Customer Reviews

Question

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

 

 

I was told this CD is as good as Kruder & Dorfmeister's "The K&D Sessions". Well, it is. And if you don't have "The K&D Sessions", get it as well.

I got turned on to Purple Penguin after accidentally seeing him DJ here in San Francisco. The show he presented was completely original with seamless mixes and amazing flow. The flow of this disc, Question, is what sets it apart from most other releases of late. There are 5 or 6 spectacular songs on this disc with the remaining songs being very good. The overall mood of the disc is medium tempo electronic/DJ music - not super fast, but not plodding either, just super all around music where the new DJ techniques do not get in the way of beautifully orchestrated music. Do yourself a favor and give this a try.

I was turned onto PP two years ago by a friend. Its purchase began my foray into downtempo/electronic music. As another reviewer stated it is a solid album. Standouts include "Dust" "Raw Deal" and the opening track. There is a substantial amount of lyrics on the album, which is a large part of the appeal for me. PP's first album De-Tuned, which I subsequently bought. is more instrumental. While not as good as QUESTION, it is also worth picking up.

Purple Penguin and his label Cup of Tea Records have disappeared. I had hoped that the promise from this album would bring more great music for years to come.

While this isn't the most interesting downbeat album ever, it is nearly perfectly constructed. I'd say it's the musical equivalent of a German car - well built and solid, but not very unique. With that said, if you enjoy stuff like Tosca, K&D, the Hi-Fidelity comps, and Thievery Corporation, this will be right up your alley - it's a bright and funky mix of slow, deep grooves, and underwater lounge. Not too many sounds you haven't heard before, but well worth repeated listens. Good stuff.

Purple Penguin's second album, QUESTION, appropriately enough, begins with a question. What's not in question is the quality of the quiet downtempo here. There's also a more pronounced use of vocals here, from the ethereal (but earthy) "B-Drum" and the ruminant "Return" to the funky dub of "Raw Deal" and coolly expressionless "Indoctrination." "Melody" has a nice noir vibe to it, but there's also a marked turn towards the more upbeat too: "Apollo" is so catchy, you can't help but tap your toes. On the other end of the spectrum, the country-western in outer space of "Dust" is so wrong it's right. So no need to question: get this album!

Like the Header says, you can really only sum up the feel and groove on this album with one word. I accidently stumbled across this album when I was in Praha, Chech Republic this summer, and someone suggested it to me along with some other albums on "Cup of Tea" records. This album really kept me entertained for months straight of travelling around and I still listen to it today.