Reviews (page 2 of 7)
Don't love the title but do love the beats.
Heck yeah, this one was dope!
mega! endlich wieder einmal gute elektronische musik, gemixt von einem meister seines fachs!
I'm giving this an extra star because of other reviews. Man, what's with the hate on a perfectly good and interesting album?
Forgot about this gem - loved it then and love it now.
Electronic, trippy, sometimes jazzy and funky - a vibe for sure. It reminds me of New York for some reason. I've never heard this album and wasn't familiar with David Holmes before this, but I'm really digging this album. I can see this being part of my regular rotation. Favorite song on the album? Don't Die Just Yet, probably.
Dark
SPACCATO
Me encanta
Another new to me album and artist. I like this type of laid back music with good beats. Solid.
I am partial to this great album
Great album for when you're in the mood for old school intelligent dnb trip hop style music
Thats was pretty damn cool. Gonna keep that on the phone for long rides.
Love it
Might just be 'cause I listened to this while in the middle of a 9-12 hour car ride, but I really dug these tracks. 4.5 bumped up to 5.
Yeah loved this album and its still great after all these years the subliminal and divine jostle for power in this disused waterway.
9/10… trip hop / break beat / lounge 👂 Take your time to listen - its fantastic
Very cool, fast rythm, cool mixed in vocals, very fun to listen to on the go
I loved this album
Wow people are so down this, I had never heard of the guy, but found it an interesting and chilled listen. Much better than the Malcolm McLaren let's steal black music and claim we made it popular. Similar to DJ Shadow
Hezkej triphop
i had never heard of this album or david holmes before - WOW i will be listening again and again!! 5/5, so grimy and groovy and i love the spoken samples. just learned that he did the oceans 11 soundtrack which makes sense
Pretty exceptional on this list, a film score artist
Very obviously influential on artists to come
Enjoying this album quite a bit. Quite entertaining.
Love this album
This was an unexpected listening gem
Unexpected pleasure
Genius IDM
I’m giving this a five because it passed me by at the time but if I’d have heard it when it came out I would have loved it. There’s a few tracks I recognise - at least a couple from Spaced - and the ones that don’t are funky or trippy or just generally cool. I might dare to suggest it’s a bit of its time, but I like it!
First heard this album in Oct 2024. Had no idea what to expect, just knew he was from Belfast. I was digging the album halfway thru the first listen, and have been loving the album on my third listen in a row. I hear Basement Jaxx, some N.O.W.
Amazing variety of 90s electronic sounds here. In spite of how different each song is it still manages to feel very cohesive. Part of this is probably the effective use of field recordings throughout.
Can’t believe I missed this in the late ‘90s. EDM jazz.
Brilliant. Exciting
Kickstarted me into discovering and diving into a whole new genre. Very calming instrumental music. Can easily have it on while working, thinking, or even sleeping.
💖 freaknik 🗣️ 9️⃣
very cool
excellent
fantastic!
Let’s get thrilled
Interesting electronic music - especially with all the real-life recordings. The moody music paints vivid pictures that make for a compelling listen.
My kind of music, surprised I haven't heard of it before.
So much my vibe
A lovely surprise - late 90s electronic - in a slight vein of the Chemical Brothers but at the same time it’s own thing - drawing from Reggae, funk and Jazz. The field recordings that litters the album really give a context to the whole record while the music itself is impeccable from start to finish. Enjoyed this one very well.
A real banger, some tracks were real long or short for what seemed to be no reason but definitely a good one
total bangers: +my mate paul + lets get killed + Radio7
What a peculiar album... Feels like every song is from a different genre and artist even. Got some psychedelic, some hip hop. Loads of really good instrumentals and funky sounds. It's a bit of a journey, I really liked it. Super chill at the end.
Pretty cool 90s electronica. A lot of fun. Cool look at that moment where hiphop and electronica were just starting to part and go their separate ways.
Amazing. New York Street sounds in the 90's with a eclectic sound. And he's Irish
Glad I've found this one. Great electronic music.
Spaced!
Een soort van instrumentale electro-jazz. Absoluut niets wat ik uit mezelf zou opzetten. Maar ik heb er vreemd genoeg wel van genoten (op de achtergrond). Eentje om te onthouden
Molt top! Creació de imatges sonores
Cooles Projekt, hat mit gut gefallen. Einfach ein chill vibe und nice Produktion.
It's lounge music, but with lots of personality, technical perfection, and just fun to listed to.
Vibes. I enjoy how it the music puts you in a time and place so effectively. Also clearly very socially conscious in that approach as well.
Never heard of this but it's not bad. I'll have to trust that it's influential, although nothing struck me as particularly groundbreaking. Seemed solid but not inspiring
Really interesting album, enjoyed the dialogue at beginning of songs and the way each song was kind of a riff on it. Cinematic and entertaining, this one surprised me in a good way.
This is kind of great actually. An eclectic soundtrack for an odyssey through nocturnal NYC, from the perspective of an outsider. Definitely hear why this guy was tapped to score Soderbergh films
Someone else described this as the soundtrack to a bad 90s movie about hacking - I both agree and kind of love it because of this.
I thought this album had a pretty good dubby urban feel to it. It was let down somewhat by the juvenile inclusion of the sampled vocals. I'm adding this to my Qobuz favourites.
In '97, there were 767 murders in New York City, the locale that presumably sets the backdrop to this album. That's far fewer than there were in 1990, which was a record-setting 2,605. I mention this b/c David Holmes clearly has violence on the mind. But this is no horror flic as electronic music - it's get-up-&-go-music, even or especially if that going's motive is a let's-get-killed-sort-of-thing. I appreciate the documentarian aspects of the project. Nevertheless, the energies of the record are somatic rather than wholly or importantly cinematic. Don't try to dance to it - it's too cerebral - but don't try to think w/ it - it ain't that deep. Just let yourself go to it, get killed to it, be a part of something bigger than yourself. An unwonted classic, I submit.
1. "My Mate Paul" 2. "Gritty Shaker" 3. "Rodney Yates"
Very good
V good
Class, Holmes has made some great tunes over the years
3.5. It’s well enough done. But I like his bond soundtrack better
Is it an electronica concept album? I hope not as I actually like this very much. It's a soundscape, that's its appeal, in a weird way it reminded me of Sandinista. Considering the limitations of the genre, it is really good. Well worth a listen.
It's like the soundtrack to a heist film that doesn't exist... YET! I really enjoyed this electronica album from David Holmes, whom I'm more familiar with in terms of his film scores. The sound takes you on a journey, from car chases to bank robberies, all within the confines of NYC, and I found myself becoming properly immersed. More of this please. Favourite track: Rodney Yates Least favourite track: Freaknik
Never heard of him, but that kicks ass
Never heard of this guy but the album is pretty good. Seems that whoever put this list together not only likes to include all albums by stellar artists/bands, but also a ton of relatively unknown Irish music.
