Customer Reviews

Retro

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

 

 

Mind in a Box (mind.in.a.box) is an amazing artist that I stumbled upon through blind luck. I have listened to every one of their CDs and own a majority and R.E.T.R.O is definately worth buying. Unlike other techno artists that barely scratch the surface in terms of quality, Mind in a Box sets the standard that, sadly, very few ever meet.

Some of my favorite tracks on R.E.T.R.O include the soulful "Whatever Mattered", which employs one of Mind in the Box's best vocal performances, in my opinion, and "8 Bits", which throws you back behind that old NES controler with its amazing electronic chorus.

Mind in a Box isn't your average, sub-par, one or two track artist. Everything they release is quality and certainly deserves more appreciation than it gets.

Enjoy R.E.T.R.O!

My initial thoughts like others have said when MIAB was coming out with RETRO was a little bit of worry and concern over how it would turn out. Especially that they were calling it a remix album of 80s video game songs, at first I was so apprehensive. After Crossroads they had really set the bar high and it just seemed like an odd direction... Thankfully with RETRO I truly feel they couldn't have done anything better!

Some of their best songs ever are on this album!

Things that stood out most for me about the album...

Lightforce is an absolutely incredible epic song and worth purchasing the entire album for alone! The original was already an amazing song especially given the time when it made and they just amplified its intensity to a level that defies words and simply requires listening. With a high quality Stereo or headphones this song really shines.

There are many songs that are a little slow to start. But then mid way through it just changes up and starts to get amazing and then goes onto a major climax. The perfect example of this is "Supremacy" and "The Last Ninja". So I'd warn you if you're listening to the sample of a song here and think it sounds kinda slow, repetitive or nothing special I'd urge you to give it a shot and listen to the album in full because at least for me I find many songs just kinda play through for the first bit and then really kick in mid way through.

Then you have cool upbeat MIAB songs like nothing they've ever done before with "8-Bits" and "I love 64" (Both of which are Amazing!) At first I was almost concerned it was a bit too poppy and they would lose their appeal fast, but they just keep growing on you as many of the other songs do.

The song for me that really solidified this album though was the final song is "Whatever Mattered". It's so perfectly layered and the lyrics are some of the best of any song I've heard in ages, just like many of their other songs. It just has such an incredible build towards the end, performed in an intelligent, unique and talented style that truly defines Mind in a Box.

All in all odds are VERY high if you're reading this and you like MIAB you will like this album, at the very least 4-5 of the songs a lot!

When I first heard m.i.a.b were making a throw back tribute album of sorts, my initial emotion was distress. Anyone who knows this group has high expectations based on their back catalog, they have created some of the most memorable and intelligent electronic music I have ever listened to, with layers and layers. Their first 3 albums are actually a continuing story, a mystery, questioning the listener to everything they may think they know about what is going on in this world. So I was worried when I heard they were breaking that mold. Well rest assured they have created a excellent album and quite possibly even built an entirely new sound I've never heard from them before. R.E.T.R.O explodes with it's epic openner, The Last Ninja III, and it really never lets you go until the subtle and calmingly slow closer, Whatever Mattered.. Experiencing the album is something you need to do with a good set of headphones, as like any of their other albums. The production and attention to detail here is astounding. One thing worth mentioning and it shows is, they have brought back old audio systems from the past and integrated them with todays technology. Never in my life have I heard music like this.. It's perfectly blended nostalgia, making you think back to the comadore 64 days, the cloak and dagger days, sweeping synths and keyboards making you feel like you are actually going back into the past.. Now, take that and infuse what they've been doing the past decade and you have a completely new sound that is commanding and epic, yet somehow melencholy and heart wrenching. A lot of the tracks here are completely instrumental, and they've turned out to be my favorite tracks. I highly recommend this album to anyone looking for more, and if you like this please do yourself a favor and find the rest of their albums.

