Our Aim Is To Satisfy

An editorial note: 32 records into this assignment, and I’ve encountered the first band I have legitimately never heard of. Like…nothing at all. I can’t recall ever: reading a review of this band (and I used to read A LOT of Mojo during the time this record was released) or seeing a poster for one of their records or seeing their name on a festival bill. Before today, I had no idea they existed. For the first time on this journey, I’m a clean slate, tabula rasa, no preconceived notions. (Drops the virtual needle on “Our Aim is to Satisfy”) … (Lifts the virtual needle during the second track) Ok. There’s something I gotta get off my chest and I’m sure I’m not the first to make this observation: One of the problems with this is list (the original from 2005 in particular) is that the albums that were chosen from the late 90’s/early aughts didn’t have a chance to age before being given the accolade of “record you must hear before you die” the same way older records did. So yeah, 5 years after this was released it might’ve been essential listening. 22 years later? I guess we’ll see. (Drops the virtual needle again) … … (Removes headphones…record still playing faintly in the background) I’m on “The Rough and the Quick” now. If you’ve heard this record, you know exactly why i had to take a quick break - I’m laughing hysterically. That was the most unexpected verse I’ve heard in a long time. Don’t get me wrong, I applaud the sentiment - Dudes, it’s important to reciprocate and satisfy your partner. I just wasn’t expecting something so explicit and couched in zero metaphor. Back to the music. (Puts headphones back on) …. …. (Record ends) That wasn’t a bad record. It wasn’t a great record either. It was very of-its-time and didn’t really transcend beyond that. If you’re looking for a record that captures the feel of an era, I think this does that well. But as I said earlier, I think there’s some recency bias going on with a lot of the records from the 2000’s on the original list. Let me put it this way: Red Snapper put out a good record. However, including “Our Aim is to Satisfy”, while excluding a record like DJ Shadow’s “The Private Press” from 2002, which occupies a similar space, holds up better and is a more rewarding listen doesn’t add up to me.

too much of this kind of weird electronic music on this list.

This album is an instance where I think it’d be useful for me to own a copy of “1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die” so I can at least have some context for why they thought to include this, which is about 57 mins too long. Most records you don’t vibe with from before the advent of CDs are no longer than between 30-40 minutes, but this occupied nearly an hour of my time that could’ve been better spent listening to literally anything else. Maybe if you were some Brit clubbing around the turn of the century and doing copious amounts of ketamine this music would be up your alley, but by the time I got to the sixth track, “The Rough and the Quick” and heard Karime Kendra sing “IWANTTHEKINDOFNIGHTTHATIREADABOUT. If Red Snapper’s aim was to satisfy, then consider me unsatisfied.

Wow, the artist sounded familiar but i didn't know what to expect. So good and fresh. Everything instrumental, with electronic and metal vibes. Awesome

Interesting album Combining electronic sounds with acoustic instruments Both Male and female vocals Some sexually explicit content Some nice sounds generated Would listen again

I dig this, largely, I think, thanks to the dub elements and use of acoustic sounds. Leaning into the latter element would have made some of the longer cuts a bit more dynamic. It's jazzy without turning skronky or "cool". Works well as a soundtrack, better as a palate cleanser. A good one, that is one which has its own character. There's a slight narrative curve on the album and track levels. Industri-ish samples gradually increas in frequency. The Rough and the Quick develops while relishing in its explicitness. There are closing veers into levels of composition impressive for electronic music, which also show off the acoustics.

Sounded like a music from a Guy Ritchie movie.

'Shellback' made me think of a Portishead track being played via somebody's bowels. I liked the 'sludgy' vibe in the tracks, and some were pretty decent, but can't say the album as a whole was that great.

Interesting album stylistically and that’s me being polite about it being all over the place. If it were a bit tighter, it might have done more for me. ~120 albums in and another 2.5 years to go and nothing has stood out as exciting or new bar a few tracks off of tv on the radio and even at that, I found it weak. The albums I already know seem to be the show stealers of a poor overall presentation of talent. My average rating is closer to 2/5 and I find logging in each morning more and more of a let down. I looked ahead and found no Interpol which is disgrace. I’m one more Bob Dylan album away from deleting my profile here as the author of this collection is a clueless fuck tard to date.

