Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Close to the edge..., April 7, 2004
The brilliance of Jaga Jazzist's first album, "A Living Room Hush", lay in its inspired marriage of new wave "electronica" and traditional jazz chord sequences. The end result - a combination of odd, often tense back-beats, familiarly languid jazz phrasing and distinctive melodies - was certainly daring but, more importantly totally controlled, allowing the best of this ingenious fusion to shine through. Arguably one of the most innovative "jazz" albums of the last 10 years and... a very difficult act to follow. Faced with this task, their second album sees them grappling with the same problems that beset a previous generation of pioneering "jazz fusion" artists, in particular The Mahavishnu Orchestra - how to extend further into difficult and potentially disparate musical styles without losing the plot. Their solution, to concentrate more on fast "industrial techno" & "jungle" rhythms and harsher instrumentation at the expense of the laid-back, "pure jazz" melodies that underpinned "A Living Room Hush", is certainly brave and, in the end, highly effective, but the outcome is much more "frantic" and challenging. So, for those seeking a comfortable continuation to their previous release, "The Stix" will be a disappointment; but for those interested in seeing how far the fusions they are clearly dedicated to exploring can be pushed, it's a triumph - dense, multi layered electronica combined with equally complex "avant garde" jazz in a thrilling roller coaster ride of musical exploration that runs, at times, dangerously close to the edge of how far it can be taken without degenerating into "the brilliantly unlistenable". Sun Ra and John McLaughlin would be proud.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Jazz for the 21st century, May 7, 2004
As Jaga Jazzist continue their mission of deconstructing the world of electronic music through their melding of jazz, rock, and the ether in between, their 2nd full-length demonstrates further honing of their musical craft. The lead single, "Day",
provides uptempo dnb satiation, a venture into panoramic expansiveness made clear by its synth lines. The horn arrangements on this album are also one its standout qualities, revealing that these are musicians who are not only capable, but who have a clear understanding of the jazz sensibilities they tap into. Studio trickery also abounds, and this record is an exercise through the latest innovations, making use of a full range of production capabilities. The record stands as a cohesive grouping of songs that have a certain seamlessness to them; what they have achieved with this record is what most musicians should hope to aspire to - an album defying convention that pins down a watermark in their respective realm.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The OK Computer of Ninja Tune titles, August 23, 2003
Ninja Tune is often criticized for its wide range of similar sounding artists. The Stix is less like the bossa nova rumber of Amon Tobin or Coldcut and more like the electric jazz stylings of Tortoise. Like Radiohead's 'OK Computer', there is a blend of electric and acoustic elements that adds up to more than just your typical electronica disc. Yes, there are beauitiful soundscapes and scat-funk beats, but there's also some good songwriting. I almost didn't pick up this disc, but now I'm glad I did.
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