Customer Reviews

Rhythm & Stealth

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(28)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

After buying Leftism on a whim and falling in love with it, I was excited to find Rhythm and Stealth and bought it right away when I saw it a few years back. It starts off with moderately catchy "Dusted" with rap vocals, but "Phat Planet," the next song, bored me with it's monotonous beat and lack of variation. "Chant of a Poor Man" has a catchy bassline, with reggae-type vocals, but it doesn't compare to Leftism's "Release the Pressure." "Double Flash" is monotonous and flat like Phat Planet with a thick beat but little else to offer. Track 5, "El Cid," is soft and lullaby-ish enough to put me to sleep, which wouldn't be a bad thing except for it's complete listlessness and lack of sound variety. "Afrika Shox" is one of the few standouts on the album with it's hardhitting beat and club-catchy lyrics. This song shows that Leftfield can still be extremely edgy and creative, even if they haven't chosen this route for other songs on this album. "Dub Gussett" is, once again, monotonous and lacking in variety. "Swords" is a rare gem on this cd. It's soothing and melodic with female vocals, but has enough variation to keep me interested. "6/8 War"......monotonous. The distortion in the beat is rather grating on the ears after awhile. "Rino's Prayer" begins with dark, moody male vocals and eventually jolts you with a dark heavy beat. I enjoy this song.

Overall, tracks "Phat Planet," "Double Flash," "El Cid," "Dub Gussett," and "6/8 War" were truly disappointing, dull, and uncreative. Leftfield showed us with Leftism that they have the range to make versatile and edgy music, but these tracks fail to display their talents. Only "Afrika Shox" and "Swords" give you a true glimpse of what the album could be instead. It isn't a bad cd, but I find myself skipping tracks when I listen to the cd just to get to the good songs--something I never did with Leftism...

You've got to take this recording at face value. What you hear is what you get. If you want the perfect dance record, stick with (or desperately try to find) Baby Ford's Bford 9 (1992) or Jam and Spoon's 1994 release Tripomatic Fairytales (that's 2001 AND 2002, folks), or for the more adventurous, Final Cut's Consumed CD(1992). If Lefitsm was never recorded, everyone would go gaga over Leftield's R+S. It's an extremely impressive follow-up CD, and my only personal gripes are the seemingly commercially-motivated singles, Phat Planet and Afrika Shox, which completely disrupt the ominous tone and overall continutity of the CD. Use your CD-program button to skip these sub-par tunes and you've got a great listen.

Normally I am not a fan of Drum and Base but when it is done right it is very good and Leftfield has done it right and then some more. This is the perfect album to sit at home with. It is weird in that it is not really an album you can dance too but if you like to sit around with your friends and enjoy some tunes then this is really a good one because you can chat and then relax and then chat again and relax and the album really does fill that void well. I know lots of people who throw this one on when people are around because it sets a good mood and for all its darkness is actually quite moving in a soul searching thinky sort of way.

The tunes are all mostly drum and bass but they do vary in type. There are a lot of floor thumpers that will vibrate all the way to the neighbors but then there is also ambient works that will just oscillate the bongs.

For those of you expecting Leftfield: Leftism, forget it. Leftfield have simply done something darker and new. This is a must have album and it is really that good! I would also recommend Paul Oakenfold's Great Wall if you like this one because they are very similar except that Great Wall is more Trance orientated.

It's hard to top an act like Leftfield's Leftism, one of electronica's most stunning achievements in the past ten years or so. Treading cautiously and patiently after this breakthrough success in 1995, Leftfield re-emerged four years later with this album, "Rhythm and Stealth."

The title is a misnomer. Although as technically proficient as its forerunner, "Rhythm and Stealth" toes a bleaker line. There's still the trademark UK-dub, the intoxicating mesh of stratospheric techno with the circadian flow of Leftfield's talented breakbeats. But there's also heavier veins of industrial gearbox, the fat shadows of something that I would call deep house if it weren't so angry and sullen.

It's not bad. The opening track, "Dusted," is habit-forming, a thrumming slice of dreamy trip-hop warmed up by the distinctive flair of Roots Manuva. "Afrika Shox" (featuring Afrika Bambaata) has all the marks of a back alley club pleaser with its drilling undercurrent of hard house headiness. And the collaboration with Cheshire Cat ("Chant of a Poor Man") is a deceptive and absorbing electro-reggae number, one of the best tracks on the whole set.

Even the more militant tracks -- "Phat Planet" and "Double Flash" and "Dub Gussett" and "6/8 War" -- are hard not to like. Leftfield's ear for dueling beats and the harmonies of uncomplementary tones gives everything a fresh, invigorating energy. But there's something distinctly sterile and robotic to the mood in all of these pieces, as if they were first designed by a computer and then lovingly smudged with human hands. It doesn't make them bad, but it sometimes casts them in an unflattering light, making the songs less grounded, giving them the digital pall of a dial-up modem's screech.