At first I was going to say this was monotonous. But it got good. I hate the talking parts between songs. But man I love the beats. Some were so familiar I had to look up to see if I knew this guy. And I do. From the Ocean’s 11 movie series. Love those sound tracks.
I liked it a lot (excellent background music)!
Very soundtrack-ish if that makes sense. The vibe and electricity of this album is just so nice to listen to. I feel like I'm able to create various scenes and visualize them easily in my head.
My Mate Paul
I'm reminded of videogame soundtracks such as jet set radio, it's got an old exploitation film feel to it, 70s, despite the fact it was made in the 90s. Not an album I would have thought to listen to but definitely one I have saved after finding it!
Балдежная чилловая электроника, иногда немного таинственная и загадочная, иногда более веселая и динамичная. В целом оставляет атмосферу такого шпионского фильма 90-х годов, что не удивительно, учитывая ремикс на тему Бонда с одной стороны, и то, к каким фильмам писал саундтреки автор, с другой. Очень хороший, глубокий и богатый на интересные звуки альбом.
Love me some instrumentals
NYC movie soundtrack. Cool atmospheric listening and I'd like to play this during my next trip. Holmes went on to score the Oceans trilogy and other Soderbergh movies so that tracks.
Ziemlich geil. Klingt durch die 007-Theme-Interpretation wie ein Éric Serra Soundtrack zu einem 90er Bond-Film
Not for all moods or temperaments, not really even that great for dancing. Electronic breakbeat house-ish, not quite jungle. A little spooky at times, is this a concept album? Maybe. Feels like watching a movie. Not quite sure what to make of it, but I like it for some background bank heist grooves while I play chess online or something.
Nice very special kind of electronic music.
This album is very cool
It’s not a great album, but I have a soft spot for it
An enjoyable piece of 90s Electronica. I really must go check out his film soundtrack work.
Pretty sure I worked at a restaurant years ago with a guy who was obsessed with DH music sounds very familiar even though I had no clue who he was before this.
I was not expecting to like this as much as i did few songs were a miss it has an upbeat vibe to it fav: Gritty Shaker, Slashers Revenge, Head Rush on a Lafayette
Really enjoyed this and a bit of fresh air from that has been selected so far. Would definitely listen again. First listen I'd say 4 out of 5. Some classics on here I'd heard before.
Liked this a lot, reminded me a lot of propellorheads in places and not just because of the James Bond sampling
Listens: 4 Standout Tracks: Let's Get Killed, Radio 7, Freaknik, Don't Die Just Yet I have no problems with this album. I wouldn't call it groundbreaking or visionary, but I found it much more palatable than, say, Fatboy Slim or MJ Cole or a half dozen other electronica/break beat artists I've so far come across on the List. It's pretty basic, standard issue electronica grooves from the 90s. A couple of the tracks I would even say are playlist worthy. There are elements of reggae, ska, rocksteady, dub, hip-hop present in many of the tracks. I appreciate the "skits" on a bunch of the tracks; after doing some digging, I've come to find out that Holmes went around NYC and just sort of found Pimps, drug dealers, prostitutes, etc and just got raw recordings of them saying whatever the hell they liked. On Cadell Returns, that's Rodney Yates (who also has his own song) sounding like, basically, Hunter S Thompson right out of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (which came out a year later). Pretty wild stuff. And then the story on Let's Get Killed is interesting too. A guy beats the shit out of another guy who stole some money from a dead man's hand at a funeral, and then when he showed up randomly at some bar years later, the narrator lost it and beat the shit out of him. Amusing stories from the streets of NYC.
20-year-old me approves. Back end of the album has the musical tension of Willy Wonka's Chocolate River just before it turns tits up.
can't escape these enigmatic sound scapes yet they constantly escape me...
Yep always liked this. Still listen to his Ocean’s 11 soundtrack too.
4Ever a cityGirl. Incroyable
Slow start, but I ended up really liking this album. Went a lot of places and didn't mind. 4.25. Favorite tracks: Rodney Yates, Radio 7, Slashers Revenge, Don't Die Just Yet.
I'm a bit disappointed in myself that this album and artist has slipped past me over the last ~30 years. This was a really good release, a really mellow sound and feel. I'll be listening again for sure.
Absolut wilde Mischung
Lekker die beatjes. Ook hier: elektronische muziek is best te trekken als het (voor het gevoel) maar niet teveel in herhaling valt. En hier hebben gewoon relaxte muziek te pakken, met niet al te veel gewauwel ertussendoor (al weerhoudt die me er wel van om de 5 sterren uit te delen). Verder vinden ze het leuk om met het James Bond-muziekje te knutselen, wie ben ik om daar tegen te zijn. Dikke prima verder.
Wel mijn genre, maar nooit eerder gehoord. Of niet bewust gehoord. Want ook nu valt het vrij makkelijk naar de achtergrond. En dat met al die samples. Ook een kunst. Ook een tweede keer kan ik het vrij makkelijk luisteren. Meestal krijgt achtergrondmuziek een vergeetbare 3, maar ergens geeft deze schijf mij vanuit die achtergrond toch een prettig gevoel.
Na ready to die krijgen we lets get killed. Wat is die fascinatie toch van artiesten met de dood? Sowieso tarten ze al vaker het lot door hun blijkbaar aangeboren liefde voor harddrugs of snelle voertuigen. Of zijn ze zich simpelweg beter bewust van de tijdelijkheid van ons bestaan? Anyway, ik had van de muziek niet zoveel verwacht. Elektronisch uit de 90s, wat kan dat nu nog toevoegen aan wat we al gehoord hebben? Maar ik vond het verrassend leuk. Een lekker breakbeatje, wat geinige samples (zoals het deuntje van James Bond). Het sfeertje varieert tussen relaxte lounge en wat duistere techno, waardoor het ook afwisselend blijft. Het geouwehoer tussendoor, blijkbaar iets van random geluidsfragmenten van mensen/zwervers op straat, had van mij achterwege gelaten mogen worden. Maar dat mag de pret niet drukken, ik heb me hier een uur lang prima mee vermaakt.
Two electronica albums in a row!?? Oh, man. This is going to suck! And you know what? It doesn't suck! I really like the beats, tempos, and all the cool space flairs that show up throughout. While I usually like real life samples in and around songs, here they're either too long or dumb. I can get Why he put them in, but upon repeated listening, they get annoying quick. Outside of that though, this is a vibe. "Head Rush On Lafayette" mars this otherwise completely listenable collection. Why the annoying rap in the midst of this vibe-y, mood piece? Maybe it's just showing how in NYC you can be feeling cool, but them some loud idiot ruins it for you. If that's his intention, he succeeded. But as a listening experience, it's a horrible choice. I'd listen to "Rodney Yates" "Don't Die Just Yet" or "Slashers Revenge" any day of the week. Second time in a week that a soulless electronica album is going to get a 4! It might have even gotten a 5 if they cut down the samples and lost the Lafayette rap.
Just a good fucking vibe
nice and groovy
Enjoyable, fun really. An air of fun and newness and lightness and inside jokes.
