Zen

Artist: DJ Krush
Label: Red Int / Red Ink
Category: Music

Average customer rating:

Media: LP Record

UPC: 766925570713
EAN: 0766925570713
ASIN: B000065V7T

Release Date: 2002-05-21

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| Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

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Customer Reviews:

I must be missing something.......2007-01-09

Sorry, but this is one of my least favorite DJ Krush albums. It feels like an unfocused, random pile of singles rather than a cohesive album. Which would be fine, assuming all the tracks were great, but they're not. Some, of course, are pretty phenomenal, since it is DJ Krush, after all. The others are subpar mostly due to some questionable guest artists, and there are some uninspired beats in here too. All the rave reviews make we wonder if the reviewers own many other Krush albums, because this one feels diluted in comparison. I'd go with Jaku and Krush's first album before this one. That said, this album still has some high points, and it is DJ Krush, so 3 stars.

Smooth Grooves - a Highly Enjoyable Listen!.......2006-01-14

The 5-star rating might be a little generous, but it's meant to reflect how worthy of purchase I think this CD is overall. I favor the more subdued, relaxing tunes. Some justifiably consider this release to be a bit inconsistent, but I also appreciate its diversity. Whatever you want to label this music - downtempo, acid jazz, hip hop - I don't think it fits easily into any particular category.

DJ Krush is especially effective at creating minimal soundscapes with subtle sophistication. Overall, this CD is laid-back and quite groove-worthy.

A few highlights (some impressions):

"Song 1" - very relaxing, kick-back hip-hop groove, very minimal with jazzy textures including a sweet trumpet.

"Zen Approach" - easy hip-hop funk beat with Black Thought from The Roots in full effect and shimmering background synths. Off the hook, baby!

"Danger of Love" - I'm a big Zap Mama fan and Marie Daulne (who IS Zap Mama) sings exquisitely on this smooth, catchy track. She also contributes some amazingly acrobatic vocals in the background, one of her most notable gifts.

"Sonic Traveler" - Starts off with background noises from a train station combined with subtle African rhythms and instruments before it launches off with a hyperkinetic drum machine. Actually employs bouncing ping pong balls as musical instruments - a fascinating instrumental!

"Vision of Art" - an ominous tone pervades over this spare track featuring an intense, ballsy rap performance.

"Day's End" - another very relaxing instrumental, similar to "Song 1" with a more "end-of-a-quiet-day" feel to it. Features more trumpet, a seductive acoustic guitar and that African instrument that I think is called a kora (?).

"Candle Chant (a Tribute)" - an amazing song, absolutely mesmerizing. Features a bizarre (to my ears) rap in an Asian language (that I assume is Japanese) and a hypnotic, crystalline acoustic guitar.

"Paradise Bird Theory" - has a very mysterious, dark and sensuous trip-hop sound.

Highly recommended, especially for chilling out.

DUCK CHASE.......2005-06-17

We have just spotted the duck with the rabbit ears, via satelite, we believe he is going to Bulgaria. Crawl, thats all the news for now. Gotta go and shave my neck. This has been Zebra Neck, calling straight from the North Pole.

Beautiful Meditation.......2005-03-27

Although DJ Krush's "Zen" is far ahead of its own time, there is a palpable sense of nostalgia and iconography within the confines of this amazing album. The opening track, simply entitled "Song", is a gorgeously lush combination of subdued hip-hop beats and traditional Asian musicianship, reminding listeners of Krush's own roots dug into Japan. Which is why this album works as a whole. The slight reminders of what came before are knots in the music, they hold it together, giving us a myriad of hypnotic vocals (including N'Dea Davenport, Zap Mama and Black Thought, among others) and tripnotic beats, yet all having something in common. In all, this album is one worth meditating to, whether your eyes are open or not.

pretty damn good.......2004-08-06

if you're looking at dj krush then you of course know his reputation for awesomeness. this album is more a compilation of songs he did with other great artists. company flow, tunde ayanyemi, sunja lee... to name a few. all around a solid purchase

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