I've spent the majority of this review praising it, but there are a few blemishes; such as the length, I really wish it were longer, and I am it does seem that r.e.t.r.o is a bit self indulgent isolating any new fans of the group. It's a stretch trying to find something negative to say about m.i.a.b because they are so masterful with what they do.

Stand out Tracks:

The Last Ninja III

Lightforce

Supremecy

The Last Ninja

I love 64

Whatever Mattered

If you in any way like electronic music mind in a box will blow you away. Retro is their finest hour.

The two instrumentals to kick things off have a grandeur that rivals the best of New Order circa late 80s club music.

the rest of the album is brilliant.

I think they define Euro electro-pop brilliance.

Please come to the Midwest of boring old America.

If you look back at my reviews of MIAB's previous efforts, you will clearly see that I love this band. That is why I gave this album a few listens to grow on me. If you are a fan of MIAB, then you will like this album after a bit of time and patience because you can feel their prints all over it. They have taken a few classic video game themes and re-worked them as well as added a few new compositions of their own. As usual, their lyics are fascinating and the composition and song structure is great. On the downside - I don't feel this album is a good example of what MIAB is capable of and is a lackluster follow-up to Crossroads. If there were one or two video game re-works, that wold have been jus fine, but I feel like they just wanted to get an album out and decided to do some "homework" and create filler.

Some people have griped about the 64 bit theme behind the album. I have no problems with that part of it - the album is named Retro for goodness sake. To their credit, MIAB has taken 64 bit musical composition to a new level and shows that when done right, and sparingly, there is life in those old worn out Commodores yet! (grin)

If you are new to MIAB - I agree with the other reivewer who stated that you should get the other 3 albums first, otherwise, you just won't get this band.

If you're a serious listener to electronic music, just go out and buy everything MIAB has produced so far. You won't regret it, and it's likely to occupy a lot of your listening time for the next few years.

MIAB is _different_ from any other electronic band out there. There's a story, a mood, that loops through their first three CDs. Once you get into it, it starts to make a lot of other music seem sort of pointless, or incomplete.

After the brilliance of the first three they've released RETRO. First few listens? I didn't like it. Now, I think it's pretty great. It's a stepping stone to whatever they're doing next.

RETRO breaks into two parts -- remakes of themes from video games, and some new songs that bridge forwards from Crossroads. There's a strong audio aesthetic at work in the remakes, one that took me a little while to appreciate (an 8-bit sound).

The strongest songs are the new MIAB compositions. They're great.

Don't start here if you're new to Mind in a Box. Get the first three albums, then buy RETRO for an "alternate world view".

If you like 8-bit beats, then you'll love this album. I found myself a bit unimpressed with it especially after three powerful albums with an ongoing story line, then to follow that up with this seemed a little less than thrilling. There are some great tracks. 8-Bit and a few others, but on a whole I would suggest previewing it before purchasing as it very little like any of the prior albums.

I like the electro sounds layered into most of the tracks on this disc (ref: The Last Ninja III, Lightforce, Supremacy, Shades, et al). Pretty cool. RETRO is kind of like electro-trance combined with Haujobb.

Mindkiller is a good tune - great intro and build and outro. Probably my favorite song on here.

However, I thought this album would be better based on the samples on Amazon. After listening to the CD, I think it is a little too trancey for my taste. I wish they would have toned down those trance synths and breaks.

Not really what I expected given the title. The tracks on this album sound more like ambient IDM and Wolfsheim meets modern Haujobb than anything really "retro". The attempt is there, but just not pulled off very well. There are plenty of other artists capturing "8-bit" far better, and there are much better examples of "retro" sounding 80s electronic music, such as the latest Elegant Machinery album, "A Soft Exchange". And for something a little harder, Assemblage 23's "Compass" is far superior. Personally, I don't care much for the 8-bit fad and the C64 worhsip. Far better would be a 16-bit fad and Amiga worship. There is a far richer musical lexicon there anyway thanks to MOD music. :)