Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Summer Essential, 28 May 2007
I was lucky enough to get a promo copy of this album last week and it's a serious contender for album of the summer. The copy I have doesn't have details of which vocalists appear on which tracks but there's some great performances and the production is weighty and beautifully mixed. Most surprising though is the amount of great songs. There's little hiphop here, much less than you'd expect from these guys, but it's all of a very high standard. There's a huge variety in styles, which perhaps makes it feel a bit producery, but it's a bit like attending one of the Next Men's DJ sets (I caught them at Cargo in London once and they were great). There's dancehall, reggae, soul and even a sort of disco house track. The beats range from really classic sounding ('Knowledge Be Born') to cleverly futuristic ('Move', 'Let It Roll') For me the standout track is the finale: 'This Was Supposed To be The Future' - an ambient, hypnotic vocal track that leaves you with a beautiful classical guitar and piano outro. This is on heavy rotation in my iPod. Top Notch Stuff, and plenty to get to know.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Instant classic, 19 Jul 2007
I rarely write articles for Amazon, ; a) an album is exceptionally bad and i feel cheated out my money, or b) if an album is so exceptionally blinding that I feel compelled to instruct the masses to follow suit and purchase. The latter being the case for this album.
Its a tour de force from the beginning, with Dynamite MC setting the tone with some sharp spitting on 'Blood fire'. I'm not usually a reggae fan but the production on the reggae-sounding tracks is scintillating. 'The Drop' is a really interesting funky summery flavour, backed by the funky horns of Fat Freddy's Drop's finest, a track you'll be itching to groove to. Various sounds are explored in this album keeping the listener interested throughout. Followers of Rae & Christian's 'Grand Central' label will be able to identify some familiar elements to some of the finest work produced on the label in tracks such as 'Did no wrong', but don't get me wrong, this album still sounds fresh! This is an album destined to be listened to over and over again.
This was supposed to be the future is rounded off beautifully with the title track, featuring some absolutely gorgeous vocals. This is set to be the soundtrack of my summer (if you can call it summer!), if not the year.
Very very impressed.
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
21st Century Producers, 6 Sep 2007
Didnt know this was out in the shops, came across it in my local HMV, ive always been a huge Nextmen fan for years so naturaly reached for my wallet whilst walking to the check out with it in hand...
Got home and stuck it on and was impressed right from the 1st intro to track 1.. The Nextmen have always been tight producers, but this is the most solid, neatly produced album to date from them - everything, and i do mean EVERYTHING is so fresh and on point throughout the CD.
The beats are impressive, slightly different from their earlier outings, opting for a healthy mix of super chilled out beats, reggae, soul, a little contemporary blues thrown in, some sexy eligent jazz trumpet rifts to end some tracks.. A lot of the tunes have a Morcheeba sound to them, but whereas Morcheeba, to me, can get a bit boring, and is not very exciting - the Nextmen have not made that mistake here, executing the style to perfection when they want to..
I was disapointed with their 'Get Over It' album, to me it sounded very hollow and flat, maybe even over produced - it had to depth! But with this, they have really made everything come together so perfectly!
The vocals, mainly singing, with the exception of 1 or 2 rapping tracks and some reggae.. Is all soulful and carries the beats great - and in turn, the beats are so on point and well crafted, that they carry the vocals and make them even more perfect - so add all that up and it reinforces what such a brilliant album this it! Produced to the highest standard.. and that is why i named this what i did '21st century producers' as this is the best album, production wise (im still a hiphop nut and drum n base nut) i have heard in years..
I always knew the Nextmen were something truly special - but this confirms that now to the world - and as this could even be called a slightly 'commercial' album.. im sure it will get mass exposure, and deservedly!
Stand out tracks?
Every track stands out on this, only 1 tune can sometimes annoy me somewhat, and that is:
(4) Tuffen Up
Real Quality Tracks on here are:
(1) Let it roll
(3) Did no wrong
(6) Something got you
(7) Concentrate
(10) Move
(11) Piece of the pie
(12) Camera tricks
(14) This was supposed to be the future
The rest are still good!
Really can not rate this high enough!
Check it out!
5/5
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