Customer Reviews

Doubts & Convictions

5 star:		(17)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Marseilles, an industrial city where a multi-racial and cultural mix often results in violent
clashes, a breeding ground for the second largest Hip-hop community in the world, provides the
background from which the Troublemakers emanate. Yet this trio managed to come together
brilliantly, securing a spot for themselves on the international downtempo scene, away from the "French Touch" of Air and those who followed in the wake of their success. The cinematic
influences of DJ Shadow's abstract Hip-Hop construction is the primary influence of "Doubts and Convictions", but it is a more musical album, with a touch of Blue Note Lounge Jazz, a few
ambient textures, and the exotic sensuality of African and Brazilian vibes. The music is
laid-back, groovy, and easy to get into, but much like the place it comes from, there are flaring tensions and deeply rooted emotions, making it one of the edgiest releases in the world of Downtempo.

Their first effort was masterful. The TroTheublemakers' "Doubts & Convictions" has all the expressiveness of the best of current electronic music. The reputed Chicago label Guidance, which is bringing out their first album in early 2001, has picked a winner.

There are three Troublemakers: DJ Oil (in the funk and downtempo mould), Fred Berthet (who has a more electro and techno approach) and Arnaud Taillefer (an all-rounder who is at ease with electro-acoustic music, hip-hop and filmic references). The project was born in Marseille, an industrial metropolis on the Mediterranean coast. The city's urban frenzy, the seaport, the sea, and its activity - the milling city, its warehouses, its racial and cultural mix, and its now well-known hip-hop scene - inspire the group's creative work, even if the group do not display any Marseille identity. "Our music could have been conceived anywhere", they affirm.

The Troublemakers were surprised to find that Guidance was interested in them. Theirs is only the second album to be recorded on this label, which normally produces maxis, although Guidance's catalogue recently moved more towards downtempo with its Subtitled division.
An American label? "It's a bit difficult to manage, but it is effective: it makes us independent of the 'French Touch phenomenon' ", DJ Oil states with satisfaction. And as a result of the group's first maxi, "Electrorloge/Street Preacher/Mister Moulin", which is currently in the stores, people are already speaking of them as the promising heirs to the French electronic scene.

With its organic, uncluttered compositions, the Troublemakers' album has rare richness, depth and emotional immediacy. The mastery of "Doubts & Convictions" lies in strong inspiration for measured rhythm sections (often downtempo, tinged with jazz sounds) and acoustic atmospheres (strings, pianos, vibraphone, double bass, clarinet, and acoustic guitar, finely sampled). It is structured with electro, cool and contemplative vigour, which can go into top gear to reach the engaging warmth of seventies funk.
So it can be surprising to hear them say: "We didn't know each other when we started - we just felt that we were complementary to each other".
The eclectic range of "Doubts & Convictions" extends with concision from the voluptuous Blue Note style jazz lounge sound to urban bursts of adrenaline, like DJ Shadow, Kruder & Dorfmeister and artists of the German Compost label, their declared influences, or more classic influences such as Ninja Tune and Mo' Wax, which have made their mark on today's music.

The Troublemakers' palette is varied, with many subtle changes of emotion. They want to instil the nature and secret of this "trouble", which is their signature.

The debut long player from Marseille production trio Fred Berthet, Arnaud Tallefair and Dj Oil is an accomplished affair. Though the street preacher intro and the Travis Bickle comments that trawl the sprawling string of "Black City" act as ominous parentheses for an album, like DJ Food's Kaleidoscope, the material isn't all doom and gloom with the it's two years in the studio showing in the nuances and subtleties of the production. Lively percussion and cinematic orchestration really define the LP and though neither are too far away - both are used across a breadth of styles-stretching from the occasional disco strikes that break through the sonar of "Hum Hum" and the bossa breaks of "Fatigue Universelle." For this listener, however, it's "Get Misunderstood" which really stands out, it's French conversation and confused rhythm section making for a tense intro before stretching out to a full string accompaniment. A three-dimensional listening experience.

