Drum & Tribe Cyberjam: Oriental Breakbeats Compiled by Genetic Drugs
Generally, AV ignores compilations and doesn’t review them however, this here is one, which emphasizes new arenas and reminds you of old ones that you might have forgotten. Genetic has put together a compilation that denies being ignored. So I am sharing it with you.
Tracks / Reviews:
- Genetic Drugs & Jasmon - Al-Salamu Alaikum, this is lakshmi: One minute long intro to the album - even that has me grooving.
- Genetic Drugs + Jasmon feat Mohamed Mounir - Washri (La La La): This is "Egyptian pop music in the direction of breakbeats." An experiment, the results of which didn't go awry. If the rest of the album sounds this cool, then Genetic is getting money for this promo copy.
- Digital Bled - Jo: A mellow track that has a beat built to relax the mind and make you wish you were on a desert caravan. Although there is this low flute sample that seems to unnecessarily have been thrown in.
- Natacha Atlas - Moustahil: Starts with the flute of the last song mixed in; so there IS a reason for that sample. Done in the true Natacha Atlas has fun and makes you belly-rave-break style; Fabulous!
- U-Cef - The moorish matador: A jazzy-araby-drum n bassy melody with mariachiesque guitars thrown in to amplify an already culturally and musically diverse sound.
- Genetic Drugs & Jasmon - Sleeping Ufo feat. Roman Bunka: A mellow drum n base sound that seems to progress into oblivion. Beautiful drum n base with a great guitar loop but it just keeps going and going without any clear direction. Then it just fades out.
- Hassan Hakmoun - Saba Atu Rijal: Tabla beat with flutes layered on top leading to a chanting Arabic voice that invites you keep listening, but then ends two minutes later. Although, leading perfectly into the next track.
- Faudel - N'sel Fik: A track that combines the pop sounds of Faudel with drum n base antics added. It's definitely worth listening to over and over again.
- The Third Planet - Dylane Jerbaaran: With some use of white noise - track 8 leads right into this one. Awesome Freakin' Track!!! But you know how long it is? One minute and 54 seconds long!!! GIVE ME MORE - GIVE ME MORE!!!
- Kabul Workshop - Trigana Remix: More white noise and here we have a breakbeat drum line that gets especially heavy towards the end, mixed with Arabic strings and percussions to perfection.
- Amina - Lirrili: Violins (?) leading to a catchy Tunisian vocal line which sticks in your head like an N'Sync song. However, these guys have more variation in their vocals and sound a whole lot better.
- Smadj - Armatan: Hypnotic and serene vocals - a groovy drum line that causes one to shake to the beat - definitely one for the radio.
- Gnawa Impulse - Lahillah Express: Moroccan chants placed over a breakbeat line involving electric guitars on the low end of the scale - leading to a kicking drum n base line. Wow!!
- Nour-Eddine - Saaltou El Gamar (Leonardo Cesari Remix): A drum n base line with repetitious vocals on top. Although cool - it gets old soon. Even for a track only 2 minutes 30 seconds long.
- Enrico - Sidi H'bibi (Qaballa Steppers Remix): Semi cool drum line enhanced by the guitars and vocals of Enrique. Wish the drum line varied a bit more.
- Momo - Digital Garab-Ministry of Bullshit (Steve Hillage Mix): A drum line that starts off almost African but quickly shifts to resemble techno. Could have been an interesting track but gets lame with the vocals.
- The Rootsman - Destiny-Genetic Drugs Reconstruction: An interesting track with the speed of a drum n base line but can easily be mixed with reggae. Really freakin' cool. Although some of the electric guitars (?) weirdly reminds me of "I've got the power" by C & C Music Factory (I think) - strange.
- The Rootsman & Genetic Drugs - Lakshmi's peace to you all: Lakshmi - our guide says good bye to us - coming out of track 17.
Genetic has put together a compilation that provides you a glimpse into the arabic and eastern european drum n base and pop. Great album! A definite buy.
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