I did not have a mid-90's DJ set from Belfast clocked as one of my favorite surprises on this list but David Holmes deserves an apology from me. This album works both as a DJ set, a loose concept album, and a deep dive into library records. Everything is clicking, between the samples of NYC life, the nostalgic sampling, and propulsive beats. "Radio 7" feels like it should've just been a remix on the Goldeneye soundtrack and it's a little distracting from the theme but overall this one really grabbed me. It's not life changing but it's a pretty good album that you should check out.
real slick, real cool. some srsly dope tracks. Radio 7 (james bond).
It's like Aphex Twin did the soundtrack for a multi-million-dollar heist
I may be biased as breakbeats are involved in many beautiful memories for me. This album is extra buttery for easy consumption in daily life. It may not be the spectacular, action-packed trip some are looking for, but I don't think that's the point. Pleasant and breezy, it pairs amazingly with technical and challenging tasks.
Wow this album is getting a lot of hate. I really like it. The vibes are great, and I like music that I can just absorb. It does run together a bit, and I couldn't tell you any one distinct song that I liked. I did like the James Bond theme remix too.
pretty interesting. i love the sounds of nyc.
Hip-hop, techno, trance mix-up
Our second trip hop album to come up in a little more than a week. I didn't think this was my genre but I mostly enjoyed this one. It's a very nice background music kind of album. It uses samples from recordings taken around New York City as a throughline, which gives the album more of an identity. And it also samples... Histoire de Melody Nelson? Funny for that to make a reappearance. The best clip is the guy talking about being harassed out of the Continental Club. "Cause, if you can't dance, you can't release THIS ENERGY!!"
Not heard before but loved it … one for the listen again list ❤️
It was electronic!
Some great tracks !!
Quite an unusual album. A teenage David Holmes travelled from Northern Ireland to New York City with a handheld tape recorder. Years later, those recordings would form the backbone of Holmes's second album. One gets the impression that he didn't spend his time doing the usual touristy New York things. The central theme of the album is drug abuse in contrast to the public image of New York as having been cleaned up in the 90s. Like Lou Reed, Holmes exposed a side of the city that the tourist boards would like us to forget, though it's probably less scandalous for its time compared to The Velvet Underground. Musically, the album feels like an extension of the gritty electronic tinged rock of Primal Scream, brought up to date with breakbeat rhythms. The standout tracks include some not at all subtle tributes to James Bond and Serge Gainsbourg which add some interesting texture to the sounds. Listening today, this does sound a bit dated. But at the time of the release this album was an interesting personal soundtrack of a Northern Irish kid on a New York drug bender (I assume). Not going to be everyone's favorite by a long shot but I do still like this one.
This record is the 90s personified. I really enjoyed.
Pretty interesting stuff. The James Bond thing caught me by surprise, but I was very pleased with it.
Nice beats. Varied soundscapes. Some tracks go on a bit too long, and you can tell the producer is a bit too preoccupied with being cool. But I really liked these little distinct beat worlds.
Mad tracks type beat 🔥
Very 90s, captures NY
Spoken/interview parts at the beginning of each song.
Really enjoyed this, felt like a journey all the way through. Lots of different textures and variety of sounds. The James Bond theme was funny. Aware of David Holmes through Mary Anne but it was good to hear one of his albums.
Some good stuff here along with some meh stuff as well
New York stories/ monologs + great beats. Music sounds like it should be on the Oceans 11 soundtrack.
Really enjoyed this once I took the time
This is some good shit right here.
Listen to this one again.
Here's what I want out of this list! Knew nothing about David Holmes but liked it a lot. Right up in that Fatboy Slim era where DJs were crafting great cinematic songs that can exist outside of the club. Makes sense that he became Steven Soderbergh's go-to soundtrack producer. I find a lot of DJ-ish things a little ephemeral (my own bias) so I don't know how crucial this is, but I quite enjoyed it.
Fun album!
It's been 64 days since the generator gave me an album by an artist I've never heard of before. The last time that happened it was The Divine Comedy and I ended up really liking it a lot. I was hoping today would be the same. Looking at the reviews for Let's Get Killed, I was not feeling hopeful. While I like some electronic music, I can also find it very boring if it all ends up sounding the same. It helped to read a bit about this record ahead of time too, so I better understood what the vocal samples were all about. Thanks to that awareness, this felt more like a concept album than I would've understood without this information. With all of that being said, I really liked the album. All of the songs sounded different and evoked a variety of emotions from me. The song that sold me was Rodney Yates, with a very cool jazz sound I was not expecting at all. The use of the James Bond theme in Radio 7 was quite nicely done. Once again, another album that makes me very happy I'm doing this project.
The samples on this are wild! Loved them!
I like the sampling and jazz style but it feels more like a museum piece than an album. I'm going to put in and listen to
This album kind of felt like a time capsule or snippets of sounds from a documentary, which I found pretty cool. It's an interesting listen, looking at this album like a storyboard of electronic fusion pieced together.
Pretty cool. Some funny quotes in there too.
it was good he made the oceans 11 soundtrack as well
That was a fun album. Very 90's electronica.
Trip hop/breakbeat album som blev lavet udelukkende på samples i New York. Så alt tekst og lignende er optaget af New yorkere. Ydermere er DAvid holmes en mand som er kendt for at lave movie soundtracks, og det her er også et "movie soundtrack" men bare uden en film. Hovedkarakteren er lidt en selv som går igennem new york og oplever stemningen. Det er ikke dit typiske breakbeat/trip hop album, for det har en del mere fokus på DJ/techno scenen og dance. Men det er meget fedt. Jeg fatter slet ikke hvorfor folk synes det er så dårligt, jeg synes det er virkelig godt udover sådan et nummer jeg bare synes lød lidt mere som larm. Det fik mig til at gå tilbage til Portishead og Massive attack.
Really enjoyed it. Loved all the samples, they give it this timeless like feeling. Felt a bit in the same style as Entroducing by DJ Shadow.
Perfect working music, feels similar to Endtroducing. Good hip hopy feel and actually also reminds me of Oceans 11 for some reason. All in all I enjoyed.
Yay
If I have learned anything from going through albums on this list, it is that I really enjoy a good trip hop record. This one nails the vibe with that mix of laid-back grooves and gritty atmosphere that keeps you hooked without trying too hard. The tracks flow together in a way that feels like a nighttime soundtrack, something you put on when the world is quiet and you just want to sink into the mood. Bonus points for slipping in that James Bond theme sample on “Radio 7,” which was such a slick touch and one of the highlights of the whole album. Overall, Let’s Get Killed turned out to be a cool surprise. It might not have the fame of bigger trip hop names, but it holds its own and gave me exactly what I want out of the genre. Favorite song: Radio 7"
Highlight Song/s: Let's Get Killed, Rodney Yates and Slashers Revenge Really cool album, especially the concept. One of those cool things is him recording dialogue and city ambience of New York and incorporating it into his album. Sometimes reading the Wikipedia page really helps me get into the album and understand it a lot more. Solid album all around. It did get a bit repetitive, especially near the end. Also pretty eclectic album so hats off to him, some electronic musicians just don't care about diversity and have the entire album sound like the same one song; at least the ones I've gotten on this list so far.
