Ape to Angel [ENHANCED]

Pitch Black

Product Details

• Audio CD (August 23, 2005)
• Original Release Date: August 23, 2005
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Enhanced
• Label: Waveform
• ASIN: B0009UVBO0
• In-Print Editions: Audio CD  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #122,482 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Having pumped there way through New Zealand's electronic music scene since their inaugural Gathering New Year's eve festival in 1997, Pitch Black [nz] (with the [nz] added to avoid being mistaken with the USA rap group of the same name) have spent the years since, rousing dance floor punters, generating rave reviews, winning awards and gaining legions of fans worldwide - including warm UK embraces garnered with their dynamic live performances at three Big Chill festivals. Their music has also been used in several films, including the Oscar nominated Whale Rider.

The Pitch Black [nz] sound created by Paddy Free and Michael Hodgson, ranges from organic ambient and layered soundscapes to skanting keyboards, cutting acid riffs and thumping rhythmic grooves, with dub being the glue that holds their musical journeys together. One critic describes them as "Richie Hawtin meets King Tubby or Rhythm and Sound in Technicolor."

Ape to Angel, was originally released in NZ to critical acclaim. Now, as their debut USA release, the A2A album has been repackaged with an added bonus track and eye-popping bonus video of the focus track 'Lost in Translation,' and found an appreciative home on the seminal ambient dub label - Waveform Records.

Over the years Pitch Black [nz] has found favour among club and radio DJs including John Peel (Radio One/BBC), Nick Luscombe (Xfm), Greg Roberts (Dreadzone), Pete Lawrence (Big Chill), Forest (XM satellite/Musical Starstreams/radioioAMBIENT.com). This superb USA debut promises to generate an equal level of continued interest.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Future of Dub has Arrived!, September 8, 2005

By	King Dubby "Peace , Love & Dub" (Sunny California) - See all my reviews

This album is amazing! If you love dub - especially 21st century dub - then this is the album you've been waiting for. While being tough to locate - this New Zealand duo has been producing dubbed out greatness for 3 albums now! "Ape to Angel" is their first American release - and it's a stunner! Perfect for chilling out to or firing up that spliff and doing a little armchair traveling - this album hits all the right notes. There's touches of drum and bass, house and breaks - all drenched in dub!!! It's dubtastic!

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Impressive electronic dub, November 28, 2005

By	Grunt Hog (Vancouver, Canada) - See all my reviews

I've collected a number of albums released on the Waveform label lately, and I've been consistently impressed. Pitch Black has been my latest Waveform discovery, and they're a good example of the label's "sound:" really bassy, dub-influenced, echo-effects, some multicultural samples scattered throughout, and while the whole package is pretty laid-back and mellow it's definitely beat-oriented enough that the listener doesn't get bored. You can dance to many of these tracks if played loud enough, or just have it on in the background while chilling at home.

I'm also a real pushover for a good bassline and these guys deliver some excellent dubbed-up bass workouts. Check out track 7: the bass is so deep it kind of has a paralyzing effect on your cerebellum and makes you feel like you're floating on a sea of puffy white marshmellows... or maybe that's just me. Anyway, this disc gets my recommendation.

Apparently they also have a number of other albums that aren't available in North America yet, so hopefully Waveform will start releasing their back catalogue sometime soon (hint, hint!) Similar artists worth checking out, if you like these guys, would be Children of Dub and labelmates Sounds from the Ground, Phutureprimitive, and A Positive Life.

5.0 out of 5 stars Great music art, August 17, 2009

By	K. Adams "BKA" (California USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

Ape to Angel, great music, if ZeroOne's Ozone would not exist, I would give it the First Place in my heart. I was surprised that Rude Mechanicals did not impress me, totally different style. All in all, Ape to Angel is a must have in my collection. I am eager to listen to a future album of Pitch Black.