Search - Woven :: 8 Bit Monk

An aural blend of paradise...

Mark Twain | Cali4nia | 07/14/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Woven have created the blissfully unique in this album; a perfectly balanced fusion of sensual vocals and heavy yet welcoming beats blends with chilled out synth lines that seem to converse with one another deep in the music. As Jason mentioned earlier, the vocalists have no egos whatsoever, but I would take it a step further; you can hear the same candor expreesed through the guitars, bass, and clearly the two drummers (hell, it must be hard to share a song between two drummers without it getting out of control or overpowering, but W0V3N pulls it off brilliantly). I do have to disagree with some reviewists (?) who have described a Woven album as "romantic-gothic" and "haunting and ghostly, a trip into a cold night with a full moon"; a Woven album is perfect as a trip-hop album, a soundtrack for an open-air drive in the summer with the roof down and your ears open and eyes closed (no not if your driving, jeez) if you let it be. Brilliant stuff, there is not one song I dislike on this album and no filler. I am surprised they have such a relatively small fanbase, but I kinda like it this way. It proves Woven really is in it for the music (sorry 'bout the cliche); It makes Woven's music more intimate and personal to each of us
Woven fan(atic)s.It would be worthless to anyone to rate songs on a marks-out-of-five system, as I would proudly award 5 to every song, so I'm not gonna."

Finally some original music!!

C. Arkenberg | Santa Cruz, Ca United States | 08/05/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album is truly a masterful crafting of sonic landscapse, driving rhythms, digital manipulation, and lyrical wonderment. I love it. The comparisons will be made to Radiohead, Bjork, Pink Floyd and others, but rest assured that this creation is truly unique. In fact, I'm even getting my Jane's Addiction fix which seems to be lacking with Strays. Deep and powerful yet uplifting and cheery, with an underlying hallucinogenic apprehension of Divinity. Listen to this music like a sermon on how to really enjoy the myriad wonders of Life's rich pageant.In short, Buy This Album. Listen to it once. Listen again. By the third time you'll be hooked."

Brilliantly orchestrated avant organic electronica pop

jason greenberg | Soquel, CA United States | 06/18/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you have heard Woven's debut EP, "EPrime" then you may have a small taste of the original un-categorize-able Organic/Synthetic euphoric electronica/trip-pop (rock?!) these guys are experimenting with (If you do not have it I definitely recommend that as well). Their debut LP, 8-bit monk though is an alchemical spaceship exploration of the enchanted forest, fairies and nomes in an H.R. Geiger sci-fi cheese-less love story kung-fu - fighting aliens, or like realizing that you have just breathed fully for the first time! This may sound even more cliché and pseudo-obscure than the last sentence but if you like Radiohead, Bjork, Pink Floyd, Aphex Twin, Mum, as well as Funkadelic, and Jane's Addiction then you will be fully satisfied with this awesome delectable treat of both smooth and Raw aural sensuality! Don't take my - vague psychedelic description - word for it. Check it out! Also check them out live! They are FREAKY wild deep live! Their audiences are usually dumbstruck and paralyzed except for the few people who can not stop from dancing like their life depended on getting down harder than they thought was humanly possible!Their two unique skilled drummers are fully endowed with classic acoustic drum sets inter-woven with electronic MIDI triggers accessing their Samplers and merge in perfect union the old school and the new-school jungle-drum-and-bass-trip-hop ineffable beats! Their keyboardist/atmospherial master and his host of rich cholesterol-full analogue and digital synths and laptop slickly never strays from tasteful even when things get really Hype! Their Bassist seems like he is on the verge of jumping out of his epidermis at every show and his slew of entertaining and fascinating facial expressions almost explain how he can play bass with so much soul! Their two guitarists will confuse anyone with logic and a good ear and just when you give up on trying to figure out who is doing what and how you will find yourself pleasantly woven into the tapestry of melody-harmony soundscape union! Both the singers' (one of the guitarists and the bassist) integrity, honesty and lack of ego is beautiful enough but then add on their unique and expressive vocal tones and literally addictive vocal melodies and then their deep and meaningful-beyond-mundane, spiritual and emotional lyrics and you may become as much of a psycho Woven fan as I am!"