If you're going into this album expecting an album experience, you're probably going about this all wrong. Now, I wouldn't blame you for going into this album like that. I would've, too, if I hadn't learned what I'd learned. In fact, I probably woulda... Well, I don't think I would've **hated** it, but I don't think I woulda been too kind to this album. Y'know, as time goes on, I'm realizing more and more that only a specific kind of electronica really gels with me... Daft Punk, Moog music... Stuff like that. But then I was made privy to an important piece of information that really changed the way I'd view this album. Y'see, the guy who made this, David Holmes, isn't any random electronica producer; not some no name who just happened to worm his way on this list. No, David Holmes — pause for impact — is also a film composer. You might have heard his work, if you've seen the 2001 OCEAN'S ELEVEN remake or either of its two sequels. Yeah, the whole trilogy — and I just saw all of those movies pretty recently to when my group got this album. Go figure. So, allow me to propose something, then. Instead of taking this album as you would any random electronica — or, more specifically I suppose, breakbeat album, try this: view it as a soundtrack. This is a film score to a movie that doesn't exist called LET'S GET KILLED. Given where I know Holmes from, it's probably a heist movie. About a **really** dangerous heist! Where one character looks at all the preliminary details and remarks, "Y'know, this all seems a little suicide. They're gonna slaughter us if we try this." And the guy they're talking to, probably the lead, just smirks and remarks, "Well, let's all get killed, then." In short: use this album as a means by which to imagine your own movie. It can be really fun if you do it right and the music really lends itself to it! And when viewed under this light, it **does** work pretty well. I can picture the lead characters meeting (one of 'em is probably named Pete), them discussing the plan in a cafe, scoping the target, recruiting the team, going into action... Everything. I even came up with a thing where the lead character has a thing for people watching and eavesdropping, which explains all of the spoken word soundbites. Again, it's fun stuff, I'm telling you. But if there's any reason why I'm not "over the moon" crazy for this thing... Well, it really comes down to the fact that I'm not much one for film scores. There's a couple lately I've come to dig (mostly notably Alexadre Desplat's work on THE FRENCH DISPATCH and ASTEROID CITY), but for the most part... I'unno, I just don't tend to seek this stuff out on my own time. Like, if I wanna hear this music, I'm probably gonna watch the movie more, so... I'll probably just do that! As a matter of fact, I can't even remember what Holmes's score for **any** of the OCEAN'S movies sounds like. The only one I can recall off the top of my head is, funny enough, OCEAN'S EIGHT — which was scored by Alexandre Desplat. Go figure. So while I got a kick out of imagining my own movie, and while I did enjoy the reworking of the James Bond theme that's on here... And, actually, I gotta agree with a fellow group member; while this album doesn't start badly, it gets way better following the song before the Bond track, "Radio 7"... Yeah, I'unno. It's very good background music, though it's hardly the first stuff I'd reach for. Just how it is. (Also, apparently "Don't Die Just Yet" is a remake of two songs from Serge Gainsbourg's HISTORIE DE MELODY NELSON? What a bizarre way for that album to come back after it was the first one my group got this year. Goodness.)
I’m at a 4. It took a bit for this album to get going, but once the modus operandi of the album becomes clear as a soundtrack album of sorts, the intent of these songs & the imagery they evoke becomes a lot more clear in the brain. This is intentional background music, in a way that’s extremely compelling in its finest moments & just sort of really drab at its worst, though I might need to relisten to it to see if that truly holds up. Granted, the only reason I was able to eventually make that connection for “soundtrack album” is from a sense of curiosity that popped in during “Rodney Yates”. I’m listening to it again right now as I’m writing this. To my ears, it felt sort of flat, without a sense of progression, and a general surprise that it had gone 6 minutes. It had 8 million plays on Spotify, and I just couldn’t figure out why, so I dug a little deeper into David Holmes, and discovered he did a lot of the incidental music for the Ocean’s Eleven series in the 2000s. To that point, I had already gotten a sort of Metal Gear Solid vibe that I fucked with out of “Let’s Get Killed”, but the album hadn’t really given me a reason to evoke any imagery past that point. With that framing in mind, the rest of the album after Rodney Yates clicked really nicely. I do think they’re all better tracks than the first 6, since they do a much better job at establishing an atmosphere for the brain to vividly work itself around. Obviously, it’s hard to fuck up the Bond theme, so “Radio 7” is an easy success, but both “Slasher’s Revenge” & “Freaknik” subsequently felt like songs that could fit into the Brosnan-era James Bond movies as background music. “Caddell Returns”, with its shifting energy, jumping from point to point gave the sort of Ocean’s Eleven heist vibe that I’m aware of in pop culture, but have never actually watched. I guess I owe it to myself to see the movies. “Don’t Die Just Yet” does a great job with the swirling orchestral work, and it ends up feeling like a credits theme throughout its outro. This is far from a 1 or a 2, and I think framing it as an electronica album undermines what it’s trying to do. It’s an atmospheric album with electronica elements, and to my mind, it does a much better job of evoking a movie mood than “Oedipus Schmoedipus” did last year, and I think it uses its electronica elements to a more fulfilling degree than Moby did on “Play”. Perhaps with a full relisten under the framing of “this is a soundtrack that you’re meant to do things to”, I’d be more inclined to bump it all the way up to a 5, given the sort of spy / heist-y nature of the album (underlined really nicely by the eavesdropped NYC conversations sampled throughout the album) but for now, off of a first impression, I feel pretty safe with a 4.
Lovely noises. Ambient electro full of samples and dirt and grit. But with a real range of styles from dub to techno. I loved the street recordings from the disaffected New York underclass.
The soundtrack to the movie you want to see before you die, but it only exists inside your head.
Smooth, evocative dance music
This is basically the ocean's 11 soundtrack. That is a compliment. Also this guy did use some of these songs for that film soundtrack.
I like it
- I like the sound clips from the NYC residents before the tracks, captures NYC charm/personalities - Music is groovy, reminds me of Radiohead but without words - Has that 90s electronica club feel but somehow manages to stay interesting despite being repetitive - Would listen to as background music while doing a task or just relaxing
A unique, mostly instrumental mix of hip hop and mild club beats. I especially liked "Don't Die Yet". I am shocked to find that this was created by an Irish DJ. Quite good. 4/5
I liked it.
Good songs but irregular
Interesting start, I like it. Give me more of that late-90s British Jungle Beat, please. Overall, really fun. Some good variety of beats still, and different types of grooves. And fun voice samples played through. The track Don't Die Just Yet sounds so much like one song Beck's album Modern Guilt from the violins, the bass line, even some of the hooks. Beck had to know about this! One of the most surprising parts about all of these albums is how many connections and similarities you can hear.
