The Mirror Conspiracy

Thievery Corporation

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 22, 2000)
• Original Release Date: August 22, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Eighteenth Street
• ASIN: B00004WFIZ
• Also Available in: Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars See all reviews (136 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,415 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
Washington, D.C.'s Thievery Corporation purvey a very mellow, deliberately international mixture of sounds that might be called "lounge music"--not in the kitschy sense, but in the sense of a laid-back local bar (much like the one the duo happens to run) with no dance floor. Rob Garza and Eric Hilton are professed admirers of Brazilian music, and they're determined to inject as much warmth into electronic music as possible. The Mirror Conspiracy is quite a musical travelogue, starting in Jamaica with "Treasures." This dubby opening track, which features vocalist Brother Jack, is quite reminiscent of the start of Swayzak's Himawari. Next up is "Le Monde," a quiet, wah-wah-inflected song featuring a chanteuse named Lou Lou. She reappears later on the somewhat more uptempo "Shadows of Ourselves," which, despite the title, is also sung in French. "The Hong Kong Triad" sounds like a tip of the hat to Shaft-styled soundtrack music. Elsewhere, it's off to India for two sitar-flavored tracks with a similarly laidback groove that gets a bit closer to techno, one of which, "Lebanese Blonde" (hash? a woman?), has been released as a single. Brazil gets its due on the densely percussive "Air Batucada," the more bossa nova-like "So Com Voce," and an instrumental titled "Samba Tranquille." Fans of this style are sure to be pleased. --Bob Bannister

Product Description
2000 release for the extremely talented and unsung DJ duo. An amalgamation of reggae dubplates, lounge muzak, breaks, beats and bossanova. 2000 release. Standard jewel case with slipcase.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

110 of 122 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Continental Groovey Lounge Music For the Modern Man or Woman, August 22, 2000

By	Jake Mitchell (Cleveland, Ohio USA) - See all my reviews

Mirror Conspiracy is the latest international down-tempo musical offering from "Thievery Corporation" otherwise known as the dj/production team of Rob Garza and Eric Hilton. Like their earlier releases; "Sounds From The Thievery Hi-Fi" and the inspiring "DJ Kicks", the duo presents a sexy collection of international beats seasoned with an array of jazz, easy listening, lounge, bossa nova, samba, sound track samples and more. Tropical beats and Afro Brazilian rhythms drive the overall late night groove. "La Monde" is a seductive slice of loveliness mixing breathy French vocals with a distinctive Jamaican dub. "Lebanese Blonde" a mysteriously international spy film soundtrack peppered with Baleric beats. "Samba Tranquille" a bit of breezy tropical turntabalism. "Illumination" easily the standout builds hypnotically with its driving indo-pyschedelic drum beats and mysterious middle eastern chanting. These are djs as mixologists, interpreters of world beats, tour guides to a jet setting audio travelogue sampling global styles, genres, cultures and languages. Hip modern day exotica for the modern world. A Must BUY for hip cats!

33 of 36 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You're in a dimly lit lounge. The mood is hip and cool..., December 12, 2004

By	Tom B "handydandy" (Westport, CT USA) - See all my reviews

...and the music throbs slowly but insistently, snatches of melody drawing you in, the beat stimulating but relaxing at the same time. The crowd is young and bright and full of life, smiling and weaving around each other, heads tilting back with easy, cool laughter. Welcome to the Mirror Conspiracy, your ticket to another room, a spacious mood, a place where cares do not exist and pleasure is abundant. The ocean of beats and sounds washes across the shores of your mind, gently hypnotizing away the craggy realities that soon seem many miles behind you. Too good to be true? Not in this case. I've been through at least a hundred so-called chillout albums and discovered, as you by now have, that most of them are bland, same-sounding pap, boring, mealy sonic filler. With today's electronic gear it's all too easy to make wooshy sounds. Any fool can pull the trigger, but it's very hard to get it right. As in all musical genres, only about ten percent of artists are really gifted, let alone brilliant. These guys very much are, at least on this disc. You'll get that spacious feeling, the warmth of the strong but mellow beat, and actual musical artistry. Subtle variations ease you imperceptibly from one track to another without losing interest. This album is a rare gem. It can be played in almost any setting, and will win over non-techno people. If you have any desire whatsoever for that elusive bird called "chillout music," this disc is absolutely essential for your playlist. Money well spent. Enjoy.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars : snappy percussion, shimmering melodies, & French women, August 23, 2000

By	Richard Diaz (Centerville, OH United States) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

It's been a while since we've heard original material from Rob Garza and Eric Hilton, the global lounge spinsters known as Thievery Corporation. So what have they been up to? After releasing an excellent edition to the DJ Kicks series last year, showcasing their enthusiasm for dub, jazz, and bossa nova ( wrapped in modern production), one might have guessed this world sound would be carried further on their second full-length release. Well, you'd be wrong.

The duo have decided to change directions, or rather, side-step to a different path. Their tracks, formerly drum layers with samples thrown in the blend, are now fully developed songs, often with singers. They've also studied their equipment, as these pieces reveal extra layers of sound and depth, are fuller and richer. The Corporation have gone from cool to chic, now wooing the café crowd instead of the spliff users.

Most tracks use the same formula: snappy varying percussion, shimmering melodies, warm tones and appearances by French women. It takes a few tunes for them to settle in; "Treasures is a brief step through mellow hues and crisp breakbeat, and "Le Monde," also short, adds thick guitar reverb and chanteuse vocals. "Indra" is the first standout track, with symphonic string pieces, chanting, and soft breakbeats building over time to reveal its' exotic colors. "Lebanese Blonde" a sitar-driven number with horn bursts (released as a single last year) counterpoints with some beautifully accented English. It's not until "Focus on Sight" that TC show some of the hip hop influences of earlier work. "Air Batucada" welds a spicy dance rhythm to a floating, glitterball melody, a nice kick in the middle of the disc.

There is some filler; "So Com Voce," and the cop show soundtrack "The Hong Kong Triad" to name two. "Illumination" is as close to jamming as the duo get, "The Mirror Conspiracy" is a lovely little piece, and "Tomorrow" ends well with a faster beat and wistful musings.

The Mirror Conspiracy is so polished you'll be willing to overlook the lack of distinctiveness between tracks; even at 50 minutes the disc starts to repeat itself. Regardless, those willing to accept their Thievery as more Air or Starseeds than Kruder & Dorfmeister will find this an enjoyable pick-up. A warm and refreshing release for 2000. B+