New Forms

=, Roni Size

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 28, 1997)
• Original Release Date: October 28, 1997
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: Fontana Island
• ASIN: B000001EYA
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (77 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #67,527 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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  Music > Dance & Electronic > Drum & Bass

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

For his debut album on Talkin' Loud/Polygram, Bristol, England's Roni Size keeps with the label's tradition of releasing grandiose, song-oriented dance albums. Size teams up with DJs Krust, Die, and Suv; MC Dynamite; and vocalist Onalee to weld the rough-and-ready sounds of British drum & bass to the soul vibes of their hometown. On New Forms, the jazz concepts laid out on his earlier singles are expanded into song form, with live instrumentation and full vocals. The album never fails to be interesting; there's serious musical credibility underlying every track, but New Forms, with its straightforward pop sensibilities, is clearly aimed at the listener. Fans of the Bristol sound will appreciate the "Watching Windows" and "Share the Fall" singles, whose subtle melancholy blends seamlessly with Size's trademark drum assaults. Despite its length (23 tracks spanning 140 minutes), New Forms remains perfectly balanced and eminently listenable. --Matthew Corwine

Product Description

Japanese Renewal Edition featuring Two Bonus Tracks. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not Enough Jazz?, December 17, 1999

By	R. Wyatt (London) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great album ignoring the somewhat pompous title. Jazz, blues, funk, drum n bass etc are hardly new. I agree with others that it is a little too repetetive and boring at times but hey what isnt these days. Those seeking a bit more jazz and fewer and slower beats might like to check out Bugge Wesseltoft and his equally pompously titled New Conception of Jazz which has real horns, guitars, a wider spread of tempos and is actually rather better than this apart from some iffy treated vocals (but then if it has to be called Drum N Bass to fit your personal lifestyle choice, keep the blinkers on)

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm Still In Shock, November 28, 1999

By A Customer

This album blew me away. Damn, if you listen to it loud and let the whole album play out, you'll get the best listening experience possible for this album. New Forms plays out like a continuous drum & bass mixtape. The songs, with their rich basslines and pulsing percussion, draw influence from jazz, soul, and hip-hop. Add some smooth vocals and a guest spot by Bahamadia and you have one solid album.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Took me a while to like this, December 5, 2001

By	The Pete (Illinois) - See all my reviews

I bought this when it came out and - despite the fact I liked many of the tracks - I felt everything was overlong, repetitive, boring and all the other things people say about this CD. However, I just put it on the other day and it's like my ears have finally caught up with these guys! This is an absolutely awesome CD!

I'm not sure how to describe the sound of "New Forms", except to just call it drum and bass. It's got the feel of live instrumentation even when everything is programmed, however the way the tracks are built comes straight out of the techno genre. Overall, the sound is very spare and all about "less is more".

If you're having trouble, start with tracks like "New Forms" and "Digital" which include some vocals and rap. These helped me "get it" and opened the door to the instrumental stuff. If you think you're just going to slap this on your player and enjoy, forget it. It demands time on your part and that your ears stretch a bit to really hear how the songs move and change.

Brilliant and essential.