Supreme Beings of Leisure

Supreme Beings Of Leisure

Product Details

• Audio CD (February 22, 2000)
• Original Release Date: February 22, 2000
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Palm Pictures (Audio
• ASIN: B00004NRXT
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (107 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #8,801 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #31 in	Music > Dance & Electronic > Trip-Hop
  #84 in	Music > Indie Music > Dance & DJ

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

It's reported that Supreme Beings of Leisure emerged when a rap group called Oversoul 7 added a singer named Geri Soriano-Lightwood. Yet the band's laid-back dance grooves sound all of a piece, as if they'd played together for years. There's no messy merging of disparate styles, no rude sound shifts that occur when young bands search for their sound. Instead, this is a professionally buffed production. Though the three instrumental members all share programming duties and the music is certainly heightened by a liberal use of special space-age effects, the music is far more rooted in traditional soul-ballad and pop-rock writing than apparent on first listen. Tracks such as "Golddigger" and "Strangelove Addiction" borrow their hooks from the pop-rock dictionary, no matter how futuristic the desires. It might be another case of style over substance. Or maybe the band needs to transcend their professionalism and really get down to some scary stuff. --Rob O'Connor

From Rhythm Magazine

The sound of the U.K.-based Supreme Beings of Leisure is classic Austin Powers-Les Nubians out of Me'shelle Ndegiocello, Sadi, Shirley Bassey and Eartha Kitt. Singer and lyricist Geri Soriano-Lightwood fronts a trio of loop-mongers-Kiran Shahani (bass, programming), Ramin Sakurai (keyboards, programming) and Rick Torres (guitar, programming)-who, as is obvious from their intelligent tracks, have done their homework. Slow hip-hop/jazz grooves, fired with synthesized sitars, piccolo snares and big-drop bass, make for a sound worth hearing over and over.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

39 of 45 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Addictive and classy..., May 25, 2000

By	Chris Husted (Bloomington, IN) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This has instantly become one of my new favorites. The only reason I did not give it 5 stars is because I reserve that to the long-standing classics: the Beatles, etc.

The songs definitely get stuck in your head. I find myself running to my CD player to listen to such addictive songs as (ironically) "Strangelove Addiction," "Last Girl on Earth," and "Sublime."

I have seen SBL's sound compared to Portishead by some reviewers. In my opinion, this tops Portishead, and that's a hard thing to accomplish. While Portishead's "Dummy" is outstanding, the songs eventually get tiresome. The record-scratching sound was innovative at first (considering only rap artists used it previously), but it started to get old when they included it in nearly every song.

For this album, every song is fresh. Geri Soriano-Lightwood's voice is not just the kind of "generic perfect female voice" that is often handed to us on conveyer belts; it has an edge. It stands out. And the music complements it perfectly. There's even sounds of a saxophone (as well as a violin) on "What's the Deal."

Definitely classy, but with a refreshing beat. If you like techno-ish beats with stunning vocals, this is the way to go.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars just buy it and love it..., April 23, 2000

By A Customer

I know what all these guys are saying. When I heard "Truth from Fiction" in the record store, it automatically reminded me of Portishead. And so? The guy behind the counter described SBL's sound as "Portishead without the bite, paired with the complex beats of Hooverphonic." And so? I totally agree...the sound is a real mix of Morcheeba, Mono, Esthero, Lamb, and those other guys. Yeah, what of it?

The slick, "LA" sound? Well, they ARE from LA, right? I think that's the "extra" that makes this record unique, and not just a copy. Heck, I even love their cool name, and the pop-artsy illustration on the CD cover. This band knows what "total package" is all about.

I knew this CD was going to be a thoroughly satisfying listen, and something I'd fall in love with, from the first few seconds I heard in the record store. As proof, I haven't put it down since. Trust me, if you're a real lounge/trip-hop listener, you can't NOT buy this. And put it right next to those coveted Lamb, Morcheeba, and Hooverphonic CDs...it belongs right there.

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Groovy & Hip Tunes for James Bond's pad, February 2, 2005

By	J. Roquet "music afficionado" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Gotta love this CD. From a sitar on "Sublime" to the bond-esque "Ain't Got Nothin" to the wa-wa guitar and horns on the soul-influenced "What's The Deal", this is just a great trip-hop album without too much club looping or drum machine reliance. I like that they use 'actual' instruments in the mix... gives the music more flavor and texture. And they finish off with a great dance beat in "Under the Gun".

I would also recommend "Lazy incorporated" by Lazy. They don't have this CD at Amazon, but you can listen to it at CDBaby.com (or iTunes). After SBOL disolved, two of the members formed Lazy. Their new vocalist really has a sultry touch and the groovy songs will cause you to smile and "chair dance" while driving. More great stuff for the 'cool' in all of us.