Customer Reviews

Downtempo Dojo

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I was very pleased with this disc. I read several positive reviews (here on Amazon) that defined it perfectly. This is primarily an instrumental album that sticks with the down-tempo and mellow theme, with occassional up-tempo break beats.

I would recommend this anytime you would want to "chill out" or be intimate with someone. If you have a nice sound system or a great set of headphones, the bass and tempo will put your brain in the mood. If you have love for early Morcheeba or late Massive Attack, this disk would fit sonically in your CD changer or playlist just fine.

I bought this album here on Amazon.com as it was on special offer with another album I ordered. I knew nothing of this album except for all the positive reviews it got here. What a fine discovery this was....
Every track here is brilliant. Melodic foregrounds over hip hop-esque beats. I think its wrong to classify this as a "chillout" album. While it is very relaxing to listen to, there's more to this than your standard ten a penny chillout albums that are cropping up everywhere. If this album is anything to go by, Saru will be one of the big names in the future. I can't say enough good things about this album. Buy it now, you won't be disappointed.

While "trip-hop" and "chill-out" as genre labels may seem to encompass a LOT of different types of stuff, nothing begins to approach the diversity of this record. It's downtempo tracs are WAY down, and even when it chills-out, it isn't totally relaxing. A lot of bigger names tend to wash their tracks with a lot of ambient swells and stock beats, but not Saru: you get MORe than your money's worth of ear candy here.

And at the price they're selling it for, it's a steal that'll make you the cool kid on the block. A super-strong if over-divergent album for the open-minded chiller.

I agree with the other reviews that Saru is going to be a big name in the future. This album defines trip hop while avoiding the cliche sound that dominates the genre. Without MC's or poppy female vocals Saru proves his merit as a composer without any weak tracks. I think it speaks for itself that the same people buying stuff like Tosca and The Dining Rooms are buying this album. Most people I have played Saru for have prefered it over other big name downtempo artists. Be sure to check Spooky Monkey, his side project if you like Saru. Check out this incredible album before everyone else gets it.

After dropping numerous samples of what was to be expected for his first full-length recording, Steve Branson finally unleashes a well-crafted melodic gem in Downtempo Dojo. If you've been following Shadow Record's onslaught of compilations, cuts such as the album-opening "Posterity," the utterly gorgeous "Bamboo Shadow" and the hypnotic masterpiece "Subterra" will ring a familiar tone in your ear. But the great thing about Downtempo Dojo is that Branson's joined all the tracks together, bleeding into one another and allowing the listener to float from cut to cut of continually soothing and atmospheric beats. Saru's material on the Shadow compilations was a very promising sign as to what the Los Angeles-based beat manipulator was capable of producing. Rest assured that the trend continues by adding equally fantastic numbers such as "Contact," with its gradual rising tempo, from lazy beats to borderline drum & bass, to the percussion-heavy "Jade," which even though has a hefty snare, somehow manages having the placed subtle notes lead the journey. Downtempo Dojo is simply a gorgeous record with epic length songs that is bound to satisfy heads from various musical genres. Headphone music at its finest and something for the blunted.

This has got to be one of my fav albums. Ever since i have bought the album, i have searched for simular sounding music. I think there is only one other artist that comes close to to saru's music ands thats Urchin's Urchin album. Saru's downtempo dojo has the blunted beats drowned out, with nice intrumentals and Urchin has more hip hop beats with spacy intrumentals. I wish that more trip hop music would be released in the uk, so i wouldnt have to wait months for my albums to arrive. Although its well worth the wait!

A very beatsy and decent chillout/kickback CD. I play this CD in the background when friends come over. I really like the songs on here except a couple of tracks, but generally I'm satisfied with the CD. However I wouldn't recommend it if you're into more mellow moods. A couple of friends were more into the melodic chillout and found the beats kind of heavy.

Of all the downtempo and chillout bull*%#$ I have bought, only this album and The Merkin Dream have stood the test of time. I bought Downtempo Dojo in February of 2003, and I still listen to it regularly. This album is percussion heavy, with what sounds like lots of live instrumentation - live bass and subdued guitar, astrally languid yet never sleepy percussion, and ear candy galore. No crap vocals but intermittent background stuff that works with, but never over, the music. You'll kick back but you won't sleep. Recommended for solitary listening - Turn down the lights, turn up the volume, light one and escape.

The short review -- Pristine, sample-licious, crate-essential head-hop downbeatz. Must buy!

The long review -- A dense, deep and thick mood emerges from your speakers when you drop Saru in. Lush, heavy ambience combines with unique and innovative tones and samples provoking intelligent and blunt friendly reactions. Subby dub influences abound. The eclectic and tasteful samples are an unusual treat. Its deep beats will instantly sooth a stressed mind keeping you productive with its steady tapestry style rythyms. Be careful it just may absorb you completely and you'll forget you're supposed to be working!

I love CDs like this one where you can put it in and not have to skip ANY tracks because you like EVERY SINGLE one! This CD is a don't miss full length debut from up-and-coming L.A. producer Steve Branson. I can guarantee its going in my crate immediately.

After so many years of junk and Europe's accelerattion in terms of downtempo music, things are finally taking a turn for the better. Saru is a solid producer of pure downtempo music. The tracks on this album are completley spacey, blunted out and sick..nice live instrumentation included as well, but not overdone to where it's "acid jazz". Any fans of Thievery Corporation, Kruder and Dorfmeister, Nightmares on Wax who are looking to go deeper and hear the newest underground stuff in this genre should definitly pick this up!