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Never heard of him before this album so I did a bit of digging and found out the bloke is signed to the Lex label, linked to Warp here in the UK and therefore a label likely not to sign traditional hip hop artists. The trail led me to his debut album with Doseone from everyone's favourite indie hiphop group Clouddead, and it's as messy as you would imagine. With Doseone firing of his usual wide array of verbal barrages Boom Bip pulls together all sorts of sounds like a particularly enthusiastic colour blind Lego fan. And when I mean all sorts I really mean all sorts; this is a proper mishmash of glorious sounds.
Having had his latest LP, Blue Eyed In The Red Room, on heavy repeat I can univocally say the guy definitely can stand up on his own without the need to have a heavyweight MC backing him up. But then this is not a hip-hop album and nor is it a sample heavy work of the ilk RJD2 or DJ Shadow have made their own. Rather it's a lovely collection of downbeat instrumentals that are so swoon-worthy that they could rock a rabid dog to sleep. It is beautiful dope music but not woozy, in fact even from the first track Cimple it has crystal clear keyboards playing a simple ditty whilst a hypnotic loop runs in the background. Do's & Don'ts picks up the pace as well as providing the first of two great vocal contributions with the distinctive Gruff Rhys of the Super Furry Animals continuously chanting over an almost Egyptian sounding musical collage. The pace of the music actually changes half way through, almost turning the song into two distinct pieces of music. Girl Toy really does amply demonstrates that Boom Bip does not need superstars to make beautiful songs and this is a luscious piece of wimsy starting ever so delicately and then slowly building in layers until you're gently floating along with it. Dumb Day makes interesting use of snare drums whilst Eyelashings starts of with an aggressive baseline before launching itself in the clouds again with beautiful tinkly pianos. This minimalist theme continues with Soft and Open and One Eye Round The Warm Corner is the least electronica sounding song on the whole album; just an acoustic guitar and a few strings. Lovely. The Matter closes the album with dreamy vocals from Nina Nastasia who sounds kind of like Hope Sandoval. A simple lulling drone is conjured by Boom Bip and allows Nina to gently croon "I don't believe in the power of love, I don't believe in the wisdom of stars" to a fitting and beautiful conclusion. Essential.
I'll keep this short - as the previous reviewer summed up so well, this is a beatiful album of gentle, tightly constructed instrumentals with a groovy kick. Aside from the slightly out-of-place Gruff Rhys, it's an album that hangs together very well and is highly recommended.
However, if you can spare a couple of extra pounds, do get the version with the bonus 3" CD with 'Red Room', a 13 minute bonus track. It is a rawer, more pulsating instrumental, one that shares many sounds with post-rock bands Explosions in the Sky and Godspeed You Black Emperor. It really is a bonus CD worthy of the extra cash, so to anyone interested in this album, surf on over to the other listing for it and grab a nice extra while you're at it!
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:4.1 out of 5 stars 9 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsStrong advice6 Dec 2005
By Fofifa - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
If you are anything like me, and I believe there are quite a few listeners who have similar patterns to mine, I strongly advise you to listen to this cd more than once.
I was already a huge fan of another Boom Bip effort "Seed to Sun". Then, when I first heard "Blue Eyed in the Red Room", I was quite disappointed. It didn't seem bad, just mediocre. However, since I know that occasionally I am wrong about a CD on the first listen, I gave this one another chance. Boy, am I glad I did. It is now one of my favorite CDs, and it just keeps growing in stature.
If you've come to this from Boom's other CDs, give it more than one listen - it is very different from his other stuff, and I think at least equally great. It gets under your skin when you least pay attention to it, in an ambient sort of way. I love the way the songs develop. Someone claims it takes Boom too long to develop the melodic line, but I disagree. I think the trick is not to listen to it up front, but more like an ambient record (think Eno)... at which point the development is just about perfectly paced.
Highly recommended.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsOne of my favorite releases of the new year.12 April 2005
By JD - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
Kind of electronic album I can list to over and over . . . songs are unique and have the spatial quality one finds in avant-garde jazz. Full of intense and interesting sounds but always very free, never too dense.
My reviews aren't that good, but this album deserved another 5 so it is getting one.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 starsGone are the samples, the static and the noise...7 April 2005
By Port Royal Sound - Published on Amazon.com
Format:Audio CD
Those wishing to pigeonhole Boom Bip (Bryan Hollon) as a strict turntablist falling into the "underground rap" or "alternative hip hop" genres will be thoroughly disappointed with this release. Those recognizing Boom Bip as a multi-disciplined artist interested in forging his own musical path rather than sticking in the confines of a specific genre will, at a minimum, be intrigued by this cd's departure from the previous release "Seed to Sun". Gone are the samples, the static and the noise. In their place are layer upon layer of guitars, autoharps, and other various stringed instruments, keyboards and mechanical beats all performed by Boom Bip.
Many of the tracks, "Cimple", "Girl Toy", "Dumb Day", and "One eye around the warm corner" consist of bizarrely simple melodies and chord progressions that result in melodious washes of sound rather than individual structured songs. The standout tracks include "The Move", "The Dos and the Don'ts" and "The Matter (of our discussion)"
"The Move" is simply one of the catchiest electronic instrumental tracks ever released and will probably make it's way into several chill-out compilations. But what stands out in this track is the bridge which is made up of layers of repetitive guitar lines (almost in the vein of Steve Reich) that build and build until the original theme again emerges. "The Dos and the Don'ts" is a sparse, epic track featuring Gruff Rhys of Super Furry Animals. The final track features the voice of Nina Nastasia floating over a layer of guitars and autoharps that are as drifting and unstructured as the song's lyrics.
In conclusion, buy this cd! Buy it new! Support this artist.