Customer Reviews

Kiss My Arp (+2 Bonus Tracks)

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I personally have to disagree with most of the reviewers here who thinks Andrea Parker's vocals are utter useless and takes away from the haunting melodies in the music. I enjoy Andrea's singing on "Kiss My Arp". She reminds me of the lead singers of Supreme Beings of Leisure, Olive, and Portishead. Andrea has that icy smooth, laid back quality that I love in trip hop music. I haven't heard of Andrea's work on DJ Kicks so I can't compare her work on "Kiss My Arp" to that cd. The production on "Kiss My Arp" is excellent especially on "Clutching At Straws", my favorite song off the album. I love the haunting melodies in the beginning. They just send chills down my spine. "Breaking the Code" is an interesting mish mash of sounds. The song itself sounds like it would be perfect for a science fiction soundtrack. The entire album in general is a mish mash of all sorts of bizarre noises and sounds. "Kiss My Arp" may not be one of my favorite cds in general but I like it enough to listen to on a regular basis. Andrea Parker reminds me like Aphex Twin, Portishead and DJ Shadow were cloned together and "Kiss My Arp" was the results.

Gorgeous, earthy late-night dance music, piano and strings all over, for when you've stopped dancing. If you like your ambient tecno and turntablism with vocals, get this (vocal) version. Her vocals ain't bad, but they're not compelling and brilliant in the way she uses samples of others' vocals in her remix work. If you're of the religion that says vocals ruin electronica, this isn't going to convert you. But you will most absolutely want the instrumental version of the LP. And if you're undecided, go with the instrumentals. As songs with vocals, it's good. But the music tracks are wonderful.

The tracklist above is incorrect. The actual list is as follows:The Unknown, Clutching At Straws, Breaking the Code, In Two Minds, Melodious Thunk, Some Other Level, Elements Of Style, Going Nowhere, Sneeze, Return Of the Rocking Chair, Exclamation Mark!

Ms. Parker has managed to concoct the sounds of midnight calling and dawn's early shadows! Her brilliant use of strings suggests a sophistication not commonly found elsewhere by artists of similar stylings. A beautiful, thick as molasses, down tempo groove. Poetic, lyrical, brooding and majestic. Who ever said that boi's were the only ones capable of such doleful grandeur? If you dig the down tempo vibe and move in the ethereal plane, then this album is a must for you.

I LOVE percussion and Andrea is the best at getting the beat across to the listener. The levels of her expertise are there for anyone who cares to listen. Very subtle at times and very moving.

During the first listen, this album is a complete blur of bass and blips. It takes a few spins to really get the full effect of Ms. Parker's creations. The only complaint I have concerns the use of vocals in certain tracks, such as "The Unknown." While Ms. Parker's voice is lovely, her lyrics sometimes leave something to be desired. Later on, however, tracks such as "Return Of the Rocking Chair" would be musical wallpaper if it wasn't for the qualities her voice brings to them.

Having heard Parker's very interesting DJ-Kicks album of remixes, I was quite impressed with this release. I disagree with one of the reviewers of the import album that the vocals ruin the record. Parker doesn't have a bad voice--in fact, I was thankful it wasn't of the whining Portishead/Lamb variety that is so common on electronic albums these days.

The instrumental tracks are probably better, though. There are very few electronic artists these days who create deep bass sounds as interesting as hers. They have a unique quality. If you are fan of Orbital and 808state, I recommend it highly.

this is a five star album if you can get a copy without ms parker singing on it (just listen to "return of the rocking chair").

it's weird though... i read somewhere else that parker didn't produce the album (or that she had a co-producer), yet she is known as a producer. i'm not sure how true that is, but the production and instrumentation of this album is top notch. i really hate to say it but her singing definitely takes away from the album. but if it is indeed her who produced this album, i must say it is an absolutely stellar job.

Andrea Parker, who is primarily known for her contribution to Studio K7's "DJ Kicks" series, delivers her first solo album with the help with producer David Morley. Together they have developed a style which reminds me of Autechre's more club-oriented material under the Gescom name, plus a few elements from other Warp artists and Morley's solo output (album: "Tilted"). Consequently, "KMA" mostly treads familiar territory and isn't particularly innovative; Complex, fractured rhythms, harsh bass lines, splinters of psychedelic melodies, and string arrangements are the features here, falling half-way between dancefloor material and equally pleasant home listening. Andrea packed all the strongest tracks into the first half of this 70-minute disc. "Breaking..", "Melodius thunk", and "In two minds" are experimental, mid-tempo techno numbers with a notable degree of complexity. "Some other level" with its keyboard drones and squeaks, and especially the 10-minute "Ballbreaker" have a more aggressive stance. The latter one starts with high-pitched crunches, but after three minutes or so, it begins to match its title with a series of brutal bass punches and metallic beats. The album's second half is much weaker, perking up only mildly with the bass-heavy "Going nowhere". The strings sound obtrusive and gratingly overblown on "Lost luggage" and "Return of..", while "Sneeze" and "Exclamation.." are too short and sketchy. This is not the best album Andrea will ever release, but I definitely recommend it to fans of the aforementioned artists.

as the rpm director of our school's radio station, i had heard a lot of hype from our label contact about this woman...with good reason! this is an excellent album...moody and deep and rich, Parker sends gorgeous Beth-Orton-ish vocals over phat dark beats. from strings to tweaky acid lines...this rekkid's got it all. hear for yourself...