I don’t dismiss it. It’s a well-produced album with rich, atmospheric sound and a strong urban vibe. It works well as a kind of soundtrack to a night in the city, and the production is top-notch. It may get a bit trivial in places, but overall it’s a solid and enjoyable listen. 4/5
Very varied, not just 'clubby' just a tad too long. Did love it.
4.0/5.0: Great
Really liked it
This was fun, and overall I dug it quite a bit. There were some tracks (eg. Freaknik) that were a little long-winded in the spoken-word/sketch bits, but the music was infectious and vibrant and I enjoyed listening. Four stars.
This is the first album thrown up by the generator and I'm familiar with David Holmes and a lot of his work without really listening to many albums. I enjoyed this, right up my street with 'Gritty Shaker' a song I already knew coming into this thanks to the Ocean's 11 soundtrack. At nearly an hour long, the runtime is a touch long but much to like here, contrary to many of the reviews. 'Don't Die Just Yet' is the highlight for me.
Reading some reviews I expected to hate it, but it's a really fun record. Perfect for background music. Plus, there's a great remix of the James Bond theme (Radio 7).
I don't know why this gets so much hate in the reviews. It's perfectly fine mid to late 90's euro electronic music. It's the score to a film never made (which seems more obvious when you look at Holmes's discography), and that doesn't detract from the actual tunes. It's 90's euro lounge, mixed with classic spy movie (I mean aside from the Bond theme remix which was pretty unnecessary, I think) and random snippets from interviewing people in New York. It goes through trip hop, breakbeat, maybe even a bit of jungle? It's all the fun genres of electronic music you don't really hear much of anymore. I don't think it's groundbreaking or anything but I liked it! It's a great example of the mix of genres electronic music was going through at the time this was released. Maybe you had to be there, I don't know. This doesn't deserve the shitty rating it's got. Also, what a great album title, c'mon.
Gonna dig into this more but this is the kinda shit I can listen to so easily. Highlight: My Mate Paul (Could be any track really)
Sopivan psyke
calming and nice. If I were like a english fella in the 90s I would be insufferable listening to this.
a cool soundtrack
I really liked his work on the Ocean's Eleven soundtrack, and this felt very much the same.
This was pretty dang cool.
A lot of cool grooves and interesting ideas here, the voice clips give the record a lot more character.
8/10 pretty good electronica I can see why Soderbergh wanted him to score a bunch of his movies
This was a surprise. I missed it at the time but it fits nicely into that mowax/dj shadow area. Nice grooves and a really jazzy feel to the use of breaks. A nice summer afternoon album. Very strong 4.
Watched Oceans 11 to cap off the day - boosting the stars for how glad I am to know about this dude now
Nice music, many songs make me unable to sit still in my office chair
Incredible electronics, not perfect but close for the genre
This is a good album with some bangers and it wasn't a surprise to see David Holmes moving into soundtrack work afterwards. I was, however, surprised to see it in the 1001.
that was so fun. feels like movie montage music for walking around nyc so i will definitely be listening to this as i do exactly that.
3.5 - Enjoyed, bit too long. I like trip hop
I thought this was a pretty cool gritty sound collage album, though I'm not sure I'd really go back for much. Feels like a blend of Fatboy Slim and Illmatic. 3.5/5
Enjoyed.
I was already familiar with Gritty Shaker. I’m not sure if I’d listen to this again but I did enjoy it. I downloaded it anyway. Its atmospheric. Perhaps in the right situation I’d revisit it?
was it my bias for chill electronic music that caused me to enjoy this album more than the average person? maybe, but i still loved it
Very fun techno. Love the samples of New Yorkers
I thought this was great. Somehow it hadn't crossed my path at the time but I was enjoying other albums in its wheelhouse at the time (Bentley Rhythm Ace, Midfield General, Squarepusher) and would definitely have bought this if I'd heard it circa 1997-99. It may not be something I'll be putting on regular rotation but I'll come back to it at some point. The field recordings make for an interesting touch which could've come across a bit as cultural tourism but for me they punctuate the longer tracks and vary the pace a bit.
I like this, movie soundtrack style, would have listened when it came out. Enjoyed the New York references and that James Bond theme reminded me of Goldeneye which is probably where the song came from.
Из того что удалось послушать: музыка прикольная, слова какая-то ерунда, на propellerheads похоже, годится.
There are many albums on this list that get a whole lot more interesting if you just read a bit about them on Wikipedia. This is one of them. Apparently David went to New York with a tape recorder and just recorded a bunch of sounds and strange people in the city, and then used that as basis for the record. I even found a small 30 minute documentary about him from '98 on Youtube that I watched, quite interesting. The album definitely feels conceptually complete. There is a vision for the album, and every song feeds into and realize that vision. All songs just fit very well together. The whole record also feels extremely 90s with the breakbeat or drum 'n bass-like drum patterns, something which I am not a big fan of. They are centered way too much in the songs for me and take over quite a lot, leading to many songs sounding the same. The scratch sound effect is also something I don't think I've ever heard on anything except 90s or early 2000s music, and I don't think anyone would dare use it anymore. What is interesting to me about this record, apart from the production method, is how it was very evident that it got progressively better to me the more I know about it, and the more I listened to it. I have alluded to this before that it's sometimes hard to appreciate something when hearing it first time, but here it was extremely clear as I wasn't very impressed when I put it on at first, but now think it's a quite decent record. Some of these songs were a bit too long and repetitive, but I found 'Gritty Shaker', 'Rodney Yates', 'Slasher's Return' to be my favourite songs. I was determined to make this a strong 3 star album, but I think I'll stretch it to a weak 4. I realize this is entirely because this is a bit of my jam, but also because I've become quite biased after researching the album.
Interesting
Sick beats in the greatest city in the world
I enjoyed that more than I expected, even added a song to my playlist.
I'm not a big electronica fan, but I definitely enjoyed this album. Great grooves throughout and it kept my interest. I particularly appreciated the quality of the drum programming. Would revisit. Favorite tracks: My Mate Paul (pulled me in immediately), Let's Get Killed (really liked how the rapid bass drum beat started as the voice-over said "my legs start going like this", like his legs are shaking on the bass drum. Also liked how the dark music fit the narrative), Freaknik, Caddell Returns, Don't Die Just Yet.
This is sweet.
Coolia trip hoppia, ysäri actionleffa musaa. Toisissa kappaleissa taas hyvä hämyinen tunnelma. Parhaat: Rodney Yates, Caddell Returns
Really fun electronic vibe
After seeing that David Holmes wrote the soundtracks to Oceans Twelve and Oceans Thirteen (and I assume Eleven too) I didn’t know what to expect with this album. Then again, I haven’t seen those films so I guess that adds up. I did like this though, and I can certainly see why he scores films. There was a tense sense of drama throughout, and I loved the sampled vocals. It reminded me a little of Lemon Jelly with the use of samples, but I’m pretty sure this came out earlier. So yeah, interesting fun album.
hmmm never heard of these guys either. But 1997 was a good year. The year I graduated from HS. And the year Angelica was born. A sound clip from NYC starts out the first track, sounding like it might be hip hop? Reading the Wiki now. Electronica, lets go! This second track is pretty cool. It's got nice deep bass, and cool beat, also cool sampling. Okay this was pretty good. 4 stars.
