Search - Balkan Beat Box :: Balkan Beat Box

In a Box

E. A Solinas | MD USA | 03/25/2006

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Not every album kicks off with a rooster crowing. But then, not every band is brave enough for some quirky folk/hip-hop as their main sound.



Much like their sister band Gogol Bordello, Balkan Beat Box creates a funky mishmash of cultural influences. But their music ends up sounding like a gypsy electronica musician who just got back from a Middle-Eastern tour. Yup, it's really as wild as it sounds.



It kicks off with the most infectious song on the album, "Cha Cha," which commands you "dance!" before the beat kicks in -- deliciously funky and danceable. It's followed by the glorious "Bulgarian Chicks," which has Vlada Tomova & Kristin Espeland singing merrily over trumpets and dancey beats.



Then they take a detour out of folkland, with dark hip-hop, Middle Eastern wails, sultry European saxophones, and delightfully raucous blasts of Eastern-European rock'n'roll, with chants interspersing blasts of grimy guitar. It ends on a surprisingly low-key note, with the hypnotic beats of "La Bush Resistance," with Tomer Yosef and Amir Shahasar chanting over it all.



If you had to describe Balkan Beat Box, then it would probably be Middle-Eastern/Jewish/gypsy beatbox/rock/electrofolk. If there's a name for fusion music like that, I'd love to hear of it, because it would probably be as entertainingly colourful as the music itself.



Balkan Beat Box's strongest point is its instrumentation -- we've got the usual instruments, but they're almost smothered in a thick layer of woodwinds, trombones, trumpets, sax and electronic programming here and there. And the musical styles are flexible -- we've got the jagged hip-hop right next to slithering Mid-East beats and bouncy Eastern European stuff.



The vocals per se aren't really provided by the official band, but by a long list of vocalists who sort of chip in on one song each. This can be a little confusing at times, especially since none of them really sound like each other, but it does add to the raucously unexpected sound of the album.



If anybody is completely sick of prepackaged, flavourless pop music, then they should check out Balkan Beat Box. Colourful, energetic and thoroughly entertaining."

Balkan Beat Box & Hip Hop Hoodios = The New Face of Jewish-A

Lil' Creeper | Los Angeles, CA United States | 12/03/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What a year 2005 has proven to be. Matisyahu broke through in a major way, but two of the most interesting new Jewish acts also released albums this year: Balkan Beat Box and Latino-Jewish collective Hip Hop Hoodios.



Gone are the schmaltzy, lame stereotype acts like 2 Live Jews and 50 Shekel. In their place have arrived new acts that represent the true cultural tapestry of Jewish culture. I really enjoy the Balkan Beat Box concept - it's all over the place, and they put on an amazing live show (especially the one at Irving Plaza). Likewise, I discovered Hip Hop Hoodios through their video "Gorrito Cosmico" on MTV Espanol - never did I think an openly Jewish act could make it in the Latino community.



So let me say, if you are an open-minded Amazon shopper, pick up the Balkan Beat Box album and also grab Hip Hop Hoodios "Agua Pa' La Gente" while you're at it. Shalom!!



"

I know what I like

E. Thompson | spokaloo, usa | 10/05/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Sample the second song. Sample the other songs. Order the disc and be prepared to have your musical world expand. Whatever you may call this stuff it is wonderful in ways that keep calling and when you find yourself humming one of these tunes as you wander the supermarket shopping for dinner you get to go back home and crank it up while you cook. Good eatin'."