Our Aim Is to Satisfy by Red Snapper (2000) These eleven British techno/electronic tracks, which one could hardly call ‘songs’, are mildly interesting, but hardly musical. Having no proper lyrics, one can only assess them by submitting one’s ears to each of these sonic bits out of a sense of duty. The chief characteristic of each bit is the central groove, which is generally set forth with little development or even dynamic, rhythmic, or melodic variation. That’s the most eloquent way I can think of to describe unrelenting monotony. The bits do have ‘titles’, which seem completely unrelated to the sounds that are generated. A fun party game might be to play a portion of each bit and ask the guests to come up with alternative titles. For example, instead of titling bit #8 as “I Stole Your Car”, one could substitute “We Stole T.S. Eliot”. Others possibilities include “Fleeing from the Paris Paparazzi” or “The Net Contribution of the British Empire” or “Joining the Americans in Iraq” or “Hitting One’s Arse with a Brexit” or “Where Are All the Statesmen Like Tony Blair?” or “Thank God Donald Trump Was Not Born in Manchester” or “Scotland the Brave (Part 2)” or “Getting South Africa Back” or “When Cambridge Was Kind to Communists” or “Anglican S&M” or “Too Much Stiff on the Upper Lip” or “Can I Get an Amazon Refund on the Duchess of Sussex?” or “Camilla Returns Biden’s Favor”. I’ll leave it to the reader to figure out which suggested alternative title goes with which bit. The untitilatingly pornographic bit (titled “The Rough and Quick”), however, is humorous enough on its own—the title is apt. Send your daughter out of the room so she doesn’t get curious about why you’re rolling on the floor in stitches, howling in comic anguish. Wonk, wonk. 1/5

this is weird and what I'd expect from like a warehouse scene in the Matrix

Did I just listen to the soundtrack of a heist movie?

Oof, that was tough to go through. First 1/5 for me. Atrocious.

Was going to give it a 6/10, but I quite liked the last songs. So, 7/10

Pretty dope beats and compositions here. Really enjoyed this one. Lots of bells and whistles in the mix so a great headphone listen. The first few tracks were great. It dipped a few times in the middles but nothing substantially awful. Closing track is tight af. Really liked this one!

Late 90s/early 00's electronic music that is just not good. I have no idea how so much of this crap makes this 1001 list, and I say this as a lover of good house music but either electronica I've listened to here is extremely dated or just downright experimental in nature. Super disappointing. 3/10.

Erster Song klingt nach einem intro für ein mittelmäßiges Agentenspiel auf der PS1. Instrumental Tracks raus aus Planet Erde. Some kind of kink trifft es schon besser was das Album betrifft: Wat soll das sein? Irgendein Fetisch?! Shellback absoluter Dreck. Ah okay dann nochmal instrumental mit Hintergrundgemurmel. Macht mich auf Dauer dann doch ehr sauer. Sing, oder lass es, du leichtgläubiger Guter! The Rake gleich mal die Stimme vom Crazy Frog im Jamba Sparabbo geborgt. 1a Scheiße. Bussing einziger guter Instrumental Track auf dem Album. I Stole your Car hätte Potential, nutzt es aber ähnlich wie ich meine Kraft Abends ein Buch zu lesen - NICHT. Belladonna fliegt völlig ausm Raster. Hat sich da vielleicht ein anderer Künstler aufs Album verirrt? Würde ich 100% für ein Liquid D&B Intro nehmen. Der Song holt mich also mehr als ab, wie Dommis Vadder uns nachm Blackout Saufen in der Rofa. Letzter Song rundet das Album dann wieder ab, indem er mir dann doch den Glauben nimmt, dass ich das Album mal gehört haben muss. Album an sich Talking Heads Scheisse-Niveau, hat aber im Vergleich wenigstens 1-2 gute. Also ein Stern mehr. Werde es NIE WIEDER HÖREN

Why are there so many y electronic bands on here? Honestly put them all on a playlist and shuffle and it wouldn't make a difference! It's all just annoying sounds. Fucks sake...Im getting old

Dull, dull, dull

I totally enjoyed this. I have a bit of a black hole for early 2000s music and glad to have this list filling the void. Somehow in my history of listening to Red Snapper I had not listened to this one and I have it on good authority that Making Bones is even better so I think I'll queue that one up next. Faves. Keeping Pigs Together and Shellback.

