant and before this CD - thought he was infallible. He has put together some not just great CD's but CD's that forever haunt you - they are that brilliant! With that bar set, it's hard when he delivers anything less than a revelation but sadly, this CD is such a case. It's mostly pleasant and interesting but just doesn't haunt you like most Claude's mixes that seem to weave in and out of your subconscious and brain - this one is just "okay," for a lot of other mixers, that would be fine but for Claude - this seems far below him ... what also hurts are two flat out spoken word tracks that are so treacly - you actually shudder and feel a little queasy - they are just wretched. As someone who owns thousands of Cd's, it's rare I want to immediately hit stop or want to figure a way to tape up the Cd so those tracks NEVER play again. So, I can see why newcomers might be so turned off by those tracks ... while Buddha Bar is usually not just reliable but excellent - this is definitely the last one to pick up in the series or avoid entirely as the best tracks can be found elsewhere.