Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
this album is brilliant, June 29, 2004
By A Customer
What happens when Plug Research label owner Allen Avanessian gets together with Postal Service/Dntel mastermind Jimmy Tamborello in the studio and they invite several intelligent hip-hoppers to join the party? The result is an incredibly original electronic hip-hop record and is one of the freshest albums I have heard in an incredibly long time. This is the kind of record that truly brings people with allegiances to different types of musical genres together. The rhymes, provided by guest MCs (former Anti-Pop Consortium member Beans on "Jaw Modulation," Subtitle on "Breath Contralis," Lady Dragon on "The Beginning" and Shadow Huntaz' Non-GENETIC on "Then Again" and "Back Before") are tight and smart. The beats behind the rapping are minimal, syncopated, and completely off-the-wall. Unlike most mainstream hip-hop, the kicks and samples are not loud and boombastic and this creates an unusual, almost claustrophobic feeling. I imagine this is what it may sound like if Autechre or Matmos invited some underground hip-hop artists to freestyle over their instrumentals.This is truly an original work. Hip-hop, IDM and even some jazz influence all come together to make something really special and incredibly entertaining. For the open-minded.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
Lags at first, then blossoms, February 27, 2005
Certain music genres are tricky to mix together -- and electronica and hip-hop are two of them. And for the first third of Headset's "Space Settings," it sounds like it's falling prey to the inevitable awkwardness. But then it suddenly gels into the perfect fusion, and all is smooth sailing after that.
The first two songs are basically your typical hip-hop, with the odd electro-flicker woven in over them. And then it's heavy, fuzzy, bubbling electronica with a few distorted voices under them. It feels like these guys are trying to find some kind of balance between electronica and hip-hop, but going too far in one direction.
But then suddenly the awkwardness is gone. Headet's sound suddenly gels perfectly in "Grasping Claw (The Beginning)," a mix of catchy hip-hop over a smooth, shimmery electronic melody. Same with the trippy "Jaw Modulation," the speed-talking "Breath Contrails," and climaxing with the trippy funky glory of "Previously Smooth Sophistication."
I'm not entirely sure why it changes so radically partway through, but it's certainly a change for the better -- the last two thirds of the album are a rich, dense mix of hip-hop vocals and beats, with electronic backing that seems tailor-made for it. What do you call this stuff anyway -- trip-hip-hop?
Jimmy Tamborello (of Postal Service fame) was the guy who produced this music, and he does a mind-blowingly good job. Rather than the sparkling, soaring sound of his other band, Headset's electronic sound is murky, thick and more than a little funky -- perfectly suited for hip-hop music. By the last song, it's dark and eerie and dignified, the perfect Halloween music.
A bunch of MCs offer their skills as well, ranging from a spoken stream of words that make the guy sound like he's on speed, to the delightfully catchy female vocals on "Grasping Claw." The problem is that sometimes the MCs don't sound like their vocals were recorded for the song in question, but patched together later.
There are some distinct misses on Headset's debut "Spacesettings," and devotees of Tamborello will be disappointed if they expect anything like Postal Service. Still, the last two-thirds are a solid enough trip-hip-hop collection, once you get past the growing pains.
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by Headset 