Never heard of this group made primarily of a bass, drum and guitar player supplemented by keyboards and a trombone(!). I did not expect this sound, especially when it got downright funky. I loved grooving along. Very satisfied!

I think how I rate this album in particular could be wildly different depending on the day and my mood. Today it really matched my vibe during work and was fantastic as accompanying background music.

it bugs me when the compiler chooses an album from an obscure artist that isn't really their best one. for red snapper its got to be making bones.

Good tracks but like the chemical brothers album it got repetitive

LOL Jack and Cal!! I loved the first track. I think this record would be excellent listened to through super expensive headphones while tripping. But I have neither the headphones nor substances upon which to trip. Still, I will keep this in mind in case my circumstances change.

Not their best album, not as strong as Making Bones but still a great listen. Lots of contrasting ideas and some outstanding individual tracks but the album as a whole has a great flow too. A lovely listen and still sounds fresh 20 years on

The Guardian called it a "reved-up" version of Massive Attack. Not sure the world *direly* needed it, though. Alright, that double bass sure slaps hard! But it seems to me that this act from the Warp roster had had their shining hour *before* this particular album, mostly through the compilation of their first EPs and the *Making Bones* LP, incidentally both sharing different versions of their iconic "Snapper" theme. "Image Of You", on *Making Bones*, is also a trip hop gem. In comparison, *Our Aim is To Satisfy* sounds a little as an afterthought, as tight as the production values are on this one (the drums sound generally better on it compared to the earlier releases, for instance). And it's true that some parts of this mix of acoustic and electronic instrumentation hailing from the drum'n'bass / big beat / trip hop era has aged surprisingly well given its origin point. But is that enough to make it an "essential" album? I don't think so... 3/5 for the purposes of this list, translating to a 8/10 grade for mor general purposes (5+3). Number of albums left to review: 464 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 252. Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 125 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more essential to me): 160 (including this one)

Just not good music

Not really my vibe

Not my cup of tea...

Ugh, I did not like this one.

I don't know how this made the list. It wasn't bad as such, just - meh. lots of meh.

It could be a good instrumental album, but it's just boring because includes too much electronic without any purpose. I can't see any purpose or line of reasoning in these songs. The last song, at least, is likable.

Pretty meddling electronic album that felt like it was mostly ambient noise. Not my favorite genre and this album didn’t change that. 2.7/10

Not my cup of tea, and a bit all over the place.

This is probably the most year 2000 album I've ever heard. Even the cover screams 'millenium'. I found a lot of this very annoying. When it wasn't very annoying it was very generic. In paces it managed to be both very annoying and very generic (what is with that clipped sounding female dance vocal that was everywhere in the 2000s). 1/5.

Otro disco "actual" mas que no pinta nada en la lista

Gonna pass here. It kind of grates on you. Maybe that's the point, but I'm not going to keep going to figure that out.

Largely instrumentals. Not for me.

Googled what on earth this genre of music was and along with instrumental/electronic it said 'acid jazz'. Surprisingly I did actually listen to the whole thing. I could appreciate the songs without featured artists much more than those that had a feature. The Rough and The Quick was a bit heavy for my Friday afternoon slump at work and The Rake might be my least favourite song I've ever heard. Better tracks were Keeping Pigs Together and Bussing. I can see why people might enjoy those but this album was really not for me.

Not a fan.

Not into it.

