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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A hidden gem, 30 Dec 2006
I am not sure what is the more remarkable about this, the third album release from house diva Sonique; that it appears to have been sneaked out almost under cover of darkness by the Kosmo label from sessions recorded two years ago (even the title 'On Kosmo' suggests a reluctance to recognise this collection as a credible 'whole')or the fact that the resulting album is actually very, very good indeed.
Sonique's background as a DJ and remixer means that she is adept at mixing up the predominantly dance/pop sounds here to good effect, and although the songs are mainly high tempo there are couple of excellent ballads here - one of which, 'Alone' is one the best and most immediate that I've heard for a very long time. The overall standard is consistently high throughout; I've counted at least four songs I would award 10/10 (including the aforementioned 'Alone' and my current favourite 'Another World')and another couple come close.
Perhaps the strongest element of all, however, is Sonique's voice, a uniquely timbred instrument that is by turns raw, richly emotive and surprisingly tender, but always full of character. It is fair to say that her voice infuses even the more lyrically unremarkable songs with a powerful 'charge' that is impossible to ignore, so each song becomes a 'stand out' in its own way. The only song that doesn't quite work for me is 'Take You For A Ride', which, after a promising atmospheric start, develops into a straight feel-good number when I felt that a more bitter-sweet approach would have worked better. But that is a minor niggle and hardly detracts from a highly accomplished and enjoyable album that deserves far more critical attention and exposure than it is likely to receive.
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
My Review on On Kosmo, 10 Dec 2006
So, I'm posting this to post my own opinions of On Kosmo. Now don't get me wrong, it's a great album, it may have taken me more than one listen, but it's still great. Second of all, let me also say that my favorite album remains Born To Be Free, but keep in mind Born To Be Free was an awesome album. Anyway, lemme do a rundown of the songs:
1)Why
As most of you probably know, this was the second single released from On Kosmo, in May 2005 I believe... anyway, great energetic song. I think it has a small hint of rock in it. 8/10
2)Thank You
For those who like house tracks, you'll like this one, I found myself liking it too, for the vocal part sounded strong in my opinion "Now the search is over, now that I found you". It's the longest song on the album at 6:46. 8/10
3)Sleezy
My personal favorite, and it'll be the third (and final?) single. Very atmospheric, nice strings in the background, it makes me feel warm inside. 10/10
4)Save Myself
Most of the album tracks are similar to this one, a nice dance track, and not that I don't like the lyrics, but I think Born To Be Free had better lyrics. Another thing about this song is that it changes alot from the verses to the chorus. but I still like it. 7/10
5)Over
Another thing on some of the tracks is that her vocals seem a little iffy. But only on few parts. Anyway, this is a nice slow ballad track. Though in the chorus, I can't help but think it sounds a little like they're trying to sing opera. 8/10
6)My Dream
This one seems oprah-ish too on some of the vocals. Not much to say about it, the style is similar to that of Save Myself. Sort of an up-lifter for those down in the dumps. 6/10
7)I Don't Even Know
Again, most of the album is composed of catchy little dance tracks, this is one. Though I can't help feel a similar feeling while listening to this as that of Sleezy. 7/10
8)Take You For A Ride
Another house track, it's 5:19. I guess sorta similar to Thank You, but again, her vocals seem a little iffy here too. She's trying to sing lower than she can, then higher than she can. Still great though. 8/10
9)I Can't Wait
Another track similar to most of the others. And another up-lifter. Um... I'm kinda running outta things to say... The lyrics in most of the songs seem to repeat too often. But I don't find that as too much of a problem. 7/10
10)Another World
This was the first single released from On Kosmo, known for its futuristic video. I say this was a good single pick, although I'm not sure if the other songs were created when they made this one. Anyway, 9/10
11)Another Moment
Stylewise, similar to the other tracks, but I seem to like something about this one. It seems to have rythm to it. This one has a "pushing forward" feeling. Though, Sonique seems to chant a secret message in the song, too fast for me to catch. 8/10
12)Alone
Another ballad-type track it seems like. I'm not sure how this would have done as a single, it's not Sonique's normal style. Would people have liked it? I just think Sleezy was more her, and people will look forward to its release. Anyway, back to this song, it was good for a final track, I think it's very catchy. But it took me a few listens to fully appreciate it. 9/10
Something else I realised, not sure if they did this on purpose, but... if you take out Take You For A Ride from the tracklisting, the rest of the track appear to be in reverse alphabetical order. Weird huh?
