Yesterday for the second time listened to Booka Shade's debut album, Memento, and was again terribly disappointed. I remember putting it aside when it was first released and even with the knowledge of their latest, quite brilliant recordings, Memento continues to miss something that makes it an essential album. You hear all those typical Booka Shade sounds, but they are just not arranged in a good way, making it a very dull record, that not for a moment reaches the heights of 'Night Falls', 'Darko' or 'In White Rooms'. It seems like they hadn't completley mastered their machines at that point in time.
Much better are Rome's new arrivals, Modern Heads. Both the Gliding and Paper Toys e.p.'s contain exquisite minimal that, at times, borders on (yes!) neo-trance. Over at My Space you can stream some of their songs.
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4 comments:
Strange, I prefer Memento (with all its little faults) over boring Movements which basically is amazing 'Night Falls' and some other tracks including the most overrated track of 2006: In Shite Rooms.
Their Essential Mix is great though. :)
Tss OMC.. don`t forget to be provocative once in a while he.. In White Rooms is one of the best 10 songs of the year, no competition.
I agree that Memento doesnt work as an album but it surely has around five standout tracks that are more brilliant than half of the tracks of Movement, which works on the other hand way better as an album. The ultimate Booka Shade album is therefore a mix between Movements and Memento.
I dont agree with the `the didnt know how their machines were working`-argument, as they perfectly knew what they were doing back then: creating a melancholic minimal record for `at home listening pleasure`. With Movements they wanted to make a DANCE-record, which is not necessaruily the same.
Booka Shade also don`t like Memento anymore: thats the reason why you wont hear any memento song in their live set nowadays.
don`t forget to be provocative once in a while
I try, I try. Gotta keep you sharp. :)
These things happen. In the blogosphere some things get ridiculously overpraised and they really become something of a meme. But I really really can't see what the deal is with In White Rooms. People should talk about Solieb - Isotropy (Lazy Fat People remix). ;)
come on! in white rooms is a near perfect record. it's 100% of this day and time, it's perfectly produced, it's pop without words. it's the fuckin' works!
and that's the last I've written about it :-)
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