Certainly the more liquid bits ("El Cid"), the soft spacy parts ("Swords"), and the unapologetic dreaminess ("Rino's Prayer") are reminiscent of Leftfield's first album, and these set pieces make one mindful of where this electronica duo came from. And their talent in "Rhythm," while not quite so cohesive, is no less muted. I wouldn't say they're as stealthy here as they were at the start of their careers, but they are just as inventive and fresh. While "Rhythm" won't ever be an album to love, it's a hard one not to like.

Leftism is leftism and there will never be another like that! Having said that, to all those that have dismissed this album because it does not sound like its predecessor, "Is is your loss!" It took the admitedly lethargic Barnes and Daley combo a full 4 years to make another album and only after one has heard it either full blast with good headphones on or even fuller blast on a better hi-fi does one see why! The tunes are not nearly as melodic as Leftism but good grief, the audio complexity and the hawk eye for absolute precision is unmatched by anyone in the business. There is not one single sound out of place or context on the entire cd and considering the variety of sounds and notes, this is really special.

"Dusted" with its agro rap stle coupled with a juicy bass beat is a good way to kick off an album of this nature. The cd really excels itself fomr the hordes of mediocre electronica in the middle part with tracks like "el cid" which MUST be savoured lying on a hammock in the shade of a trpoical palm tree and sipping on a cocktail. the slow, trance like hypnotic beat with the bass loop in the background is fantastic! The ease with which Leftfield transport the listner from the dreamy hypnotic excesses of "el cid" to the threshold of bouncing off the walls with "Afrika Shox" which starts sedately enough but leaves one in a complete frenzy is what is fantastic about this duo. Their ability to make the listener travel with them is as evident on this cd as it is on their live sets (which are incredible).My favourite track on the entire cd is probably track 7 "dub gussett". I don't think I've heard a loop done so cheekily and audaciously but work so well before. This on top on the fantastic bassline with complex background effects make for an absolutely jiving song!

The CD is not without is flaws. Some songs like "phat planet" and "double flash" go on far too long without enough variation and leave the listner hot and bothered. The only reason this does not get 5 stars. The dou are to be praised for producing something this original in this day and age of wretchedly monotonous electronica.

I'm only 20 and I had no idea who Leftfield were til '99. My brother played me the original version of 'Song of Life' in 99 and kept banging on how amazing 'Leftism'is. I could not stop playing it. I still can't I admit. Still,I bought 'Rhythm and Stealth' that year and was amazed how good this is. 'Dusted' is a raw hard hop track with the magic of Roots Manuva over it.(Though I admit I hate hip-hop). 'Phat Planet', the guiness ad track is an amazing track and the album pace is kept until 'El Cid'. 'Afrika Shox' with Afrika Bambaataa is really catchy! Dub Gusset'(what a name for a track,sniff!),is a nice dark breaks number with the cool zappy dial twiddling which brings us nicely into the hypnosis of 'Swords' with the eerie vocals of Toni Halliday. The album ends nicely on a very dark tip with the awesome '6/8 War' and that's topped off with 'Rhino's Prayer' which is a dark breakbeat number with heavy sub-bass rhythms. All in all this is an album which will be in my faves of all time. Maybe not up there with Leftism with it's legacy, but still one that will keep Leftfield's spirit burn forever...

Unlike Leftism there is no instant gratification to be had with this album, nevertheless, it repays the diligent listener with it's own rewards....it has a much harder, meaner edge to it than Leftism. Roll with it though brothers & sisters - no party worth a damn is complete without 'Double Flash' pumped to the max. There are a couple of weaker tracks but 'Swords' & 'Phat Planet' are worth 10:29 of anyone's listening time.

Leftfield's latest release comes at you with a vengence and dares you not to react. If you don't want to move you've taken one too many sleeping pills! Upon listening to R&S you will be amazed at the fine studio work that makes you want to hit the dance floor, do another trick on your blades or go a little faster on your bike. This is music to groove to, put the top down and let it thump! The guest vocals are magnificient, casting a dark groove that leaves you singing along. I had never heard Leftfield prior to R&S so I did not have the prejudice of comparing it to Leftism. On the contrary I bought Leftism later and in my humble opinion found it excellent , all be it a notch below R&S. Don't miss this gem, this band continues to grow.

Like others, I waited forever for this album to make it out. After listening to it for several months, I'd go with the near-consensus here that it's not quite up to "Leftism" in terms of wall-to-wall quality and brilliance of concept. But it's still got some great moments on it. Pretty good for a sophomore effort, especially considering all the high expectations after a truly superb first album.

When this album was released,I expected the drive and energy of the first one (leftism). Instead this album has a more darker feel,using predominently HIP-HOP beats dubbed up with knockout sound effects. I feel there are only two ways to listen to this album properly,either on a very loud P.A. system,or on quality separates. Unlike the first album,this one may prove to be an aquired taste,but one which is likely to please!