Customer Reviews

Freaks & Icons

5 star:		(15)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

First of all, this is not trip-hop or downtempo, and really is not that similar to K&D, Thievery Corp and others that Dzihan and Kamien are compared to. What it is, is an excellent blend of various dance styles with Middle Eastern beats and melodies, and loungey elements. It is an amazing debut LP, with a huge amount of instrumental dexterity and sampling genius. While countless bands have sampled Middle Eastern music, nobody else has blended it so skillfully and made it so danceable as well in the process.

Elements of house, trip-hop, lounge, trance, drum'n'bass, and dub combined on this CD. There are a lot of great songs on it, but I particularly like the ethereal "Ocean Air" -the Turkish saz flavored "Slowhand Hussein" the funky Arabic "Just You and I" and the piano-tinged "Homebase."

Highly recommended for anybody who likes interesting dance music in ethnic flavors.

Here is another downtempo duo from Austria in the same vein as fellow Austrian duo Kruder & Dorfmeister.(They got a lot better since Falco :))

Kamien is Swiss, and Dzihan is Bosnian. They are apparently very much influenced by Turkish music.(turkish zither samples on some songs, samples from an instrument sounding like an electric saz on others) This influence is especially obvious in "streets of istanbul" , "slowhand hussein" and "just you & I". The last one is one of the best tracks in the album along with "after","homebase" (also in a cafe del mar compilation) and "dabudei" in my opinion."Just you & I" and "after" are also the most danceable tracks in the album. The rest is perfect for after-party chill-out.

Buy this album! Also check out Kruder&Dorfmeister's and Thievery Corporation's (especially last album "Mirror Conspiracy") work.

In amongst the huge amount of distinctly second-rate laid-back electronica and chill-out music that's out there are some real hidden gems. And here's one... an album full of cleverly arranged, addictive beats that will grab repeated space on your CD player. Why? Well, despite its distinctly "tacky" cover, "Freaks & Icons" is in fact one of the coolest albums around... closer to Thievery Corporation than Kruder & Dorfmeister, but with the same beautifully crafted, multi-layered instrumentation of their more popular peers, it incorporates East European & Asian influences into familiar, rock-solid jazz-funk and "chill out" structures that, seemingly effortlessly, roll along from start to finish. After a couple of times through, the infectious melodic "hooks" that underpin virtually every track take hold and, before you know it, you're hitting the replay button yet again.

The slip cover on this disc referenced Kruder & Dorfmeister, Saint Etienne and others and those are good starting points. The disc has a lot less dub in it than a K&D track, but there's some nice funk underneath the percussion of "After" that would fit right in on K&D's Session's disc. There are some really open-ended soundscape tracks that roll along (the closing "Spacewater" and the narrated "Colores") to balance the funkier tunes.

The tempo is certainly laid back, and the songs flow really well - there's no jumping from low BPM into a club anthem or anything like that, so a good listen on the headphones will be rewarding.

I first heard dZihan & Kamien on www.soma.fm's Groove Salad channel. The Freaks & Icons CD is an excellent work. I can say I actually like every track (and that's saying a lot). Yes, the cover is, well, odd (but all their covers seem a bit odd), so don't be put off by it. Their music has compelling beats, international flavors, and haunting chords & melodies. A very polished, well mixed group. This CD has a high replay value, in my opinion. I will buy more dzihan & Kamien works. I would also recommend Soma FM's groove salad channel to hear more of this style of music. You will find artists whose work you will want to buy (and please support Soma, they area a listener-supported internet radio station - no I am not affiliated with them).

In the realm of acid jazz/jazz fusion/downtempo/lounge this CD ranks up there with the best of them. If you're looking for earth-shattering-intergalactic-experimental-electronica you will surely fall asleep on this one. However, if your prefer more refined and structured electronica, you'll enjoy the hip jazzy feel they have infused into each track.

Almost any track you can easily imagine being played in your local Starbucks or your favorite lounge. Some are danceable (After, Just You & I, Where Are We?). Some go well with your morning Caramel Macchiato (I Guess She..., Before, Ocean Air). A few are excellent backdrops for an evening houseparty with pita chips, hummus and Mojitos (Dabudei, Streets of Istanbul, Slowhand Hussein). Others are great as a night cap (Homebase, Colores, Spacewater). Regardless the event or time of day there is a song from this CD that would suit perfectly.

I gave this 4 stars instead of 5 merely because I enjoy this CD second to their other CD, Gran Riserva which I highly rate a 5.

I can truthfully say, those familiar with Dzihan and Kamien are not only a fortunate lot, but also a bunch that exude an eclectic and excellent taste in music. Relatively popular amongst Ibiza's sun-drenched followers and ambient/chill-out lovers, Dzihan and Kamien are a fresh and innovative duo capable of churning out beautiful, sublime and ear-catching music.

Hailed from Vienna, Dzihan and Kamien have sent many spiralling, with their juxtaposition and synthesis of Eastern and Western sounds. Tracks like 'Dabudei', 'Slowhand Hussein' and 'Just you and I', coalesces traditional Middle-Eastern beats with sophisticated Western synthesized rhythms to produce rich, lively and kaleidoscopic tempos.

But Dzihan and Kamien doesn't just stop there, they conjure up much more, but to say any more would be giving away what this whole album is all about. In short, Dzihan and Kamien don't fail to disappoint chill-out listeners, and they certainly didn't disappoint me with Freaks and Icons!!

I learned about Dzihan & Kamien from one of Cafe del Mar's album when 'Homebase' catched my attention with its middle-eastern flavoured atmospheric rhythmic arrangement. The rest of the songs in "Freak & Icons" are very satisfactory as well. The laid back attitude of the songs and their pulsating rhythm are suitable to be played in an intimate parties, or even as a backgound music as you work at the office.

However, to gain the best result, light some candles and incense, with some large pillows on the floor and enjoy the sensual middle-eastern ambience!

After enjoying their "gran riserva" so much, I had to get this album. And I wasn't disappointed. I hope there's more groovy music comin' from these guys.

What a great mix of beats. Gran Riserva and this one are two of my favorite downtempo/lounge cds. These guys really know how to mix the sounds up. You won't be disappointed with this one, trust me and the other reviewers that have highly recommended this one. It is a new classic.