- Super funky and groovy - Insane production and beats - Honestly takes you on a journey and is insanely fun to listen to

This is really good

I think all the people rating this lowly are overthinking it. Don’t take yourself or your music so seriously. This isn’t an album to think about. It’s an album to feel and groove to. 5/5 Highlights: Some Kind of Kink The Rough and The Quick They’re Hanging Me Tonight

cool

Wow! Just wow! An amazing album.

whenever the album has a quirky name and a small amount of streams you know it'll be fire, I loved this

Great stuff

Acid house, breakbeats, een vleugje triphop, instrumentele hiphop, reggae. We krijgen alles voor onze snufferd geworpen op dit album. Veel gesample ook, wat ik toch altijd wel tof vind. Zo'n track als 'Bussing' bijvoorbeeld, ideale muziek voor in een hippe brewpub. "Belladonna" is ook een prachtige track. Dit is een dikke meevaller, maar dat komt ook deels omdat de album titel me aan Elvis Costello deed denken. Ik sta te kijken van de variatie tussen de nummers onderling. Van drukke pillenhouse naar Perquisite achtige hiphop beats en toch weten ze het zo te doen dat ze nergens als een huismerk klinken. Zieke finale ook. Ik ga een 5 geven. Deze gaat vaker aan.

Fantastic trip hop album, can't believe I'd never heard of it before

This is awesome, would listen on my own time. Not one of the greats, but I'd give it the 5 on honor of being repeatable, enjoyable, and my thing.

very good electronic fusion sound. I liked it a lot.

Loved this album! Perfect for working.

best

Fantastic

Brilliant, beautiful funky nu-jazzy electro hip hop. I hadn't heard them before, but now I'm a fan. Really, really good.

Lego o foto

I'll search out more by these guys.

Very good album! Loved every track! Will relisten again soon!

Me parecio increibel ese mix de jazz con acoustics que la banda tiene, lei que tienen más música chida así que los seguire escuchando. Would love to hear them live. It's a 10/10 for me. Amazing melodies, creative, fun, overall a amazing listen. Sumamente repetible.

If their aim was to satisfy, then Red Snapper did that, then some and more. For almost an hour, they go through the ends of the electronic music world to cobble together any and all likewise and disparate textures and influences in order to conjure up a seemingly flawless album that unfurls itself in real time. Any kind of skepticism that comes from approaching this album will melt away as soon as the second or third tracks reaches the midway point and it is off to the races from there. A genuine surprise, this one.

Cool AF

A creative, surprising fusion of trip hop, acid jazz, club beats, electronica, and ambient, this is a remarkable, surprising, genre-bending, work that has instantly caught my attention (listened through twice) and will become a favorite repeat listen. Cool funky beats and sounds throughout. Compositions are varied and no two tracks are alike, so listening in its entirety is a fun, adventurous journey. Perfect for a trippy headphone experience, but also would make a great background soundtrack for driving, working out, or just hanging out and chilling with friends. Never heard of Red Snapper before this but will definitely be dipping into their catalogue as a result of this discovery. 25 albums into this project, this is my first true "find" on this list...precisely why I signed up. Keep them coming! Great stuff!

I went into this blind, not knowing what genre to expect. I just sensed I'd enjoy it. Charged trip hop -- the moment for it may have passed, but I appreciate this surprising acoustic talent. I was tempted to remove one star for sounding like a copy of Massive Attack, but no. Red Snapper is almost better, their instruments more organic. I just wish there was more variety in the tracks, more ambient. They're capable of more. Maybe even just a different track order -- the last three are beautiful. I can see why this was released on Warped. 5 stars to boost the average rating. Y'all don't know shit about electronica.

Love the funky beats, multi genres

i rlly fw this

Fantastic! Finally an album, I’d never listened to by a band I’ve never heard of! I’ve really been into electronic chill music lately, so this was perfect.

