DJ Spooky - Riddim Warfare
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CD Details
Artist: DJ SpookyEdition: Music CD
CD Release Date: 1998-09-29
Music Label: Outpost Records
Soundtracks:
- Pandemonium
- Synchronic Disjecta
- Object Unknown
- It's Nice Not To Lose Your Mind
- Dialectical Transformation I (A Parallax View)
- Post-Human Sophistry
- Quilombo Ex Optico
- Rekonstruction
- Scientifik
- A Conversation
- Peace In Zaire
- Dialectical Trnsformation II (Du Nouveau Monde)
- Degree Zero
- Roman Planetaire
- Bass Digitalis
- Polyphony Of One
- Riddim Warfare
- The Nerd
- Dialetical Transformation III (Soylent Green)
- Theme Of The Drunken Sailor
- Twilight Fugue
Music reviews of Riddim Warfare
Music Review: A Little Experimentalism.....(Can go a long Way!!!!)
Rating: 5 Stars
Dj Spooky is someone that has had a hand in a multitude of aspects of Hip-Hop/Electronic music. He's a Turntablist, arranger, Producer & musician. And he invariably has a very diverse selection of musical influences (spanning a great many genres, everything from Classical, Jazz, Soul, Funk, Rock, Techno, etc...), which invariably influence the creation of his music. What this means is that because he is (in theory) an experimentlist with his music, most listeners will find that there is very little continuity in his albums, with some albums sometimes displaying massive leaps in accessibility, sound, moody and even genre. And you find that what attracted you to a particular album/release of his, may not be applicable for the next.
"Riddim Warfare" is arguably an album, that although primarily a 'Beat - Orientated' album, that is a very diverse album, its an album that See's Spooky cast his net further afield and includes a disparate collection of figures from the Hip-Hop, Indie, Rap worlds (everyone from, Rappers "Killah Priest", "Kool Keith", "Organised Konfusion", Sonic Youths - "Thurston Moore", Rock Experimentalist "Arto Lindsay" and shoehorns them all into an album that takes the concept of being primarily beat-driven, and touches upon: Electronica, Breakbeat, Dub, Trip-Hop, Drum 'n' Bass, Techno, Hip-Hop, Illbient & Experimental and electronic avant-garde.
Its an album that skips rather erratically from genre to genre, without much consideration from what went before, and tracks are sometimes interspersed and broken up with dialogue ranging from stream-of-consciousness thoughts and observations. Which although separating tracks nicely, will irritate some listeners, but others (such as myself) will be familiar with Spooky's trait for adding intellectual (pretentious??) statements in his music. And although the album is more a musical kaleidoscopic of experiments that generally do lean towards a more speedy fusion of manic sounds and fiery breakbeats, there is a decidedly futuristic / Avant-garde approach, with some tracks actually revelling in sublime downtempo trip-hop, and elements of illibent, where atmospheric pastiches of ambient noise, Dub, Jazz and eerily unpredictable sounds ("Polyphony of One"), are all spread, and intergrated throughout the album. But that just makes up part of an album with many sides....for instance, tracks such as "Object Unknown" are futuristic rap-tracks (in this case featuring "Kool Keith"), that merge fantastic, high-speed lyrics with tech-step styled breakbeat. And indeed "Rekonstruction" takes a more dense and paranoid-orientated sound, with 'Organised Konfusion' brilliantly guesting on vocals. Or if your feeling the need for something decidedly more kinetic and intense, then the jungle styled breaks of "Scientifik" & "Dialectical Transformation III (Soylent Green)" will more than suffice. But such is the nature of Spooky's work, he doesn't sit with any one genre for too long, and "Roman Planetaire" & "Theme of the Drunken Sailor", see's him brilliantly skirting with Dub-reggae /Experimental-Dub.
And Spooky himself, makes his presence felt with the transitions between some tracks that are virtually seamless, and using his considerable skill as a D.j. to provide scratching that may be considered unconventional, but sat within the context of the atmospheric instrumentals and cerebral sound collages, and beat-driven tracks, it works too brilliant effect. This is an album that anyone considering purchasing should make sure they know what they're getting. This is a album with a 'restless spirit', and contradicts itself on virtually every turn, on one hand it seems incapable of remaining structured, and just as you're becoming settled in, it changes direction and runs in the opposite direction, yet its approach and direction is something uniquely different and deserves recognition. on another hand, It doesn't exactly make itself easily accessible, and the sometimes articulate, cerebral approach, is shattered by furious breakbeat fusions, that are nothing particuarly intelligent, but remain beautifully produced beat-electronica. The lack of chorrence throughout the album merely reinforces this, yet it's certainly not an album designed for mainstream consumption (like pretty much all of Spooky's albums), so it's more a album that you'll grow into, rather than immediately accept. And as much as this album owes a massive debt to Hip-Hop, it's frequent excursions into breakbeat / Drum 'n' Bass, will repel those like for music to nod to in the car, and thus...should give this album a wide miss. But those that like (or indeed love) those two genres, will certainly appreciate Spooky's intergration in the album, which is near seamless. And at some 21 tracks and at over 70Min's long, this is an album that shouldn't be digested in one sitting. It's far too concentrated and intense, to fully enjoy in one go. But if you do what I do, and listen to chunks of the album (rather than in one go), it's truly remarkable what Spooky has done here. I have at least 5-6 Dj Spooky Albums, and I have to say that although this might not technically be his best album ("Songs of A Dead Dreamer", is widely considered his best), It find this amongst his most intriguing, and most imaginative. Its sacrifices immediacy and accessibility in favour of pushing the envelope both musically and creatively, and although I'd be more inclined to recommended this to Spooky fans that know what to expect, or those those like the occasionally breakbeat/D'n'B referencing album, or even people that like the idea of musicians messing with the structures, of Hip-Hop, then I can't reccommend this gem, highly enough.
Description of Riddim Warfare
Paul D. Miller, a.k.a. DJ Spooky, is a musician, writer, and conceptual artist from New York City. Trailblazing a new definition of environmental music, Spooky reconstructs sonic data and produces sounds of a futuristic metropolis. A contextual agitator intent on artistic rebellion, Miller fuses urban rap and contemporary electronica. He imaginatively unites large chunks of hip-hop, unearthly jazz, and reggae beats with ambient soundscapes. Besides using drum programs and interludes of spoken word, Spooky is joined by several talented musicians. Featuring Sonic Youth's Thurston Moore and trumpeter Ben Neill as well as rappers like Kool Keith and Killah Priest, Riddim Warfare is Miller's most ambitious undertaking to date. Displaying ability on bass guitar and a mastery of the studio, DJ Spooky makes music for the next millennium. --Mitch MyersDance & DJ CDs
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