Search - Quannum :: Spectrum

Without doubt

Graham Brown | FYSHWICK, ACT Australia | 11/02/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Well my tastes have changed recently after going to a Q-Bert concert and enjoying the DJing of the support acts stumbled on a hip-hop Id never knew existed. A second wind of underground funk from my perception. Here in Oz the dangerous crew and most Oakland based g-funk is big time underground but when I heard some absolute funky beats of a different kind I had to explore harder. Ive found a number of underground classic tracks 2 in which I heard that night such as funky child by lords of the underground and crossover from EPMD, but without the funkiest and most consistant of this kind of underground rap is by this collective. I knew of Shadow and Blackalicious but didnt know there origins and throw in Lateef, Lyrics Born and others you have some mad funk. The beats even make a bass lacking track unreal from these guys. Concentration, I change my mind, Extravaganza, hot people and looking over the city are all A1 rap. Im so glad I found this collective."

Extremely Exquisite

BC | San Francisco, CA | 10/29/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This album was just wonderful. Other reviewers complain about how there's not enough DJ Shadow, or the skits with Mack B. Dog on the radio just lessen the greatness of the album, but they're wrong. This masterful collective of illustrious artists hits right on, dead center- it's just damn good music.

The album opens up with a kick-ass track, "Concentration," featuring the Quannum MC's and Jurassic 5 MC's, and what an opener! It gets the listener hooked right away. I was so impressed with the all-MC chorus. It displayed a comfortable musical cohesion that was so natural and exquisite, and upon first hearing it, I said to myself- "yeeaaaahhhh." It is a powerful track that shows their unity and talent as artists, with a diverse offering of MC's that make the track just good fun. Track 3, "Storm Warning," is just sublime. Latyrx just rips verse after verse between Lyrics Born and Lateef, which makes the track exciting and literally intense. DJ Shadow is so creative that he samples the telephone disconnection tone. The "mic break" skits in between just relax the listener and bring them a sense of reality, and I do believe that this album is VERY real, very excellent. Track 7, "People Like Me," featuring Joyo Velarde, is hands down the ULTIMATE chill-out song. She is a beautiful operatic songstress put in the environment of hip-hop greats. Track 8, Lyrics Born's "I Changed My Mind," is raunchy, catchy, and very listenable. It is a definite 5-star song and is just amazing good production.

I would say the climax of this album is VERY early on, at "Storm Warning" (Track 3), but afterward, it's not even very anti-climatic, the album still retains itself and gives the listener a very full-bodied and exquisite experience. I am brutally honest when I say this: it is one of the best albums that the Quannum crew has released. Check this out immediately."