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14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
2 Different experimental styles seamed together harmonically, May 9, 2005
Themselves are an obscure independent hip hop group, very experimental/weird and also very good and successfully creative. Dose One and Jel, emcee and producer respectively, work very good together and started off rather conventional with their self titled album. Two years later they release a follow up that is more experimental. It was good, but not consistent enough I thought. A year later they re-release their follow up with different artists incorporating different genres to remix their songs. One of those artists to remix a song was The Notwist. Coincidentally, I felt that song was one of the better remixes on the album.
Fast forward two years to May 3rd and wouldn't you know it? They collaborate on an entire album together. After Dose and Jel formed Subtle and released "A New White", this progression today actually seems on track. And this is a damn good collaboration, by the way. We are hearing each groups styles fusing into a sound that is somewhat unique to both.
"Perfect Speed" features singing by The Notwist, but has the hip hop style of production from Themselves. This is my personal favorite from the album. It has an awesome beat complemented with melodic singing and music. "Soft Atlas" has Dose returning to rapping. Which he does wonderfully over a very nice, soft beat. "Ghostwork" features singing from Dose, who likes to layer his vocals with a lower pitched voice and a higher nasally voice. I can understand how some people might have trouble accepting his weird sound, but I personally enjoy it and therefore this song works for me. "Tin Strong" is another Dose song featuring both of the previous mentioned vocal styles over another nice beat with a little help vocally from The Notwist. "Men Of Station" is the first single from the album, it's more of a Notwist song, but Dose helps a little with the vocals. This song sports a nice piano melody. Other notables are "Superman On Ice", which features a nice melancholy violin, "Low Heaven" and "If".
This may not be the best from both fields (it's going to be hard for The Notwist to ever top "Neon Golden") but it's something fans of either group will likely look at and agree it was a successful collaboration, worthy of your attention and money. So, buy it and support independent acts, you know you're tempted!!
"Without a universal law, there is no gravity. Without the gravity, there is no atmosphere. Without an atmosphere, there is no chance in life. Without a chance in life, I don't exist."
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Bolt from the Blue, January 12, 2006
A surprising collaboration between two innovators - Notwist and Themselves - which is nothing but a dark, gloomy and absolutely beautiful experiment. Melodies that will stay with you long after you turn off your stereo.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Amazing and overlooked, October 10, 2005
Really, this is without question one of the best albums I've heard all year. Doseone is showing amazing development as an artist, and with this album he comes accross as something of a visionary. It's a layered juxtaposition of the abstract hip hop electronics of Themselves and the mellow electronic rock of Notwist (an amazing band as well; think "the Postal Service," but actually good).
Everyone should at least give this album a listen. It may not be your thing, but it's definitely leaps and bounds more interesting than the majority of other music that's been surfacing lately. This record is inspired and impossible to classify in any genre box.
Also, they put on an absolutely incredible live show. If you get a chance to catch them live, you won't regret it.
Also, if you like this album, you might want to check out the new(erish) Subtle album "A New White." It's more of a Doseone project, but it holds an equally inspired irreverence towards convention.
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