Customer Reviews

Live at Future Primitive Sound Session

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

 

 

i already owned mixmaster mike's "anti-theft device". while that record was decent, (and i certainly don't doubt his skillz as a turntablist), i found it too cerebral and experimental to really be able to get DOWN to: it wasn't quite as stereo-friendly (as opposed to live) as i would have liked. so i was skeptical about the tightness of shortkut and cut chemist. WOW! within 2 minutes of this album, i was outta my chair and popping windmills (in my head, at least). terrific. i recognize one of the tracks from the J5 record, the one with the science professor reciting the elements ("niacin: NH+1"). for some reason, there's nothing cooler than sampling old white males. the only flaw of this album (if you want to call it a flaw) is that i wasn't sure which DJ was doing what. maybe this is a good thing? bottom line, if you like sampling, addidas flailing in the air in a clockwise formation, and appreciate turntablism at its finest, you will be doing yourself a solid in picking this bad boy up.

Why is this recording a classic? Aside from the music itself, this album will be remembered in the underground archives as a classic for a reason stated in it's title: Cut Chemist meets Shortkut. This technically superb vinyl-shredding session was UNREHEARSED- Cut Chemist and Shortkut had NEVER met prior to this performance. And though their set starts off with a bit of back-and-forth warm ups, the two culprits quickly begin interacting like they had been performing together for years. Without knowing that the two had never met each other before this performance, let alone rehearsed the set, one would have no trouble believing that this recording was the result of a well-planned, thought out collaboration. And as for the music itself, Cut Chemist (formerly of Ozzomatli and currently one-half of the DJ team behind The Jurrasic Five) and Shortkut (member of both The Invisible Skratch Piklz and Beat Junkies turntable crews) combine to create a very compatible mix of old-school and new-school hip-hop and soul tunes, beats, and breaks, top-notch scratching and beat-mixing/juggling, and a wide variety of comical, scientific, and downright out-of-the-blue vocal samples. This is an outrageously clever, fresh, on-point head bobbing DJ set. If you're checking out this album, you probably have some disposition toward hip-hop and/or DJ mixes/live sets. I say to you: This one is a MUST have.

This album is quite simply, mind blowing. It should be handed out to people who are getting into real hip-hop, to show them what a real DJ does at a show. Also the album is a nice treat for those who haven't been forunate enough to see DJ Shortkut or Cut Chemist live at a show in person, let alone, see the two of them battle live in person. Actually, the album kind of ruined my experince of seeing Cut Chemist battling Shortkut in person because the album made me want to see more than the alotted twenty five minutes, I wish they could have gone on for hours and once you starting listening to this record, you will too want to listen to it for hours on end.

Okay, everybody, I was skeptical when this CD was put in my hand. I grew up listening to old school rap (Run-DMC, the Beasties, LL,) and thought that DJ-ing was just a beat for the MCs. Then, of course, I was disgusted by Puffy and all that "sampling" of the 90s. I thought to myself before I put this CD on: "Well, this can't possibly be art, or even innovative or interesting. I mean, all the guys are doing is mixing other people's music, just like Puffy... and that stuff was so WEAK."

Let me just say: I was never more wrong.

This CD is a work of genius. I can't believe I am saying that, but truth is truth.

True, these guys are taking music other people made, but they are putting it together in totally new ways. As one reviewer said before-- and he was right on the money-- this is a new form of art much like Jazz. They are using other music as their paint, but making totally new canvasses with it. And, it is listenable, not just academic! This CD is both humbling and inspiring.

Words fail me.

Why?

Because my jaw is still dragging on the floor!!

This set sounded so perfect that I figured it HAD to be rehearsed. The transitions are too smooth, the mixes too perfect, the skratchin' too ill. But according to another reviewer, these two had never worked together, or even MET, prior to this encounter. That makes it all the sweeter. It's one of the best examples out there of just what DJs can do. Seventy minutes of nonstop scratching, ingenious samples, and unbeatable party beats-- this is the album I always reach for when I'm trying to convince unbelievers of the power of the DJ. And more often than not, they're sold on the idea.

With a little more lift and a little more thrust on the marketing side, this series could have taken off in a big way. As it is, we've got two incredible albums of hip-hop goodness that're going to age incredibly well, no question about it. If you don't have them already, what the hell are you waiting for?

A truly amazing cd. I have a hip-hop/ turntablism/ soulful jazz/ deep house/ downtempo/ weird foreign stuff radio show and this is my favorite cd. I just start giggling like a little girl when I hear their eclectic selections. They don't let up through this whole cd and other than Q-Bert these guys have some of the best samples around. Hell, I just finished listening to it, straight through and I've had it for years. Worth the price of admission.

What cutchemist represents most of all is a deep passion & respect for making music, he also has the ability for true "rewind the sh*t over and over in your walkman" hip-hop. This tape is a true hiphop gem. Here you can listen to cut- chemist blending the best mix of hip hop, soul and 80's beats ever put out.This tape gets the ole noggin nodding so just sit back chill and listen to this tape.

Having read the other review of this disc, it should be pointed out that this is neither ambient nor trip-hop. Furhermore, it is not a studio recording at all; it was recorded in a live setting, and says as much in the liner notes. It is turntablism, and sounds like dozens of records having their beats and breaks ripped from their measures, only to be reassembled on the operating (turn)table of Cut Chemist and Shortcut. This is top-notch underground dee-jaying, and it deserves your support.

This album is just one track, 71 minutes long. It is a battle (in the studio) between the Cut Chemist and Shortkut.... If it's about turntablisms in a hip-hop format for you, pick this *ish up... If you're looking for the latest ambient-trip- scotch-wannabe-cool-and hey!-I've got tables so I might as well-call it-a-new-artform crassly unsubstantiated pretension, pick it up and figure out what turntables sound like when used as an instrument for music instead of as a sedative....

All I have to say is two words, "holy crap" this is single handly the best scratching/techno cd I have ever heard. I thought Fatboy Slim's "A Night at the Big Beat Boutique" was awesome, I've just changed my mind. This is a cd you pop in your stereo and just stare at the speakers with amazement. How could people develop such amazing sounds using chunks of rotating vinyl? Then I found out that when this CD was recorded, Shortkut and Cut Chemist didn't rehearse anything, they hadn't even met before this! SWEET JEZUS! (sorry, I'm getting carried away) Buy this CD and you will know what real DJ'ing is like.