Guidance Recordings in association with the Hi-Fidelity Lounge series proudly present the release of "Doubts and Convictions" the groundbreaking debut album from the Troublemakers. The Marseille based trio consisting of Fred Berthet, Arnaud Taillefer and DJ Oil are the latest in the long line of talented and genre defying bands to emerge from the ever fertile French electronic scene. Brought together by their shared appreciation for 60s and 70s jazz, funk and film soundtracks, the Troublemakers spent nearly two years in the studio translating the vibes, energy and attitude of this era into a modern musical context. The fruits of their labor are manifested on this stunning long player for Guidance. "Doubts and Convictions" is a thought provoking montage of soulful electronic rhythms brought to life by funky jazz horns, exquisite guitar arrangements, warm fender rhodes vibes, vibrant percussion splashes and colorful cinematic interludes. The result is a captivating concept album that infuses trip hop, house, jazz, funk, soul, afro and bossa beats with a healthy dose of French film noir attitude

You should all be familiar with this scenario by now. Several suave and sophisticated (we presume) French gentlemen, le samplers, le instruments, and le result......a full blown cinematic ear journey. If you think Kid Loco and Snooze you're in the zone, he'll you could even go for the obvious K & D and Thievery comparisons but in all honesty, that would be selling these guys a little short. For sure "Electrologue" rides a Tosca-esque groove and "Chez Roger Boite Funk" will rock lateral lounges from here to Washington DC but there's not a dash of Chardonay sipping new age James Last trippery to be found on this mighty Guidance Recordings release. Even the free saxy squawl on opener "Street Preacher" fails to disturb the mood of fine funky grooves, soild structures and enterprising musical and found sound probing. Like a bunch of your favorite Ninja Tune moments wrapped into one slow burning music treat "Doubts and Convictions" has got the legs for your ears....and I've got a nose for these things!

You should all be familiar with this scenario by now. Several suave and sophisticated (we presume) French gentlemen, le samplers, le instruments, and le result......a full blown cinematic ear journey. If you think Kid Loco and Snooze you're in the zone, he'll you could even go for the obvious K & D and Thievery comparisons but in all honesty, that would be selling these guys a little short. For sure "Electrologue" rides a Tosca-esque groove and "Chez Roger Boite Funk" will rock lateral lounges from here to Washington DC but there's not a dash of Chardonay sipping new age James Last trippery to be found on this mighty Guidance Recordings release. Even the free saxy squawl on opener "Street Preacher" fails to disturb the mood of fine funky grooves, soild structures and enterprising musical and found sound probing. Like a bunch of your favorite Ninja Tune moments wrapped into one slow burning music treat "Doubts and Convictions" has got the legs for your ears....and I've got a nose for these things!

A real masterpiece of this France Group.
Acid jazz, r&b, funk and groove all togheter for an atomic bomb of sound.
Time after time each time that i'am listening to this album i discovered new sounds, new influence.
Energy in a dark side, shadow in the sun...the music it's coming out from voices (french,english,italian?) and became a funky-groove or r&b and even a jazz track.
Too old to die (already present in a HI-FI LOUNGE collection), Fatigue Universelle,Chez Roger Boite Funk and Grover is Back are the real top but also all others are very near to be perfect.
Don't miss something really different and special.
Another Guidance records wiyh 5 stars....congratulations!

The title of my review says it all. Go get it.

Cheers!
Scot

The debut long player from Marseille production trio Fred Berthet, Arnaud Tallefair and Dj Oil is an accomplished affair. Though the street preacher intro and the Travis Bickle comments that trawl the sprawling string of "Black City" act as ominous parentheses for an album, like DJ Food's Kaleidoscope, the material isn't all doom and gloom with the it's two years in the studio showing in the nuances and subtleties of the production. Lively percussion and cinematic orchestration really define the LP and though neither are too far away - both are used across a breadth of styles-stretching from the occasional disco strikes that break through the sonar of "Hum Hum" and the bossa breaks of "Fatigue Universelle." For this listener, however, it's "Get Misunderstood" which really stands out, it's French conversation and confused rhythm section making for a tense intro before stretching out to a full string accompaniment. A three-dimensional listening experience.

Track one is not a good start to this album, but everything after it is quite tasty.