In Between

構成数 : 1枚
合計収録時間 : 01:14:00
Jazzanova: Claas Brieler, Jurgen Von Knoblauch, Alexander Barck, Stefan Leisering, Axel Reinemer, Roskow Kretschmann. Additional personnel: Vikter Duplaix, Ursula Rucker, Hawkeye Fanatic, Doug Hammond. Personnel: Clara Hill, Desney Bailey, Doug Hammond, Rob Gallagher, Ursula Rucker, Valerie Etienne, Vikter Duplaix (vocals); Hajime Yoshizawa (piano); Stefan Leisering, Roskow Kretschmann (programming). Audio Mixer: Axel Reinemer. Recording information: Exit Studio; Ogu Studio, Tokyo, Japan; The Studio, Philadelphia, PA. Photographer: Sebastian Leisering. Though Jazzanova's underground credibility and respect among fellow artists never wavered during the late '90s, the German six-piece waited a long time to release a proper full-length (reportedly, it required five years of recording). In Between certainly proves the wait was worth it; the collective has not only a Teutonic efficiency for creating complex, precise, detailed beat tracks -- recalling the earthier side of house, hip-hop, and jazz fusion -- but also the wisdom to focus away from music that sounds like it came out of a laboratory. On the surface, "No Use" is just another smooth acid jazz number with a sensuous female vocal and a depth-plumbing bassline; in the hands of Jazzanova, though, it's transformed into a work of real beauty, an impeccable production with countless touches embellishing the percussion in a way that few acts have been able to do (Nuyorican Soul and 4hero are really the only others in the same league). "The One-Tet," a rap track, features a pair of battling drum breaks and glorious stuttered effects over the awed rapping of Capitol A (unsurprisingly, the production overwhelms the vocal). Beside providing the house and acid jazz equivalent of Kruder & Dorfmeister's sublime deconstructions of dub and hip-hop, the Jazzanova revolution focuses squarely on the drum. Piano, Rhodes keyboards, and acoustic guitar are mostly untouched, along with the songwriting and structure; the percussion and programming, however, are forward-thinking to the point of incomprehension. The only problem here is the length: as usually befalls an ambitious dance record (to say nothing of one that was years in the making), In Between is easily twice as long as it should be. (One hint: program out tracks seven through 13, but leave in nine and 11.) ~ John Bush
録音 : ステレオ (Studio)