Customer Reviews

Resist

5 star:		(26)
4 star:		(16)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Faithless is to trip hop-infused dance/pop as Kosheen is to drum & bass-infused dance/pop. "Resist" isn't a full-blown drum & bass album but instead it is a well-executed album heavily influenced by drum & bass. There are plenty of the familiar skitterish, rapid electronic beats that is known in the drum & bass world yet very radio-friendly with the gorgeous melodies for listeners who don't normally enjoy drum & bass music. Lead singer Sian has a rich warm voice that adds a warmth to the rapid drum beats that isn't usually heard in drum & bass. Her vocals are a bit on the soulful side. One of the reviewers here said it best when he described her as being a bit like Portishead's Beth Gibbons and Moloko's Roisin Murphy. The very second I heard "Hide U" I immediately knew I have heard this particular song somewhere. It is an infectious club song perfect for your typical Saturday night out on the town. Now while this song is one of my favorite tracks on the album, I don't think it totally represents what the band is about. I think tracks such as "Catch", "Empty Skies", and "Resist" really represents the diverse sound of this excellent genre-bending band. "Resist" is definitely one of the best dance albums I have heard this year so far. It will be a tough call to pick a favorite between Dirty Vegas' album and Kosheen's "Resist" since both albums are simply superb in my book.

Who says Kosheen has to be hardcore? Being a DJ I had heard, owned and spun their tracks "Empty Skies", "Hide U" and "Catch" almost a year before they were ever released in the States. Needless to say, as they charted high in the UK they were a "best kept secret" here. But no more.

WHAT THIS ALBUM ISN'T:

It's definitely not for hardcore 'junglists' or die hard fans of the Diesel Boy sound. Even if you are fans of producers Substance and Decoder, you may be put off by what they do here. So if that's you, look elsewhere.

WHAT IT IS:

This album is definitely a bit more 'mature' than what you might expect from this pairing of artists. It's got that 'Everything But the Girl' pseudo dnb sound for most of the album, but a few tracks are just the original jungle tracks EQ'ed differently (toned down for the masses, if you will). Take for instance "Empty Skies" (possibly one of the best songs ever written). This track ALWAYS killed the crowd when I dropped it on dub. ALWAYS. Granted it was a much harder mix but people were always asking me about the artist and who they were. If any of them picked up this album and were disappointed, then how can they really be mad at Kosheen? That's like being a fan of Thunderpuss Remixes of Britney Spears and not Britney Spears, but not Britney Spears. You can feel that way but don't hate the originators for doing what they do.

Anyways, all in all, the albums hot. I listen to it all the time. I do skip around alot, and my favorite tracks, "Hide U", "Empty Skies", "Resist", "Gone", and "Pride" should please even some of the most hardcore of Drum and Bass fans.

This album is an obvious attempt by Kosheen to 'cross-over' but, hey, not everyone wants to be unknown and poor forever. Get it if you like Ben Watt's production for Everything But the Girl, Nelle Hooper's work on the early Bjork albums or Roni Size's work for Break Beat Era.

After downloading about 4 songs from this album I went out and bought it with little hesitation. The funky "Slip & Slide (Suicide)" is what pulled me into Kosheen in the first place, which consists of two producers, Decoder and Substance, along with newcomer Sian Evans who provides all of the powerful vocals which often have a soulful/rockish edge to it. With that Kosheen is able to create amazing drum n' bass songs with interesting poppy-electronica which firmly roots Kosheen at the top of their game. It's hard to even imagine how Kosheen's RESIST can be so underrated for they have such a progressive and creative soundbase. Kosheen has accessible material that manages to remain a well-hidden jewel in the music world but with mainstream elements that almost make this album suitable for radio, with standout songs being "Harder", "Slip & Slide (Suicide)", "Empty Skies", the devilish "Resist" and the new-agey "Face In A Crowd". This album is incredibly addictive and is one of the best drum n' bass albums to come out in a long, long while.

Trust me people... You can try to resist this album but it won't be easy. I don't think it wise of you to resist it anyway for it's a splendorous triumph in this otherwise repetitious genre, and I recommend it to the fullest extent.

Darren Beale and Mark Morrison (Decoder & Substance) have been delivering diesel drum and bass to the ears and dance floors across the globe. But in the early summer of 1999 Darren and Mark teamed up with singer-song writer Sian Evans and began the project that would later be called Kosheen. Now almost 3 years later Kosheen is ready to release their debut album.

The great thing about this album is that it doesn't try to fit vocals on top of a drum and bass tracks. Each track has a unique blend between traditional song writing and electronic drum & bass programming. The album is filled with guitars spread over classic amen breaks, squelch-y synth progressions, catchy hooks and fresh, lively vocals. The first single released "Hide-U" is the predominate opening track on the album. Nice breaks, stabs and Sian's wonderful voice come together to create a definitely unique and energetic sound. The album continues along with "Cover", a mellow ballad where piano progressions are coated over beats and another lovely vocal performance by Sian. "Catch" is next up, and after hundreds of listening to this album, it has to be one of my favorites. "Catch" has a cleverly catchy quality to it. The vocals explode ontop of arpeggiated synths and beats, but yet it's not cluttered with unneeded noise and progressions. Other notable tracks from the album include "Hungry" with its dominant acoustic guitar riffs and seductive performance by Sian, and "Face in a Crowd" which is just explosive, it brings Kosheen into uncharted territory, it's the most progressive track on the whole album.

