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Spooks

Spooks

About Spooks

Inspired by the rap/R&B success of the Fugees, Spooks came together in the late '90s with a similar message and group structure, but a much different musical approach. Consisting of vocalist Ming Xia and MCs Mr. Booka-T, Vengeance, Water Water, and Hypno, the group's male-female dynamic brought comparisons to the Fugees almost immediately. The difference lies in the production, which referenced trip-hop and jungle and rarely stuck to a typical hip-hop structure. Boasting this unique approach, the group recorded S.I.O.S.O.S., Vol. 1 in 1999 for Artemis Records. The album was a huge success in Europe, where it turned gold in France, Belgium, Sweden, and Germany, but hardly made a dent in American markets. They re-released the record and put together a live band for their live shows in an attempt to woo U.S. audiences, but the single for "Things I've Seen" did catch on and the group quietly disappeared soon after. ~ Bradley Torreano, All Music Guide

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Featured Review
Dear Science
TV On The Radio
On the way to be established as the best American band of the decade, TV on the Radio's third album has arrived surrounded by five star reviews. Good news is the music totally justifies this level of hype. The Brooklyn-based combo has not abandoned their experimental nature; albeit "Dear Science" sounds deliberately shinier, funkier and more accessible than its, already polished, precursor "Return to Cookie Mountain." Lyrically, though, is quite a darker proposition. Many see on its tone a suitable metaphor to describe their country's collective mood, demoralized and confused, right at the end of Bush's presidency. The band's eclecticism is on full display: electro hooks next to D&B touches; shoegaze's atmospheric layers mixed with post-rock's bass lines via P-funk, often all in the same song. This sonic fusion can be as impressive as disorientating; rich and dense, but also the key that makes TV on the Radio's work improve with repeated listening. Main vocalist Tunde Adebimpe, often helped by guitar player Kyp Malone on second vocals, appears as a sort of missing link between Peter Gabriel and Prince; whereas David Sitek recently turned into producer du jour, applies his multi-instrument playing skills. Members of Antibalas guest on horns, highlighting the romance a new generation of US bands is having with African music. Celebration's Katrina Ford also helps in the mighty single "Golden Age" and the ballad "Family Tree", another of the album's many standout moments. .
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