Taking their cue from trip-hop and acid-jazz progenitors such as DJ Spooky, Portishead, Bill Laswell, Coldcut, the Grassy Knoll, and DJ Shadow, Urchin construct a chill-room collage of classic hip-hop breakbeats, jazzy sol... more »o horns, sweeping string sections, and gurgling space-age synths. Punctuated by echoey turntable scratches and occasional vocal tags, stoney Urchin grooves like "Nile Rose" and "Unspoken" are built around repeating loops, short sampled figures and motifs that cycle continuously, resulting in a layered pastiche of timbres, colors, and textures that constantly mutate. Dark enough to inspire a little mystery, and upbeat enough to keep your head nodding in time, Urchin makes a cool addition to the instrumental hip-hop family tree. A trippy dreamtime soundscape peppered with ethnic, classical, jazz, electronic, and urban sounds. --James Rotondi« less
Taking their cue from trip-hop and acid-jazz progenitors such as DJ Spooky, Portishead, Bill Laswell, Coldcut, the Grassy Knoll, and DJ Shadow, Urchin construct a chill-room collage of classic hip-hop breakbeats, jazzy solo horns, sweeping string sections, and gurgling space-age synths. Punctuated by echoey turntable scratches and occasional vocal tags, stoney Urchin grooves like "Nile Rose" and "Unspoken" are built around repeating loops, short sampled figures and motifs that cycle continuously, resulting in a layered pastiche of timbres, colors, and textures that constantly mutate. Dark enough to inspire a little mystery, and upbeat enough to keep your head nodding in time, Urchin makes a cool addition to the instrumental hip-hop family tree. A trippy dreamtime soundscape peppered with ethnic, classical, jazz, electronic, and urban sounds. --James Rotondi
CD Reviews
Pulsating loops & electronic beats
Enrique Torres | San Diegotitlan, Califas | 01/06/2004
(4 out of 5 stars)
"The editorial Amazon review pretty much captures the mood of this disc and identifies the styles quite well. This is one of those discs that should stay near the player and never gather much dust. I've had my copy since '99 and play it whenever the trip -hop attitude comes to mind and I feel like letting my head wander or my creative juices flow. The spatial endorphins released from listening to this disc are amazing! It is very spacey, relaxing and while listening you feel like you are on some type of extra terrestrial oddysey. The music takes you out there. Although there are times where the beats get repetive it does suddenly change directions and morf into another direction with a new beat. Good chill out music for those when those creative moments fly by and hours seem like minutes.Coming in at 67:02 it is good music for a non-obtrusive dreamy background . This is an ethereal blissed out electronic trip-hop disc that is jazzy and laid back. Part of the wafeform catalog that grew out of the internet radio show Musical Starstreams, Urchin proves to be one of those unique duos that captured a moment in time and the results seem to keep echoing on. Good stuff for those chill out moments year after year. Recomended for scratchy trip-hop fans that like spacey music in the wee hours of a new day."
One-of-a-kind work
M. Durio | Opelousas, LA USA | 11/28/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Think I bought this based on the cover and having heard a slice of "Ice Cream Van." While the mood is very dark-maybe even frightening for very young listeners-the sophistication of the layering and arrangements shows evidence of some seriously inspired musical minds. True, it does get a bit repetitive, but with a revealing set of loudspeakers or really good headphones, this stands as a work of genius that has not been matched or even imitated.Get it or regret it!(BTW, does anyone else recognize the guitar riff in the middle of "Ice Cream Van" as an homage to the harpsichord in Paul Mauriat's 60's classic "Love Is Blue"?)"
Searching For UFOs
karatemaster | Birmingham, MI United States | 03/01/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Summers Night, Clear Sky, A Full Moon Gives A Blue Cast To The Fog Hoovering Above The Ground. Reclining In An Old Wooden Chair You Let Your Mind Drift..... The Perfect Setting For This Truly Magnificent Album. Dark Beats Dovetail With Beautiful Melodies. Hands Down Urchin Has Created An Incredible Work Of Art And Demands More Attention Than They Have Recieved. (MUST BUY)"
Classic, hypnotic
dubduster | Minneapolis | 10/04/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I first heard of Urchin on an internet radio station. the song was "candlelight". I immediatly searched my local record shop for the album. finally after a week of searching and another week of waiting for my special order to arrive, I heard the rest of the album. I think the cd was in my player for a month straight! I play it when I throw parties for background music and find people asking me "who is this?". I don't want to drag on and write a redundant review, all I wanna say is this album is far and away the best "chill out" album ever! Find it and love it....."
Amazing
moraelin | 07/11/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I bought this album at random a few years ago, looking for something new. It is now, by far and wide, my favorite album ever. Every song is breath-takingly beautiful. Though at first I barely ever listened to it, it slowly grew on me as I discovered all the layers. It's the best music I've ever found to daydream to. If you give it more than one chance to grow on you, you will not regret it."
Track Listings (10) - Disc #1