What I like about the sound of this album is that its not cluttered with too many layers. The trio is able to get their point across without going overboard with progressions and sounds. Which is what makes this album somewhat unique in the whole pop rock/drum and bass crossover. Kosheen is definitely taking a new twist on that old idea. Say so long to other crossover acts such as Olive; Kosheen is where it's at.

8.5 out of 10

I faintly remembered hearing about a song called "Hide U" from...well, i don't know who...but I decided that this CD's cover looked interesting enough to purchase it at the Wal-Mart my family was at.
As soon as I heard the double-hit of Hide U's intro, i was hooked until Gone faded from my headphones.
I was in total and pure ecstasy for the whole 59:05 of play the album has on it.

This is surely terrific stuff, aaaaand if you don't like it, hey, you should have read different reviews. not my fault.

The music is fantubular, and the fact that it's a WOMAN singing is...oh, fantastic.

Recommended if you like Delerium or if you think that Enya is a tad too light for you.

If you have never heard Kosheen, then you are missing out on one of Britian's finest drum-n-bass and dance groups. Sian's vocals throughout the album are superb. The classic 'Hide U' will make you get up and move. As others have said Kosheen produces music that goes straight to your legs. I could go on and on about each track on the album, but the CD really must be listened to. I would say the styles of music range from drum-n-bass to a Massive Attack or Portished sound. I only own the UK version, which has the house mix of Hide U on it (US version replaces that with Playing Games). I don't know if the US version has the Hide U video on it or not, but the UK one does. One problem with the UK version is the CD won't read correctly in computer CD drives, making the video on the disc worthless. For more reviews check out www.amazon.co.uk and search for Kosheen.

Kosheen (the guys of which also work as Decoder & Substance) has a produced a stunningly flawless listening experience with their first album. Reviewers need not remind you that Kosheen is not Portsihead or Hooverphonic (great bands in their own right) ... why would we want them to be? Kosheen is Kosheen and I wouldn't want it any other way. I find the music and lyrics haunting and beautiful, with not a single bland track on the album. I don't have to tell you how rare that is. I PROUDLY place Kosheen on my shelf next to Portishead, Zero 7, Morcheeba, Olive, Faithless, Thievery Corp, etc ... I highly recommend 'Resist' if you like any of these acts, but encourage you to listen for their unique, personal qualities ... and Sian Evan's broad range of emotion and delivery. Also ... check out KOKOPELLI, their second album, thus far only available as an import, but well worth it as a second interpretation of their sound; different approach yet just as beautiful.

If you havent heard Kosheen, you are missing out on a lot! This UK drum n bass outfit as most would put it is simply fab. It's not just the ultra-hit Hide U. There's so much more. A little trip-hop, a little electronica, a little dance, and a little trance. All further enhanced with a soulful and strong feminine voice.

While too many cooks spoil the broth, nothing is spoiled here. Or rather, you'd be spoiled for chioce and variety with such wonderful songs beginning with the teaser intro Demonstrate which launch straight into the hit Hide U. Almost all tracks are contagious and a few listens will get u hooked on the CD. Faves are Slip and Slide (Suicide_, the gorgeous Catch, Empty Skies and many more.

You wont be disappointed even if u didnt even know what drum and bass is. One of 2001's best!

Starting with the intriguing title & cover image, followed by the stunning interior photos of stuffed creatures in nature dioramas, and rounded out by the static stones of sampling flowed over by the elastic voice of Bristol diva Sian Evans, Kosheen is an aural & visual experience not to be missed.

The melancholy of "Let Go" and the snarkiness of "Cruelty" transcend all music label genres of drum & bass, electronica, and intelligent pop. It is the melodies that rule here, not the protools.

If you like Dido, Slowpho, Olive and especially Beth Gibbon's of Portishead's solo CD, "Out of Season," then you will love Kosheen.

After hearing "Hide U" a couple of years ago, I must confess I wasn't really tempted to listen to the rest of the CD. But then a friend told me she was curious after listening to a bunch of breath-taking remixes from DJs like Satoshi ("Hungry", check it out if you have the chance). So I got it from Amazon as a gift for her, and of course I could't resist giving it a try. OMG I was shocked since the very first time I played it.

It has a blend of different genres, so don't waste your time trying to figure out whether it's D&B or not. Just enjoy it! Each song has astonishing vocals which cannot be compared to any other singer (ok, some songs may remind you of EBTG but that's it!) Needless to say, I got a copy for myself and I'll get Kokopelli wishing it is as good as this =)