Customer Reviews

Loud

5 star:		(11)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

I'm not a fan of electronic music, DJs and stuff, but when I fisrt heard the single "Help me" on TV, I couldn't but be amazed. All in that song is fantastic, the beat, Kelis voice, the super-hero like vibes, all of it. So, I considered to buy it.

I gotta say that I didn't expect to like it much, I just wanted the record for the single, but I was surely surprised to find fresh, driving, exciting electronic sounds, that I had thought I'd never like in my life.

I really recommend this album, for me, Timo Maas is one of the most creative and original DJs of our time, and... well, this record rocks it real hard.

By the way, the art work for the album is so fantastic, the little girl on cover and the rest of the fotos are just so cool, perhaps it doesn't have much to do with the music, but the girl is lovely and just made me enjoy the record so much more.

Take everything you know about Timo Maas and dump it in the trash right now. He separates us from everything we currently know about him to a whole new level with his latest artist-driven album, "Loud." Let me explain in a bit, because first I must talk about who Timo really is.

Timo Maas is a German DJ/producer already permanently inscribed on the list of best international DJs in the world. His brilliant remix of Azzido da Bass's "Dooms Night" not only brought him immediate fame but also marked the beginning of a very successful career. Around the same time Timo released his own assault of hit singles, namely "Der Schieber" and "Ubik (Dance Mix)." His two DJ-mix albums called "Music for the Maases" and "Connected" hit well in the United States and continued to spread his name across the globe.

Still unsatisfied and always trying to be the best he can be, Timo released his first artist album, spanning his many influences and taste in music. My immediate reaction when first hearing "Loud" was shock. What I expected to hear was Timo's unique brand of Hard Techno, Trance, and House. Instead, he surprised his fans by taking a completely different route. "Loud" sounds reminiscent of the new Chemical Brothers' album "Come With Us," catching its same Big Beat Techno sound and energy. On certain tracks there are some influences from Trance music, but not many and generally only because those songs use a 4/4 beat. It wasn't quite as dominant as everyone thought it was going to be upon hearing Timo was releasing something new. In fact, it's only in the songs "Old School Vibes" and "Like Love" that actually sound like Trance.

I'd have to say my favorite songs on the album are "Help Me (feat. Kelis)" and "Shifter (feat. MC Chickaboo)." "Help Me" is a strong and upbeat start to the album. In the background you can hear samples from the old sci-fi movie "The Day The Earth Stood Still," while your main focus is drawn towards Kelis' mysterious vocals. "Shifter," on the other hand, is some GREAT Electro-Breakbeat music and for a moment makes me wish we were back in the days when breakdancing was all the rage.

One other very noteworthy track is "We Are Nothing," which is not music but actually two minutes of thought-provoking dialogue. Kinda makes you go hmm... "We Are Nothing" is in the middle of the CD and marks the breaking point between the beginning-half and the end-half. I also enjoyed the hidden track on "Loud," the Fatboy Slim remix of "To Get Down." This song and "O.C.B." both have really cool guitar licks. The original version of "To Get Down," which is track 10, is still good but lacks Fatboy Slim's vision and therefore falls short of becoming the big hit that Slim's version is right now in Europe. This song is headed straight for a GAP commercial near you, it's THAT catchy.

Well, if you were to ask me how I liked the album, I'd have to say it was solid and a very impressive artist debut from Timo Maas... with a few minor imperfections. Some of the songs on "Loud" lack gravity and none of them are really THAT loud. Some of the buildups and breakdowns that Timo attempts are not dynamic enough and therefore don't have the impact that they should on the listener. Timo's songwriting skills are not quite as creative and innovative as similar artists like the Chemical Brothers and Groove Armada, but he sure has potential.

Give this album some time, and it'll become a staple in your CD collection, especially if you enjoy Big Beat Techno, Breakbeat, or Funky House. I give "Loud" 3.5 (rounded to 4) stars for being able to get me off my chair at moments and just dance!!

- the enlightened one

So what's Timo's next move...?

Especially to the one who said Oaky's cd was better, here's a little heads up, Oaky doesn't write his own tracks and if you had two bits of knowledge about electronica, (rather than what you gathered from somewhere) you'd know that.

