Groundbreaking
Brandon Larson | New York, NY USA | 04/30/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"What BSBD have accomplished here is so much bigger than an instrumental hip-hop album. It's some kind of post-rock electro-hop frankenstein that is indescribably, paralyzingly beautiful. Throughout the 11 tracks, I heard shades of Shadow and Blockhead sure, but also Burial, M83, Godspeed!, Diplo, and Explosions in the Sky. It's that dense, that diverse, and that epic.
Every layer, every bar seems crafted in a way that reaches IDM-like levels of OCD and perfectionism - the architecture of each piece expansive yet balanced. Listening to where songs like "The Era When We Sang" and "Forgive Me" begin compared to where they end is amazing - NO other hip-hop producers have that kind of confidence in their ability to shift the mood within a track...absolutely groundbreaking. Luxurious in its sonic depth but rewarding in its compositional complexity, this is the music I would make if I was a lot better at making music. It is simultaneously the most organic and the most sophisticated hip-hop album I've ever heard, and I cannot recommend it highly enough"
Painting A Picture With Sounds {5 Stars}
Norfeest | Washington DC USA | 09/17/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I know I've said this before, but instrumental albums from hip hop producers are pretty hard to mess up. Unless your beats are wack, your release will pretty much be a slam dunk. Well, after a few thorough listens to some instrumental hip hop albums, I've also found that you have to be in the right mood or some of these albums will bore you to death. Well, I found Late Night Cinema to have the opposite effect. No matter the mood, this album sets me straight. This California duo is best known for their works with Hell Razah and Holocaust so, if you're at all familiar with their work, you can pretty much expect that same excellence here -- only you don't have to worry about words getting in the way this time around. It's in the same vein as those works, but with a completely different vibe.
As far as flaws go, you'd be hard pressed to find one. Some of the tracks can meander a bit (Shoot You Dead), but there's nothing here that takes away from the over all quality or brings the rating down any.
At eleven tracks, Late Night Cinema is a relatively short and to the point listen, but it's most certainly worthy of a purchase. The sonic makeup boasts an even blend of live instruments, samples and excellent arrangements that makes this one of my favorite instrumental albums ever and easily the best one I've heard all year. This is an album that I highly recommend adding to your collection as soon as the opportunity presents itself.
Standout Tracks: Forgive Me, Lord of Our Vice, Listen Child, The Era When We Sang, All the News Is Bad Again (My Favorite), Ghosts Among Men, and My Work Will Be Done"
Dope.
Borkmaster | Tuckahoe, New York | 05/08/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a great record. Pure instrumentals, and everything flows perfectly. These guys really are the truth. Perfect album to listen to while working."