A good little funky ditty.
Well, time for another weird electronica album that i had never heard of until now with Let's Get Killed. Honestly, i wasn't really going in with the highest expectations but man oh man this album really grew on me. The actual songs here were actually really catchy when i could remember them due to their length making only one song stay in my head for that time and the intermission tracks did manage to fit well with the album's theme. There is even a reworking of the 007 theme here which i thought was interesting. Granted the album is long and repetitive but i still enjoyed it enough to give it a 3.5. Best Song: Let's Get Killed Worst Song: Head Rush On Lafayette
Classic….
Familiar yet new-to-me. Definitely one for the collection
Sure, I could be into this -- I liked the incorporation of found audio
Low key but loved it!
I liked this! It reminded me of Propellerheads, which is from the same era of electronica. I do usually go for Propellerheads when in a mood for this type of thing, but it’ll be nice to have this tucked in my back pocket for the future, too.
Electronic music. Enjoyed it
I’m torn because I like the beats and what he’s doing, but they conjure images of aggro hipsters trying too hard to be cool and maybe it’s just my state of mind, but I can’t wholeheartedly endorse such inducements.
I am really enjoying this. It’s got that ‘darkness’ that a lot of early electronic music had a la Orbital/The Orb/Underworld but it sounds more modern and put together a la Aphex Twin/Squarepusher. I think you would consider this pre-‘bit beat’ but I guess right on the cusp of that movement (Moby, Fatboy Slim, Chemical Brothers, Prodigy, Daft Punk)
Yep. A big wave of nostalgia with this one
me pareció bastante copado 7.5/10
Different, doesn't have anything I would call a banger, but it's a vibe if you want something more moody and atmospheric
Was ist das? Klangspielereien mit tollen Soundeffekten, angedeuteteten Jazz, coolen Sprachcollagen. Dieses Album lebt von der Atmosphäre und kann nicht nebenbei gehört werden, sonst überhört man die wichtigen Details. Das war ein Werk dieser Art, das ich vorher in dieser Intensität noch nicht vorher gehört habe. Dafür liebe ich diese Challenge. Ich weiß nicht, ob ich dieses Album öfter hören kann, dafür ist es mir zu wenig melodisch. Trotzdem ist mein Fazit: absolut hörenswert!
The fact that I hadn't heard of David Holmes before, and the cover, led me to the conclusion that this would be some sort of electronica. I was right, but I was incorrect on how I'd feel: this might be one of the few electronica albums on the list that somewhat demands attention as opposed to fading gently in the background. I'm a big fan of the breakbeat drums, the varied influences, and the little tangents that the various citizens of New York City have to offer. Favorite tracks: "My Mate Paul", "Gritty Shaker", "Freaknik"
Alusta loppuun solid! Miehistön arvio pyöristyy 4-5 arvoissa neloseen. 4/5
I slept on this guy back in the day. This was exactly the type of record I was looking for when I thought I was a “cool triphop DJ” Yeah, sure, it’s a bit dull now but 4 stars for how I would have felt about it 25 years ago.
Quality album title. James Bond thematic flip on Radio 7 was pretty dope. Freaknik fucking jams -- love the intro story and the beat is so tappable. This made for some solid background music with enough little gems tucked inside to keep things interesting. Solid 4 / 5 for me.
This sounds like Fatboy Slim to a degree. Wow did not expect a James Bond song. Bouncing around the house to Freaknik this is fun. Not something I'd normally go for, but I prefer this over the 90's warehouse rave stuff especially with all the different sounds going on.
**"Let's Get Killed" by David Holmes: In-Depth Review** **Introduction** Released in 1997, "Let's Get Killed" is the second studio album by Northern Irish DJ and producer David Holmes. This eclectic album is notable for its fusion of electronic music with various genres and its innovative use of found sounds and street recordings. The album received critical acclaim and is often regarded as a seminal work in the electronic music genre. This review delves into the album's lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, providing a balanced analysis of its strengths and weaknesses. **Lyrics** While "Let's Get Killed" is primarily an instrumental album, it features snippets of spoken word recordings taken from the streets of New York City. These recordings capture the raw, unfiltered essence of urban life, adding a unique lyrical dimension to the album. The street dialogues, ranging from casual conversations to impassioned monologues, are interwoven throughout the tracks, creating a narrative thread that enhances the album's atmosphere. The absence of traditional lyrics allows the music to take center stage, but the spoken word elements provide a socio-cultural context that grounds the album in a specific time and place. This approach gives listeners a sense of immersion in the vibrant, chaotic, and sometimes gritty reality of New York City in the late 1990s. **Music** Musically, "Let's Get Killed" is a rich tapestry of styles, blending elements of electronic, jazz, funk, hip-hop, and rock. Holmes showcases his prowess as a DJ and producer by seamlessly integrating these diverse influences into a cohesive whole. The album opens with "Listen," a track that sets the tone with its funky bassline, jazzy trumpet, and the first instance of street recordings. Tracks like "Gritty Shaker" and "My Mate Paul" highlight Holmes' ability to create infectious grooves, utilizing layered rhythms, catchy hooks, and dynamic shifts in tempo and intensity. "Gritty Shaker" is particularly notable for its upbeat, danceable quality, driven by a pulsating bassline and energetic percussion. In contrast, "Rodney Yates" slows things down with a more introspective, downtempo vibe, featuring lush string arrangements and atmospheric soundscapes. One of the standout tracks, "Slash the Seats," exemplifies Holmes' talent for blending cinematic elements with electronic music. The track builds gradually, incorporating dramatic orchestration and suspenseful beats that evoke a sense of tension and anticipation. This cinematic quality is a recurring theme throughout the album, reflecting Holmes' interest in film scores and his ability to create music that conjures vivid imagery. **Production** The production on "Let's Get Killed" is meticulous and innovative, showcasing Holmes' skill in manipulating sound and texture. The album is characterized by its layered production, where multiple elements are woven together to create complex, immersive soundscapes. Holmes employs a wide range of techniques, including sampling, live instrumentation, and digital effects, to achieve a rich, multi-dimensional sound. The use of found sounds and street recordings is a distinctive feature of the album's production. These recordings are not merely used as background noise; instead, they are integral to the album's structure and mood. Holmes carefully selects and edits these snippets, integrating them into the music in a way that enhances the narrative and emotional impact. Holmes' attention to detail is evident in the album's sonic quality. Each track is meticulously crafted, with a clear focus on achieving a balanced mix where every element can be heard distinctly. The result is a polished, professional sound that maintains a sense of raw, organic energy. **Themes** "Let's Get Killed" explores themes of urban life, cultural diversity, and the human experience. The album captures the essence of New York City, with its bustling streets, eclectic mix of people, and vibrant energy. Through the use of street recordings, Holmes presents a snapshot of the city's social fabric, highlighting the diversity of voices and experiences that make up its character. The album's title and certain tracks evoke a sense of danger and unpredictability, reflecting