Incidentally, I heard Timo Maas for the first time on an Oakenfold live mix set of Radio One in 1998, he was playing Ubik (The Dance) of which you'll find the breaks remix out (sadly no Techno remix :( like there was on the vinyl). Help Me, and To Get Down were out long before the album release, and had everyone in the world playing them. Funny enough, I've just gotten around to hearing the rest of the cd and it's definetly worth a listen just b/c it does NOT follow the normal 4/4 beat pattern (maybe time scale but definetly not a constant, consistent drum kick).

And also, my last attack is on the person who said Timo's drums needed help. My friend, he does not write trance; your saying that does no credit to your knowledge of the electronic genre. You might as well go back to calling all electronic techno. Everyone knows the greatest thing about "The Dance when it hit in 98' was the DRUM. I agree his remix of Azzida blew him up out the water in terms of popularity (catchy little bugger), but Ubik is in fact and in my opinion the hallmark of Timo. He's still keeping it real.

I recently walked into my local record store and heard this cd playing which I thought was amazing.I obviously purchased it and after a few listens wasn't disappointed.I already have "connected" but think this is slightly better due the excellent vocal tracks on it.timo goes from strength to stregth and I recommend anyone to purchase this one,you won't be disappointed.

This cd is amazing I must say. Great sound all the way through. I also own music for the maases but LOUD definitely rates better than his previous works.

Timo Maas, a great DJ, brings you a powerful piece of trance work with this release. "Manga" hits you with a hard driving dance anthem, sounds of video games blend with a tough beat one can almost picture the japanese comic books that this one is named after. "Hash Driven" may be my favorite with a really deep and cool bass beat a cool tune to mellow out to or dance really slow and funky to -- you can almost enter an altered state with this one. "Hard Life" will rock you through a lazy evening, nice blending of beats, simple string sounds and the musings of a snyth-voice. "We are Nothing" is an odd tune with spoken word by Leon Alexander: "I'm a believer. Well, that's not really true... I'm more of a make believer..." Not sure I like it, but it's kind of humorous. "To Get Down" has some authentic guitar rifts and shakes up the listener a bit, lots of fun. "Caravan" conveys a sense of tension and anticipation, danceable and inventive -- featuring vocals by Finley Quaye.

All in all, Loud is a very fun and danceable CD. Those who love to dance and enjoy checking out what's new with trance will enjoy this one!

This is one of the most enjoyable dance/electronica albums I've bought in a long time -- easily blows Fat Boy Slim & Chemical Brothers out of the water by comparison. Maas mixes up thick, driving beats with hard-edged guitars, quirky samples and great guest vocals. Overall the CD has a cohesive sound & texture and is strong through the course of the disc, with no "skip this" tracks (except maybe Caravan, which was a bit out of place). "Shifter" and "To Get Down" are two fantastic tracks out of many, with "Bad Days" ending the disc on a twisted ambient note. Very highly recommended!

Oh my gosh, where to begin? This album is so good it's unreal. I bought this CD having heard "To Get Down" and "Ubik" and the remixes he did for Fatboy Slim, Madonna, Azzido Da Bass, BT, Green Velvet, Placebo, and Kelis, and this album did not disappoint. There's no song that you'll want to skip, and plenty you'll want to hear again and again and again. My one problem with the album was that both "To Get Down" and "Ubik" were 3 some minute edits instead of the full versions. This is something for the Fatboy fans (and for the Fatboy fans there a special hidden treat on the CD). If you like anything then Timo's done, then pick up this album because it will not disappoint.

I heard a white label copy of "Help Me" last summer and I just new this guy was going to be big! I had not heard any of his music before but I bought this CD in the hopes that "Help Me" would be on the CD. However the entire CD is a great collection of diverse work by this new artist. I personally recommend tracks 4 & 10 myself. Overall I have jumped onboard the Timo Mass bandwagon and so will you after hearing this CD.

a friend of mine turned me on to timo maas remixes...then i heard love in traffic and loved the music...this cd..by far the best...manga, that's how i've been dancing, help me and hard life are my favorites. if you're thinking you are going to like this cd, i guarantee you will end up loving it... buy it!!!!

also check out rinocerus, another good cd