As a final grade, I give this album an 8/10. Some fans of many styles of music will miss variation here, but fans of Sonique such as myself will still appreciate this fine piece indeed. I only can hope for it to do good on its release.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Sonique's third album worth to listen to definively!, 11 Dec 2006
It took a long time for Sonique's third solo album as a singer to see the public finally and officially. All the recordings were done in the year 2004 in a studio in Germany of her new record label - supported by the creme of producers attached to this label called Kosmo.
Apart from the House, Trance and Techno stuff she is playing at her DJ gigs, as a recording artist Sonique has made another fantastic pop album, debatably the best so far. Some old fans may miss some kind of R'n'B-like tracks this time, but the album offers some excellent dance tracks and charming ballads. If you don't know Sonique's music up to now, it is definitely worth a try to test her. Buy this album and you won't regret. Before I review the tracks in particular, let's take a view to the Making Of ...
In December 2004 yet, a first single from the album was released: "Another World". The label has spent a lot of money for a futuristc video, which induced hopes that there must be a high budget to promote both the single and the forthcoming album too. But surprisingly, nothing noticeable happened. So, in Germany, "Another World" charted only low for some weeks; in the UK it wasn't released at all. Maybe the "shock" of Sonique's style in this song was too big, that's why not marketable in the UK and America, where her breakthrough with one of the biggest hits in 2000 "It Feels So Good" once happened. Artistwise officially labeled as "Sonique on Tomcraft", "Another World" is a real techno stomper with a high dance appeal. Lyrically and also in the video clip, this song is underlayed with some deeper meaning concerning Sonique's career as a recording artist up to this point, especially the fact, that her former label Universal thought the second album "Born To Be Free" (2003) is a self-runner not needing much advertisment after the huge success of the debut album "Hear My Cry" in 2000.
Back to "Another World", the video clip for the song takes you literally into another world! It is a completely white-coloured interior of a gigantic tower, which is situated in the midst of a black ocean. A breeding machine is working there normally spawning an evergrowing population of soulless clones. As an abnormality Sonique comes out of one of the cocoons and is keeping caught and monitored on a sort of surgery bed. But she dreams of escaping to a better place somewhere outside the tower. She manages to cross the crowd of clones and dives into the boundless black ocean of freedom. Sonique appears in the video clip as an athletic cyborg clone dancing and even flying through the scenes. One of the clones can follow her and makes way for conquering that black world. Sonique tries to fight against it. Based on the biblical tower of Babylon, that white one symbolises the major record companies and the clones stand for their generic pop acts. The black world means the artistic freedom in a subculture. The invasion by the clones stands for the commercial exploitation of the underground scene.
The year 2005 saw only another song picked from the album: "Why". No noticeable promotion - but scraped at least on the German Singles Top 100 (charted for 2 weeks).
Meanwhile rumours grew stronger of a soon release of the whole album, simply announced as "On Kosmo", indicating the label change. By the way, Sonique felt pretty happy about that, almost like sort of "coming home". The reason behind is that in the mid-1990ies she was in contact with Kosmo producer Michael Rank (in the booklet Sonique has thanked "The Rankman" for making this album possible)who brought her together with that time's Kosmo artist Linus Burdick. He co-wrote some songs with Sonique including "It Feels So Good" (for which he also made the backing tracks on the later disappeared original master tape) and "Born To Be Free", many years later becoming the title track of her second album. These hits were credited with the label's own publishing arm Edition Kosmo. Now, as Sonique finally got fully integrated into the label structure, she used to comment it with a line from "Another World": "I've been waiting all my life to do what I'm doin' now!". But somehow it hasn't worked to boost her career as a recording artist, which doesn't seem to bother her much since she has also a career as a DJ running better than ever before. Anyway, some pre-release copies of the new album have appeared in non-relevant music markets (European countries of the former Easten Bloc, South Africa) in late 2005 and presumably non-authorized websites offered the tracks of "On Kosmo" for downloading.
A third single pick ("Alone") and the anticipated official album release were announced by Kosmo for February 2006 but then withdrawn by short notice. Instead, they released two vinyl-only singles: first "Sleezy" in spring and later a 4-track 12" ("My Dream EP") in October 2006. In summer, Azuli Records released a pair of 12"es with mixes of the song "Tonight" for the UK market, but this track has no relation to the Kosmo recording sessions back in 2004.
After temporary worries concerning the distribution of the album, "On Kosmo" is finally out end of 2006! Most of Sonique's fans weren't disappointed at all - as long as they have heard about the album release at all. Unfortunately there is a certain lack of promoting the album. Nevertheless the 12 songs have a high standard and the production is brilliant, only the things besides bother a bit, e.g. no lyrics are reproduced in the booklet this time. The graphical design of the album appears a bit weird too with its purple blurred backgrounds. There was also no extra photo session for the album, instead they used some older images from the session for the single "Why" made spring 2005.