the darker aspects of urban life. However, this is balanced by moments of joy, humor, and camaraderie, suggesting a complex, multifaceted view of city living. Holmes' music conveys both the excitement and the challenges of navigating a dynamic urban environment. The cinematic quality of the album also suggests themes of storytelling and imagination. Holmes creates musical narratives that transport listeners to different scenes and scenarios, inviting them to interpret the sounds and voices in their own way. This narrative approach adds depth and intrigue to the listening experience, making the album more than just a collection of tracks. **Influence** "Let's Get Killed" has had a lasting impact on the electronic music scene and beyond. Its innovative use of found sounds and street recordings has inspired other artists to experiment with similar techniques, blurring the lines between music and environmental sound. The album's eclectic style and genre-blending approach have also influenced a wide range of musicians, encouraging a more open and experimental attitude towards electronic music production. Holmes' ability to create cinematic music has paved the way for other producers to explore the intersection of film and music. His work on "Let's Get Killed" can be seen as a precursor to his later success as a film composer, with notable scores for movies like "Ocean's Eleven" and "Hunger." The album's emphasis on creating vivid, immersive soundscapes has become a hallmark of Holmes' style and has influenced the broader field of soundtrack composition. **Pros and Cons** *Pros:* 1. **Innovative Use of Found Sounds:** The integration of street recordings adds a unique and authentic dimension to the album, enhancing its narrative and atmospheric qualities. 2. **Eclectic Musical Style:** Holmes successfully blends a wide range of genres, creating a rich and diverse sonic palette that keeps the listener engaged. 3. **Cinematic Quality:** The album's ability to evoke vivid imagery and tell stories through music is a standout feature, showcasing Holmes' talent as a composer and producer. 4. **Meticulous Production:** The attention to detail in the production ensures a polished, professional sound that maintains a sense of raw energy. 5. **Cultural and Social Themes:** The album captures the essence of urban life and cultural diversity, providing a thoughtful and multifaceted portrayal of New York City. *Cons:* 1. **Lack of Traditional Lyrics:** While the use of spoken word recordings is innovative, some listeners might miss the presence of traditional lyrics and vocal melodies. 2. **Potential Over-Reliance on Samples:** The heavy use of samples and found sounds, while a strength, could also be seen as a limitation, potentially overshadowing original musical composition. 3. **Inconsistent Pacing:** The album's diverse range of styles and tempos might result in an uneven listening experience for some, with shifts that could disrupt the overall flow. 4. **Niche Appeal:** The experimental nature of the album might not appeal to all listeners, particularly those who prefer more conventional song structures and genres. **Conclusion** "Let's Get Killed" by David Holmes is a groundbreaking album that pushes the boundaries of electronic music through its innovative use of found sounds, eclectic musical style, and cinematic quality. The album captures the essence of urban life and cultural diversity, offering a multifaceted and immersive listening experience. While the lack of traditional lyrics and the experimental approach might not appeal to everyone, the album's strengths in production, thematic depth, and influence on the music industry make it a significant and memorable work.
Really surprised by all the bad reviews on this one, at the very least it’s an enjoyable 90s trip hop album. This guy did some decent soundtracks which definitely comes through in the album. I liked the elements of the late 90s lounge/exotica revival in the samples, I think one of the tracks was used in spaced. I liked it!
Cool atmospheric beats
An incredible instrumental album that barely loses pace as the songs progress, as so many other instrumental albums do. Every song on the record evokes the feeling of New York. 'My Mate Paul' & 'Let's Get Killed' are particular highlights alongside the remix/remake of the James Bond Theme used in 'Radio 7 (Album Version)'. A perfect album to put on while studying, sleeping, cooking & much more.
Pretty good
Instrumental. Funky. New York city. Streets. Jazzy. Black sound. It's a good album to make love to...I guess? I can imagine it would be fun to be humping to the tune of "Radio 7".
Þetta er stuð!
Junto con St. Germain, uno de los pocos discos de DJ y música electrónica que me gustan. Bien por este que fusiona múltiples géneros y no se encasilla en el típico "punchis-punchis".
Wow i like it and i did not knew him
Two movie soundtrack aligned albums in a row and I'm not mad about it. Could say it goes on a bit but pretty well kept me engaged the whole time. I have definitely heard the spoken story at the start of Freaknik somewhere else before too. Freaknik also the highlight. Should start a movie soundtrack playlist.
Not at all sure what to expect from the name having never heard of the guy, but yes, this is a bit of me
Listen to this one. It’s Freaknik!
The 007 track was a great track
A great hip-hop record in search of an MC and an editor. OR Pleasant background music... when the weird dialogue sample shuts up. OR Solid soundtrack music for a movie. Update: ah, there's the freestyle on track 5
Jeg havde ingen anelse om hvad det her var da jeg satte det på. Det blev et meget behageligt bekendskab med Mr. Holmes. Tankerne flyver til Bristol og byens Tri Hop scene, men musikken bevæger sig også i andre retninger, bliver til tider tungere, til tider mere jazzet, mere cirklende. Og så emmer det mindst lige så meget af The Bronx som af Bristol. Det er ikke sidste gang jeg har smidt det album på
Una master class de sampling.
This was wholly unexpected and I really really liked it!
After two listens, came to the conclusion that it wasn’t bad. Not sure I would listen often, but still would reconsider. 4/5 for now!
I really liked this. Never heard of Holmes before but it was a perfect collection of chill instrumental tunes for a Saturday afternoon walk.
Fun listen, love me some 90s electronic / sampling
Cool D&B.
This was 1997? Dope
More fun than I expected
David Holmes’ Let’s Get Killed presents a submersive experience of an adventurous late night in New York City. The album feels like a love letter to the city; complemented by its busy sound. Tracks I loved include: Gritty Shaker, Radio 7, and Slashers Revenge.
The production is amazing. There's some great beats here too, but also a couple of forgettable songs. But mostly great stuff
How hadn’t I heard this back in 97‽ this would have been a slam dunk fav back then.
Great exploration of the genre that brings back some good memories.
fave track: my mate paul final thoughts: obsessed w this fr
It was a cool little look into NYC rave life with some serious beats
Ok surprisingly into this
I had never heard of it, and on the surface level description, very much expected not to like it, but this was great a lot of fun to listen to. So much of the orchestration used on this album reminds of me of so much music that I really like. Very pleasantly surprised with how good this was.
Me recuerda a Chemical Brothers "Hannah"
Good
4/5. These are some well-produced songs, providing a feeling of dread, like walking through a city where it feels like everyone is watching you. The samples of people talking make this album feel alive, giving some solace between the long instrumental tracks. There aren't any bad tracks here but some don't stand out as much as others. The trip hop genre provides a lot of opportunity for other genres to fit in with the music, like Latin, rock, pop, and ambient. This album welcomes those genres with open arms.