Tämä oli hyvä kuuntelukerta, sillä varmaan kaikki virheet tältä kevyeltä tunnin albumilta katoaa kun puoliuninen kriitikko välttyy Hörähtämästä artistivirheisiin ja kuorsaus jatkuu.. Tosin objektia ei uinu pois.. Toki olin hieman yllättynyt, kun biisien nimet katsoi albumin lopuksi... ei tunne oman tuntemuksensa kanssa noikein tuota tuntunut pitävän paikkaansa. Sen jälkeen huomasi muutaman reviewin joka valitteli oudosta lyriikasta.. kuudennessa kappaleessa.. Tämä ei ollut hyvä alku....... "I just wasn’t expecting something so explicit and couched in zero metaphor" "the time I got to the sixth track, “The Rough and the Quick” and heard Karime Kendra sing “IWANTTHEKINDOFNIGHTTHATIREADABOUT. If Red Snapper’s aim was to satisfy, then consider me unsatisfied." Itse minuakin alkoi harmittamaan vikassa kappaleessa kun kappale uinui vasemman ja oikean kanavan välillä kun joku laiska miksaaja siellä teki temppujaan.. ..korvan tason aika-avaruuspituusero.. Audio cue.. interaural level differences... ja interaural time differences... OSAATTE KÄYTTÄÄ HYVIN.. MUTTA JÄÄ TUO KOLMAS monaural spectral cues.. JOKA ON MEIKÄN LEMPPARI.. nykysin kun tiktokkia selaa menemään niin on nuo kolme kolmesta cuesta hyvin toiminnassaja toimiikin.. jos on suomalainen semiarjalainen pään muoto joka on länsimaalaisessa psykoakustiikan tekeleen.. generalisoidun hrtf perusmallin aika tarkka peilikuva.. vaikka ugrilaiset häpeykset sieltä esiin nousevat... suomalaisen kallon on lyhyt, ylhäältä katsottuna kiilamaisesti.. munamainen... btw monaural spectral cues tarkoittaa periaatteessa sitä että kun ääni tulee eri suunnasta eri pään osat kuten korvalehti ja kallo joka btw ei ole matemaattisen pyöreä.. vaikuttaa äänen ERI TAAJUUKSIIN ERI TAVALLA!!! eli jossain sektorilla - kun pää on tietyssä asennossa ääni lähteesen - voi joku tietty taajuus tai laajempi taajuusalue... vaimentua melko täydellisesti... Tai äänenvoimakkuus kasvaa.. Tietenkin molemmat korvat mitattava erikseen koska sijaitsevat eri kohassa pään ja korvan ja kehon häiriölähteitä.. väliaineita joissa ääni kulkee.. ääni jonka nopeus muuttuu riippuen kulkemastaan väliaineesta... Siinäkin yksi häiriölähde jota mahdoton eristää pois.. Josta päästään... Ehkä annetaan anteeksi tämä asia... Jeesus kerran sanoi.. Amerikkalaisella aksentilla btw.. ei ollu britpop punk huor.. "All righty, but let the one who has never sinn' throw the first stone".... Se on viisi tähteä hyvästä melodian viennistä... sillä ei näillä kappaleilla oikein muuta kuin melodia... kappaleillaa joilla on vahssti tunnetta ja sen tunteen viemisen halukkuutta.. jotain jota artistit pelkäväävät tänään.. kun on helppo pitää yhdessä tunteessa... kappale... silloin kun vältetään obscenityt.. albumilla ei ole rajoja mitä se ei voisi ylittää yksittäisellä askeleella...

2000 - Electronic, Ambient Electronic

Great beaty trip hop. Surprised I haven't heard it before, but happy to have discovered it!

Funky album, great with the drums and vocals.

