Album Results
Album Reviews
At first repulsive and overbrewed, Animal Magic slowly takes shape as a solid debut of narcoleptic down tempo. Which isn't too surprising: Bonobo's Simon Green is known for making friends with intelligent electronic adventurers Mr. Scruff and Amon Tobin, and choosing a moniker after a species of chimpanzee Chris Morris made famous. In fact, his fusion of encouraging trip-hop, helium voices, and sitars probably isn't the quickest way to get you humming in the bath. But intimation is rarely used in pop music, and when it's put up against an uncharacteristically emotional pallor ("Kota," "Sugar Rhyme"), you're rewarded for your patience. If you hear Lionrock's hypnogogic avant-splatter or the solar affection of Air, that's because Green shares their use of textural organics in the middle of low-key electronic mood music. Although the result is not as colorful as Lemon Jelly, or as amusing as Bent, there's a balance that's just as effective, using the power of suggestion instead of cleverness to avoid the pitfalls of so much half-realized, barely aware chill-out that's always been in the market ironically fighting so fiercely for attention. ~ Dean Carlson, All Music Guide
Track Listing
more| Featured Review | |
|
Live Your Life T.I. Feat. Rihanna |
| Following a shaky year, plagued with problems with the law, no effort has been spared for the launch of T.I.'s sixth album "Paper Trails" with up to four different lead tracks sent to promotion at nearly the same time: First came his recent US number one "Whatever You Like"; hip-hop's magnificent four joint bash "Swagga Like Us" promptly followed; "Dead and gone", a duet with Justin Timberlake, and last but not least, this one that has quickly replaced "Whatever..." atop Billboard singles and looks likely to break the Atlanta rapper in the European markets. A few years ago, this overwhelming campaign would have been spread over a full year; but these days it pays off to concentrate all efforts at once, as the first week sales of the album, far beyond the half million mark, seem to prove. "Live Your Life's" main appeal is Rihanna singing the chorus over the pseudo-Tyrolese intro of O-Zone's recent eurosmash "Dragostea Din Tei", whereas T.I adds his distinctive eeeh-oooh hailing and throws in some rhymes that sound like a declaration of principles for everybody who wants to replicate his rags to riches story. | |
 more
|
|