Never heard it. It felt early trance hip hop
8.3/10 Fav - I'm a Man You Don't Meet Every Day
Great listen, reminded me a lot of Moby and the soundtrack to Snatch. Never heard of David Holmes, but not surprised to learn he's a prolific soundtrack composer, including the Ocean's Eleven series.
When I was a much, much younger man, I used to work with a delightful pharmacist from Northern Ireland. One of the best albums I've ever heard was loaned to me by her, complete with its blister-pack CD case looking like a box of prescription medication; Spiritualised's masterpiece, Ladies and Genlemen, We Are Floating In Space. Amongst the other CDs she lent me was David Holmes' Let's Get Killed, an album which I found interesting enough to remember - vaguely - when I heard the first strains of it this morning, but not interesting enough to have listened to it in over 20 years. I wonder that lovely pharmacist is up to, nowadays? Listening to Let's Get Killed again this evening, I am surprised by its familiarity. Rodney Yates is a great track and I'll fight anyone who says it isn't. Definitely worth a listen to; boy from Belfast doing well.
Cool album. Some pure electronic DJ mix stuff and some hip hop related stuff. Quiet diverse. A lot of loops.
Nice. Some of it reminded me of the instrumental tracks on Beastie Boys albums.
Riktigt trevligt
first listen i love this kind of stuff, loved the Oceans trilogy soundtracks
Oontz oontz oontz... 4 stars.
Wide screen filmicification. Beautifully done
How on earth have I heard so many song off this album and not know this artist? Fantastic grooves, loved listening, will be playing again 8/10
Actually really solid and enjoyable throughout. It's hard to compare music like this to other genres, it's like apples and oranges.
Favorite track was "Rodney Yates"
Liked it a lot, will listen to more DH and going to go see him this summer I reckon.
Really good.
Some great grooves. Interesting to find out he was behind the Ocean's trilogy soundtracks - I've always liked that music but did not know who was behind it. "Don't Die Just Yet" was particularly good.
There were moments I really loved in this, some moments I could have done without, but it was always interesting and creative.
Yay, so some more electronica. I think that this works better as a rhythmic background track than anything else. However, as a background track to a conversation with my wife, the comment that she made was something to the tone of "what are you listening to that just keeps repeating itself"?
Great for working
Oontz oontz
I warmed up to this. I'll need to listen again though. An unusual mix of different substyles.
Really good stuff. Music with a sustained grooves
Another new album to me. Closest thing I listen to regularly that's similar is DJ Shadow. I liked all the spoken sound bytes, it gave the album overall a very "scenes from NY" kind of feel.
Overall a solid album, but too little highlights for a top rating.
Sounds like early / unrefined DJ Shadow. DH went way overboard on the dialog samples. A little goes a long way, man.
It’s neat that David Holmes kept audio recordings he made in New York City when he was 17, and that he decided to build an album around them 10 years later. But there are too many of them, they’re too long, and they interrupt the vibe too often. There’s some cool electronica on “Let’s Get Killed,” especially the bits of drum and bass on the title track. Beyond that my attention waned at times, but then I found my foot tapping and I was drawn back in.
I enjoyed this more than I expected. It's solid chill house & was a great listen while I walked my dog in the dusk.
Très bien!
Good music to listen while traveling
On the one hand it's the sort of trip-hoppy, cinematic stuff I love. On the other, it's a bit polite and dinner party stuff. But I favourited three tracks so I clearly like it! You can see how he ended up with the James Bond job!
Really good stuff, not sure I've listened to an album before but always liked his music. Best song Don't Die Just Yet..
Danceable Lounge music
Not what I was expecting, had a couple of songs I recognised. I surprisingly enjoyed the album
Good shit
Some nice electronic music, really enjoy the vibes in some of the songs while in others it can feel a bit too much at times. Generally works really well in the background
I love this: it relaxes me, doesn't bore and the James bond theme cover fills me with nostalgia.
Snuck up and surprised me. Expected hiphop but got electric jazz-ish with a very solid beatline.
one of the coolest albums on this list so far. with albums only providing an audio experience, it's harder to string together a story or theme, unlike other forms of media. but you wouldn't think so with this album! david holmes did a great job using only electronic sounds and minimal, intermittent dialogue to create a story. it comes as no surprise to me that holmes has created the music for many movies and tv shows after listening to this album. i recognized holmes' name instantly because i am absolutely obsessed with the ocean's franchise, and it was such a treat to hear some of the ocean's soundtrack in this album ("gritty shaker", "rodney yates") in a slightly different format. i can have a small easter egg, as a treat. and the james bond number was an interesting homage, too!
This resonates to a late 90s early 00s soundtrack. It's like quintessential of that time in mind. The field recordings of NYC pimps and drug dealers feels a little exploitative.
Really solid 90's dance electronic record, really impressed with some of the compositions on here. Need to listen to some more of this guy's work
I'd forgotten how good this album was, but then it was the late 90s. Love the way the genuine conversations are woven into the tracks.
Really feeling the grooves and beats here today. I loved the samples. Could see myself roadtripping with this on.
Chill thinking Qunatic maybe a bit better. This clips with relaxing 'electronica' nice!
I didn't mind this at all and then happily find that he's on the Pi soundtrack. No particular fave, just a general desire to hear more.
The first recommended song after this album let me know this is the guy who did the Ocean's Eleven soundtrack! Interesting. I enjoyed the album, it was maybe a touch further in the background than I wanted, but still good music and it had some interesting ambient sound / conversation that helped to tell a story through the album.
A great compilation of sounds - great to listen to in the background. It feels stimulating, it's interesting, it plays with some fun concept - making it simply fun. It's difficult to put into words what makes this type of album good, so let me end simply with this: despite there being little words, I felt as if I've heard a really engaging story. Highlights: Let's get Killed, Freaknik, Radio 7
I might've found my first new niche thanks to 1001. Loved some of the samples, especially the interview fragments/monologues - they gave a lot of character and life to this album. As of the music - it wasn't all that fascinating, but it definitely wasn't boring - had some interesting choices and was mixed well. Overall, it's just a great record. Highlight: Caddell Returns
This is my kind of music, though I didn’t know David Holmes when I started listening. Innovative DJ trip hop with lots of mixing and sampling. How did I not know this. Reminded me a little of the Avalanches- who came a few years later.
it was alright. a very interesting middle point of most electronic stuff i’ve heard. enjoyed
Das fand ich ganz cool. Ist schon sehr dreist lieder die so einfach zu greifen sind sieben minuten lang laufen zu lassen aber seis drum, also hab im moment nicht wirklich drauf gewarter wanns aufhört. Musikalisch war auch viel ganz nett auch wenns teilweise imo bisschen zu sehr nach etwas klang was iwer beim kiffen anmacht. Das james bond ding war iwie dümmlich aber nicht dümmlich genug um es deswegen zu feiern
Not much in the way of lyrics, sounds like a soundtrack great listen though