An Inspiring Hip Hop Melange
Donna/Countess | NYC | 09/09/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Certain events in history change our world forever. Since 9/11, our reality remains an uneasy one; bringing to the surface a world of terrorism, poverty, police brutality and more, to a once complacent society.
The soundtrack for this disquieted reality? Rob Swift's War Games.
Having left the X-Ecutioners, Rob Swift returns to bring us an inspiring hip hop mélange of thought-provoking and innovative tracks; acting as a catalyst to the part of your brain that has been dormant, quietly awaiting the mental and musical stimulation it requires. The album features the lyrical craft of The Large Professor, Breez Evahflowin, Akinyele and Prints Haze, serving as the messengers for our new reality. Complete with clean cuts from a master of vinyl surgery, Rob is the plastic surgeon of turntablism - giving each track a whole new look. The album also features the musical ingenuity of DJ Melo D, DJ Quest, Psycho Les, Tweak, Sean C, Anthony Saffery, Ricci Rucker, Toadstyle, Bob James and Dave McMurray.
Culminating in a unique hip hop experience, War Games delivers a musical world of power and vigor that is bound to whisk you away to the world of Rob Swift. The album comes complete with a DVD, allowing you to see the inspiration behind its creation. A vacation from the mundane, your ears will thank you for your kindness.
"
A Politically Motivated/Charged Turntablist album??....(and
fetish_2000 | U.K. | 11/04/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Rob Swift is something of a elder statesmen, in regards to the art of Turntablisim, having been one of the original founders of the "X-Ecutioners" Turntable collective, (of which he has since parted ways). But seeing as Rob was generally the one that was always sporadically releasing solo albums, that always looked to push the boundaries of Turntable dynamics, and reluctant to solely rely on Hip-Hop as his expression for music, and instead regularly incorporated complex arrangements of: Soul, Funk, Illbient, Electronica, seamlessly woven into his mixes, this hasn't been too much of a problem.
Here, he looks to stretch things even further, building an album that is a reflection on not only the devastation of the 9/11 attacks, but the subsequent decision to go to War in Iraq, and bring into some context the mood and assess the current climate of America. But obviously this isn't a singer/songwriter protest album, ,and there have already been many Rap albums since, that have touched upon these issues. So you'd be impressed to hear that this is a Turntable album, that brings these views and situations in some context. You'd (quite rightly) figure that, you'd have to be pretty mad to want to try and build a album that collates such important and topical subject matter into a DJ Turntable album, but then this is 'Rob Swift' we're referring to and what he's done is devise a Multimedia album of sorts with the visual side handled by the accompanying DVD, and the regular CD, providing the music/commentary side of things.
It's a album that is clearly Anti-Bush, with both the President and his party, coming under intense scrutiny throughout the album. But instead of being a traditional 'Finger-Pointing' exercise (although there are moments of that), it's more a album that takes fragments from all over the place and uses them, carefully to build up a picture, documenting the elements from the 9/11 attacks, to retaliation and military attacks on Iraq, and what the repercussions of this means. This is primarily an album about 'War'. So Rob has pieced together this album, using media footage, Dialogue, press statements, presidential addresses, political commentary, sampling, and tracks with lyrics that under Rob's editing, express the terrorist climate, and gun-ho posturing, and anti-war sentiments.
So you have Rob cleverly taking George Bush addressing American, with his announcement that American will be taking military action, and is cleverly manipulated via Rob Swifts deft cutting and scratching, and focusing on his reasons for retaliation, and the declaration of War against Iraq. Classic Rap tracks, that are taken and completely rebuilt and reinterpreted to work as statements of intent on war (a 'Eric B & Rakim', being just one example). Instrumental pieces that have Rob reigning back on over the top turntable dynamics and working more like stream-of-consciousness tracks with kinetic looping and conjuring up imagery of a post 9/11 nation, still coming to terms with the attacks, and the change in peoples perceptions. Even going so far as to imply that America has become a more fearful nation because of the attacks. Political commentary is dropped throughout the album, and the impressive thing I've always found with Rob Swift, is that his doesn't always feel the need to display his technical ability, but seems far more keen to create moods, artful juxtapositions and virtuosic cutting with which to bounce ideas around.
Hip-hop tracks are obviously present, but with various rappers/vocalists brought in to feature of a multitude of tracks. And again, the themes here are of: Retalition/Media coverage/Inaccuracies about the War/Spin PR/Hostile Reactions/Distrust/Confusion & remains Progressive and thoroughly engaging (even if you don't necessarily agree, with the statements). But what will surprise is that not all these tracks are purely backed by Hip-Hop production/arrangements, and instead, it's just as likely to feature elements of Rob's own musical influences so there are moments when funk and soul recordings and even piano, provide a softer edge to the vocal dynamics, with subtle cutting and scratching mixing things up wonderfully. The variety in music really works in this records favour, because it tends to make the record more cerebral in tone, and take the higher ground than, mere aggressive sloganerring (think more "Dj Spooky" than "X-Ecutioners"). And in amongst that there are the more agitated social and political theories, all delivered with provocative and confident directness. Interspersed amongst the musical tracks are snippets of 'Reportage'....features, news events, social commentaries that highlight the growing disparity between the social classes, passages of sampled news dialogue that'll make you think, or at the very least pay attention to whats being highlighted. And it's never presented in a patronising manner, but actually more like showing that as much as we'd all like to believe that one day, people will become empowered, and the class divide will go smaller. That America still has a great many issues to work through, before any sort of universal consciousness or collective understanding can possibly be attained.
If your expecting a mix album, to go alongside Rob Swifts previous work, I'm afraid to say that you won't find it here. It's surprising that Rob's taken so long to make his own statements or stances evident on record, especially as it so long after much of what has happen is very well documented. But then I feel that this is more a observation, rather than providing any clear insight into a world post-9/11. Sometimes it's more preferable to have the information presented to you, in a way for the individual to make up their own minds or conclusions, and I think that's whats happened here. Because it doesn't truly clarify anything other than when in regards to Politics, Media, Government & repressive bureaucracies, that we shouldn't be so willing to accept what his presented to us. And it's clear that Rob's stance is one of obviously 'anti-war', but he declines to impress upon to listener to see (hear??) his way of thinking, instead he more like exercising his right to 'Freedom of speech/expression', as this isn't really an album to become engrossed by it's technical trickery, but arguably the work of an artist, that feels that his unparallelled technical ability on the turntables, needed be confined to just knocking out another stunning mix album. This is more certainly Rob Swifts most mature & focused work, and even though it's not something to bump to in the club, The scope of It knocked me back a little, and most certainly left an impression. For not only being innovative and (reasonably informative), but daring to take the art of Turntablism, and push it into a completely new direction, and being confrontational in daring to question the America governments reasons for military action, and just might have peoples asking questions or looking more closely at the governments actions. And although you might not necessarily agree with the album, but it doesn't mean that this shouldn't be heard, even to hear just how far Turntablism has come since it's early days."
It's Not Anti-America
N. Jack | 09/17/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This Album touched me in my Soul as a AMERICAN BLACK MALE.
From the Opening Intro to the Last Song...the Album captures the TIME'S call it the Hood-CNN on a CD. Dj ROB SWIFT is a Gifted Dude. If you like Immortal Technique,DEAD PREZ,Black Market Militia-- Then you'll Love this CD. Plus His Give's you a DVD that goes along with every track.. BEST TRACK {#3 A Terror Wrist}
If your Right-Wing, Left-wing, Socialist,Communist, or Capitalist you'll Dig what Rob-Swift is coming from on this...
I can't express it enough !!! Go Get It
peace"
Track Listings (16) - Disc #1