Mixed mixes
E. A Solinas | MD USA | 10/04/2005
(2 out of 5 stars)
"Zero 7 has mixed results in their "favorites" compulation, a part of the "Another Late Night" series. Compiled here are several excellent trip-hop tunes, and several similarly good hip-hop tunes. Unfortunately, the two are mashed together in a none-too-pleasant manner.
It starts off on a suitably mellow note with Yesterday's New Quintet, and all seems to be going well for a short time. Then the Quasimoto "Real Eyes" comes in. Don't get me wrong -- it's a wonderful song, and an excellent musical choice. But placed directly after the laid-back trippiness of Quintet's "Sunrays," it comes across as surreally harsh.
After that comes a stretch of more gritty hip-hop, followed by some tripped-out jazz and mellow Joy Zippers, and... more hip-hop, sprinkled with electronica here and there. It ends on a softer note with a trippy cover by the Stylistics, and a song by Zero 7 themselves.
Unlike bands like Snow Patrol and the Flaming Lips, don't expect Zero 7's mix CD to be full of music that shaped their sound. Because there's very little resemblance between, say, Quasimoto and Zero 7's sounds. Both are enjoyable, but there's literally no resemblance at all.
But the problem with Zero 7's "Another Late Night" is not so much the songs selected, but the way they are presented. It seems like Zero 7 simply chose a bunch of songs they liked, and tossed them onto a CD willy-nilly. As a result, they lurch from one musical style to another, and none of the songs flatter one another.
Had the assorted songs been rearranged, Zero 7's entry in the "Another Late Night" series could have been excellent listening. As it is, it's an uncomfortable tangle of different musical styles."
So hard to find in stores, but the Best ANOTHERLATENIGHT com
Murielle J. Daru | Miami, Fl usa | 08/18/2006
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is my favorite CD. I bought it in france about 4 or 5 yrs ago and accidently misplaced it. I then couldn't find it in any stores and even Itunes didn't have it. :(
Thanks to Amazon for shipping me the best electro Trip-hop any has ever made.
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