Now let's take a closer view to the songs:
1) Why - combines Sonique's strong and clear vocals with a catchy guitar riff - an almost perfect pop song, has earned the deserved honour of being picked as a single. As that it has actually the higher potential to ride high in the charts, but kept behind the little success of "Another World" - not to understand at all, unless considering lack of promotion. There exists also a video clip for "Why" showing a scenery in black and white somewhere in Germany (Berlin?). Sonique dances through a clash of violent demonstraters and police forces, which takes place on the ground of an old chemical fabric or something like this. A tune for Dance, Pop and Rock fans, no question. 9/10
2) Thank you - the longest track on the album, provides a feeling of somehow final (lyrics: "The search is over, now that I've found you" etc.) and that's why should be placed better as the last track, not as the second. Has unambiguous musically reminiscences to "It Feels So Good", which is not bad at all. 8/10
3) Sleezy - a slow, atmospheric House track, which definitely grows in your head when you listen to it more often. Maybe that's why the label wanted to make it the third single pick. 8/10
4) Save myself - similar to "Why", it combines different styles from Dance to Rock. It starts with harsh riffs and Sonique's vocals come to your ear processed by a vocoder (remember Roger Toutman back in the 1980s?). This track comes along with a lot of effects, before you can hear Sonique singing the chorus with "normal" voice. Very interesting, it let Sonique enter new grounds like "Another world". 8/10
5) Over - unexpectedly the next one is a ballad, another time with Sonique's self-written lyrics influenced by life experience and interpreted with her usual deepness of feelings and expressive voice. 7/10
6) My dream - a happy, light-weight House tune at the edge of being a filler, nevertheless at least a sort of single pick for a 4-track 12" vinyl EP. Has some similarities even lyrically to the single "Forever" by German singer Sandra, released from the album "The Wheel Of Time" in 2002. 7/10
7) I don't even know - another light-weight House tack at the edge of being a filler and similar to "My dream". 6/10
8) Take you for a ride - builts up a dense atmosphere somehow by introducing the percussion only when the song is half over. A bit similar to "Thank you", a classy House tune. 8/10
9) I can't wait - the first impression of this track might be a bit similar to "Take you for a ride", but develops it's own character. Reminds me a tiny bit to the Fugee's "Ready or not" in some parts. For an album track it is excellent. 9/10
10) Another world - as being the first single pick and first ever heard song from the album session I thought, wow, will the whole album sound like that? Thank God - no, that wouldn't work, but for one track on the album and as a chosen single it made Sonique's output richer definitely. Tomcraft ("Loniless" - more to say?) gave the track his unique Techno drive to become another hit record, what unfortunately has failed at least partially. 9/10
11) Another moment - first I smiled when I read on the tracklist that "Another moment" follows "Another world" straight. But it makes sense. Back from Techno to House. But it has more! The driving beat let Sonique appear a bit breathless in this song, but she excels with her voice though. She even couldn't suppress her old love for Reggae anymore, when toasting in a style earlier known as Raggamuffin words like "... my name is Sonique and I am here ... " over the backing track. Very good idea. 9/10
12) Alone - a ballad produced and co-written by Tom Novy, otherwise a controversial label mate, but excelling here on highest level. After Techno beats and the ever pushing forward feeling of the tracks before, the final one actually surprises the listener, but it makes sense to put another slow tune at end of the album. And it is nothing less than the best track of the whole album. Originally it was intended to become the third single release of this album - with some marketing, a good video etc. it would have marked a breakthrough definitely and could have won new fans for Sonique. So for now it is still a diamond waiting to be discovered. 10/10
The package comes with an enhanced disk, a big plus as such, since the album buyers can watch the video clips for "Another World" and "Why", which were available on the concerning CD singles previously. A negative taste for all perfectionists is that the authoring of the disk happened overhasty resp. without commitment (Date of completing: 22 July 2005). There is no graphical interface added - and they have forgotten to change the disk's title to "On Kosmo" but fixed the title "Why" of the obviously used template.
Up to now, "Sleezy" wasn't released on a CD single, where you normally can expect a video clip. I think, for whatever reason no video clip for "Sleezy" was shot. Later proposals for a tracklisting haven't included a video clip and according to latest rumours, this CD single is deleted. Instead, a re-release of "Why" is planned for early 2007. Will the breakthrough come with it and will it bring enough advertisment for this album, so that it may enter the album charts finally?
As a grade in summary I give this album at least a good 8/10.
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