One of the more approachable groups to emerge from Brooklyn's illbient scene, We manage the neat trick of standing outside the many subgenres they draw from while having a deep insider's knowledge of each of them. On their... more » third album, Decentertainment, We's three kings, Lloop, Olive, and Once11, move at a deliberate pace--trip-hop and dub tempos are the order of the day, with the jungle beats filling in the spaces every now and then. But it's an event-filled album, shifting texture, mood, and rhythm as constantly as a really bad prog-rock record or a really great Cecil Taylor concert. On the sublime "Out for Now," for instance, a jungle-style hoover bassline meets up with a breakbeat structure that's looser and jauntier than what jungle usually offers these days, collides with a manipulated Middle Eastern wail, and gives way to a single sweet guitar chord echoed over and over again, before trailing into a lovely ambient swirl. Group efforts are the exception rather than the rule in the bedroom-studio world of electronica, and Decentertainment--constructed by three guys who inspire and edit each other to fine effect--reminds you why that's a shame. --Jeff Salamon« less
One of the more approachable groups to emerge from Brooklyn's illbient scene, We manage the neat trick of standing outside the many subgenres they draw from while having a deep insider's knowledge of each of them. On their third album, Decentertainment, We's three kings, Lloop, Olive, and Once11, move at a deliberate pace--trip-hop and dub tempos are the order of the day, with the jungle beats filling in the spaces every now and then. But it's an event-filled album, shifting texture, mood, and rhythm as constantly as a really bad prog-rock record or a really great Cecil Taylor concert. On the sublime "Out for Now," for instance, a jungle-style hoover bassline meets up with a breakbeat structure that's looser and jauntier than what jungle usually offers these days, collides with a manipulated Middle Eastern wail, and gives way to a single sweet guitar chord echoed over and over again, before trailing into a lovely ambient swirl. Group efforts are the exception rather than the rule in the bedroom-studio world of electronica, and Decentertainment--constructed by three guys who inspire and edit each other to fine effect--reminds you why that's a shame. --Jeff Salamon
CD Reviews
Dub rhythms, ambient sounds make for excellent album
11/13/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"We bridge a gap between ambient explorations and dub style music. And bass-filled dub rhythms are definitely the order of the day for "Decentertainment." This is a great album to relax to since the beats take their time, avoiding a dance floor tempo. One of the best aspects of We's music is their ability to pick out truly evocative ambient sounds. For instance, "Afrique" makes the listener think of a twisted carnival, and "If they see" immerses us in a sonic bubble bath, floating along until the beat comes forth.We's tendency to include pure sound experiment tracks, those without any basic musical structure, has been the only problem with listening to them. Thankfully, this album is much more consistent than As Is or Square Root of Negative One, because keeps such songs to a minimum. This album is a must for anyone who enjoys intelligent, varied electronic music. Be sure to try We's other albums too."
A Classic Above Classics
Will Martin | Rocky Hill, CT | 05/17/2000
(5 out of 5 stars)
"After the classic "As Is" one of the best CDs of the 90's in the electronic genre, i (aka the sqr. root of -1) was a bit of a dissapointment. The new CD "decentertainment" not only redeems this but turns out to be one of the all time best in the electronic genre ever. It is melodic, imaginative, atmospherical and emotional in ways never before deemed possible in electronic music. It is conceptual in many different levels. It is international in flavor as if echoes from many parts of the globe are making small but noble attempts to have an impact in a supposedly homogenising world culture. I read in an interview with Lloop, one of the members of We, that "decentertainment" refers to the audience being the entertainers, rather than a one way transmission like television and hollywood, every person is a participant in creating the ultimate whole. This CD is awesome!"
If your a fan of Illbient music...This is an absolute must!!
fetish_2000 | U.K. | 02/03/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
""We" is a collective comprised of three members "Ignacio Platas (Once 11)", "Gregor Asch (DJ Olive)" & "Rich Panciera (Lloop)"....a group of performance artists, that have developed cutting edge electronica, and especially the genre of Brooklyn's 'Illbient' scene (which is a eclectic offshoot of Ambient music, that incorporates elements of : Hip-Hip, Dub, Drum 'n Bass, ethnic Music). What they do is take ideas and shape and form music around them, so whether it's ambient soundscapes coupled with Hip-Hop beats ("Hang/On"). abstract sounds merge with Drum 'n' Bass ("Micro Al Hammed"), warped electronica fused with environmental sounds ("One Personal Dream"). or Dub rhythms give way to subtle electronics ("Pull"). This means that, there are huge genre-shifts in mood / tempo / structure & complexity. In fact the only thing that seems to run consistently throughout the album is the level of quality throughout. It's a marvellous synthesis of varying trends, that on occasion feels in-debt to film soundtracks, through the use of haunting string samples, reverberated bass, hypnotic scratching, avant-garde classical music improvisation and elements of Jamaican dub sampling. It's like having an album that has hundreds of innovative and progressive ideas, that need to be shepherded into some kind of order, and having the artists capable enough to full realise this ideas into a (although diverse) exceptional whole.
So, to sum things up....if you like the sound of this album, and need a recommendation, then I strongly suggest that you pick this album up as soon as you can...(especially as the distribution for this album is weak, and therefore hard to get hold of). As it's a ingeniously and meticulously devised album that truly warrants a wider audience. But...(and there's always a 'But'), if your new to the whole "Illbient" scene (a strong chance), then I'd have to suggest that you don't immediately start with this album, and would instead point you in the direction of "Dj Spooky's" tremendous "Songs for a Dead Dreamer" album. Not necessarily because it's a better album (although it's close between the two albums), it's just that Spooky's album...for a beginner/ or someone new to the genre, is the more immediately accessible album. and eases the listener into the fractious and warped sound the genre is famous for. And makes for a tremendous primer for people new to "illbient". "We's" effort by contrast is possibly a more eclectic/advanced progression of that sound, steeped for more in dense & complicated sounds, Unrecognisable effects, Downtempo funk warped and bended until it's virtually a new sound. Cerebral...almost to the point of requiring the listeners full attention. It is without doubt one of / or the best Illbient album that money can buy, just been prepared to invest some listening time, into this...to get to best results."
Best 'Illbient' album ever recorded...
easy | Hoboken, NJ United States | 06/26/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"We are amazing...and this album is their crown jewel. Unfortunately it is the last album the group will ever record. Amazon has the wrong album title on here, it should say 'Decentertainment'. While all of We's albums are great, this one shows their true potential...a perfect mix of ambient hip-hop/dub/drum n bass and a little science fiction. But not so sci fi that it becomes [bad] or cheesey. I have met a DJ Olive and Loop, and it sounds like they just never found a good label that situation for their material. Liquid Sky/Home Entertainment went out of business right after this release. Well, regardless, Amazon has some copies so pick one up. Also check out the new label 'the Agriculture'."
Track Listings (14) - Disc #1