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14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
UNKLE in 'how to do a good follow up album' exercise!, 24 Sep 2003
So UNKLE go on, post Shadow. Those of you fearing a dip in UNKLE quality have no need to worry. The same space age mood and tone carries through to this album, and (dare I say it) actually sits together and flows much better than Psyence Fiction. Lavelles stints as Fabric resident has definately influenced his sound, the moody hip hop and indie sound is now blended with some uptempo breaks and house ... but none of the tracks can be pigeonholed into one style, its just something completely different. Its UNKLE. For those of you who have managed to pick up the UNKLEsounds mix Do Androids Dream Of Electric Beats?, some themes might sound familiar on this album. An Eye For An Eye has been expanded on, larger bass, added vocals, a wonderful epic intro to the album. In A State mixes synths, beats and guitars, wonderfully moody. Apparently the next track up for a single release too with Sasha at the controls of the remix. Safe In Mind has an evil growling bass to it, thrashing drums then I Need Something Stronger takes your right back down into Vangelis/Bladerunner style swirling ambience. What Are You To Me? ... well personally I think this should be released as a single. Wonderful sunset bliss style soundtrack. Soft vocals, gentle guitars and piano, house beats. Uplifting house music that reminds you of the good old days. Panic Attack has an appropriate urgent feel to it, harsh synths, urgent breaks. Invasion has a very dark and menacing Massive Attack feel to it, quality. Reign features Ian Brown and sounds like a much better version of the UNKLE version of his own Fear track. Pacy breaks action again. Glow and Inside round off the album, melacholic and chilled. And we're lucky enough to get Awake The Unkind as a bonus track with its almost Doves/Pounding style banging percussion.I think its a great follow-up. So NME have given it a bashing have they? I wouldn't worry, its probably because it hasn't got Sir Josh of Davis on board for this album and its not 'hip' enough for them. Give it a try, the big melting pot of indie/dance has produced another wonder album. The collaborations never overshadow the tracks underneath, and it just feels like it might age better than Psyence Fiction. Once again, if you like this, try and search out what James Lavelle has been doing on the side inbetween albums. The wicked, if hard to find, 3 CD mix which is Do Androids Dream Of Electric Beats? (featuring some exclusive remixes of UNKLE tracks, UNKLE remixes of everything from Vangelis to The Beatles plus tracks from Dancelands finest), Global Underground Barcelona showcases Lavelles recent exposure to house and breaks and his new found passion for it, and FabricLIVE01, the first in the series with Lavelle showcasing many of the talents that no doubt ended up influencing him for this album. Oh, and do check the singles for Never Never Land, some top remixers from Tyrant, Meat Katie and Sasha (for the upcoming (In A State) are being drafted in. Roll on the UNKLE machine!
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
This isnt Pysence Fiction 2, 27 Feb 2004
When i bought this record i had just found out that it was Richard File partnerning James Lavelle and not the mighty Dj Shadow. My first thoughts were negative as i hadnt really heard of Richard File and i really enjoyed Pysence Fiction.
But as soon as i had heard this album in full i was complety turned around on the matter. Never never land is nothing like Pysence Fixtion and it never tries to be, without Dj Shadows moody beats Never never land takes on a complety diiferent sound, a dramatic sound it still has UNKLEs trademark samples on hand though. Every track on never never land has something different on offer from the ambient synths from ''i need something stronger'' to the fast paced beats in ''Eye for an Eye''.
My highlight is ''Reign''. With Mani and Ian brown reuntied for the first time since the stone roses it packs a powerful punch. The quick strings at the start mixed with the classic Brown Vocals built up to an explosion of sound and the finish is breathtaking allowing Mani to take control and delivering one of the most catchy and heavy bass riffs ive heard in a long time.
All in all if your looking for a repeat of UNKLEs debut this isnt it. The only similarity between the two is an allstar guestlist, never never land taking the likes of Josh Homme, Jarvis Cocker,Ian brown,mani and 3D on.But if anything this is better than its predecessor and is a much easy listen.
This is a brilliant album and any fan of this genre should own it but to fans of UNKLEs previous work this is not Pysence Fiction 2.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Something exceedingly special, 25 Sep 2003
This is something very special indeed.This is UNKLE to epic proportions. The case is epic, the art is epic, the music is epic. The whole thing opens up like some kind of nuclear bunker, or a sci-fi artefact to save the human race. It all fits together and opens up with a satisfying chunkiness that can only be described as cathartic. Once you have admired the layout, and stopped drooling over the CD\DVD combination, pop one of them in and prepare yourself… It’s not exactly what I was expecting. I recognised a few backing beats and layers from Do Androids Dream Of Electric Beats? and Big Brother Is Watching you, but rather than a sense of a re-hash, it gives a fantastic feeling of EVOLUTION to the proceedings. Indeed, if Psyence Fiction was a little unsure of its own boldness, Never Never Land seems to relish in its dark, sweeping, head-first approach. It doesn’t care that it defines genres, for who needs labels? It is noticeable that DJ Shadow left the partnership, with the album result being more 100th Window and Furious Angels than Private Press. The fantastic thing is though, is that it is STILL UNKLE. Lavelle has done a fantastic job and pushing through with an album that takes on a new meaning when put together. The whole really is greater than the sum of its parts. Let’s not forget though, that the parts are all exquisitely executed. The bonus DVD is fab, the album is simply fantastic, the packaging is superb. Never Never Land sets itself apart from the world and is strong enough to take it all on. Buy this. Buy it now.
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