Fonkey Fusion. Geile Beats, weirde breaks und unnötige Effekte auf Bass&Gitarre? GROOO-VEYYYYY Die wissen selber nicht welches Genre sie spielen; sehr erfrischend. Nun bei Shellback angekommen, das schleppt sich aber schon zäh. Ich glaub das muss ich skippen. Don't go nowhere sehr beschreibend, wo soll das hinführen? Wenn Schlagzeuger und Bassist bei nem Lied die Zügel in der Hand haben, sollte man wirklich schnellstens das Boot verlassen. The Rake Intro unerträglich, hat man das aber überstanden gibts Sprechgesang auf die Hörlappen. hörthört! Rap auf Breakbeats immer gut, mieser Bass fickt rein. Dann aber wieder verzerrte Stimme vom Intro – direkt geskippt. Track6 sehr geil, schokomäuschen singen übers BIMMSEN, bin ich i m m e r am Stizzle. Street Life vibes, aber diesmal mit mehr Hass in den Knochen. Track 9-11 nochmal sehr atmosphärisch, hätte gerne früher und mehr sein können. Insgesamt sehr avantgardes (=unangenehmes) Album, ich würd vielleicht sogar mal wieder reinhören. Belladonna hat mich doch noch sehr begeistert. Mutiger Ambient/Jazz crossover. Keepin Pigs Together absoluter brecher für die Introszene eines Oceans11-esquen film, aber die Protagonisten sind keine Fashionistas, sondern Hamburger Peppnasen, die in der Elphie den Bonzen (pfui) die Geldbeutel aus der Garderobe zocken. 4*

VIBE

Epic

What a hidden gem!! One of the best albums I’ve ever heard. Absolutel banger from start to finish. Easily slipped into my top ten albums of all time.

My kind of thing.... this will be getting plenty of revisits. Electronica on acoustic instruments *chefs kiss*

Cool beats throughout, and some great highlights at the very end, but quite a few of the songs miss a bit of spark for me.

quite cooolll some songs a little irritating though hehe

A grooving cool smoky smooth soundscape of beats and samples. A great time! Don't listen to "The Rough and the Quick" if your grandmother is around.

Was really pleasantly surprised by the quality of this album, didn’t hear about this group before but when I saw that the album was on Warp I knew it was going to be quality. Not quite up there with the likes of Burial or Aphex Twin for me but still good and a really nice change of pace from the usual 70s rock album. Way more sonically interesting than 3/4s of all the albums of the list.

Really dug it actually. Definitely has that 1999-2001 Massive Attack vibe but a lot more varied and interesting.

Really cool ambient and chill, need a relisten but this is solid. Feels like 2000s matrix collective consciousness vibes

This satisfies all over the map, although it's not the most memorable.

Whacky but in all the best ways, some top notch songs. Great find, Rough and the Quick tickled me in all my immature ways

An almost inpenetrable musical fortress of a puzzle. The Warp and Weft dont meet until later. The best 3 track are the last 3. Which no one will ever hear. A superb astral soundscape. Hard to catalaogue. If this is here, surely it means any album by Xangadix, or The Art Of Noise or Nightmatres on Wax will be too, because its MUCH better at occupying this landing sequence for astronauts. Experimental flyovers of psychadelic insomnia progressions do not a pop album make. Great concept album, though. I was going to crap on it as a superb and esoteric art curio. For the "wierd and interesting" pile. But I in my perigrinations got to Alaska Street and the threads or waveforms lined up... It becomes wonderful ambient. I mean its almost progressive. But too late.

Fresh and funky beats, plenty of attitude. Great album, maybe lacking slightly in some all out bangers that stops this being a 5/5 for me

Red Snapper feels ahead of their time with this album. For the year 2000 dropping some thoughtful, heavy jazz-ish infused music. A little droning at the end, but the build-up might have been worth it in a different mindset.

Comienza muy bien. Luego un poco rollo. Y termina muy bien. Venga, un 4.

Groovy, laidback, chill. Perfect for driving, studying, or just hanging out.

3.5 can see how this was groundbreaking at the time but all I can think about is "cool" characters in this era of TV (eg Jeremy sisto in 6 feet under)

Very nice

Quite good 3.5/5

Very cool

Surprisingly diverse. Very good.

Sick

Beguiling

Lots of dub mixed in with DnB. Going into my regular rotation. Buying it on CD for any late night driving sessions

Pretty sweet.

An unexpected delight. Never heard of it, not my genre but excellent nonetheless.