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Junkie XL - Today
As mentioned Here, Junkie XL has an album titled "Today" which releases commercially on Ultra Records, 04-18-2006.
With that said, it's easily one of the best albums, so far, of this year (from an electronic standpoint, that is). One of XL's best album's period to be honest.
Also, again with that said, it's very, very obvious that some if not all of the cuts on the album are hugely influenced by other artists. This could be due to two things, he's not afraid to hide it, or he thinks his audience is too glib to take notice (forigve the Cruise reference of words =)). Maybe there is a third reason that is justified, and maybe I just haven't figured out yet. But anyway, the songs...
The standout tracks are not the ones XL's known for in the dance community (and also his main target audience for this cd), it's the downtempo songs such as "Such A Tease", "Honey", "We Become One" which stand out. The best track on the album for me is the C Major deja-vu like "Such A Tease" which even though, like I said, draws heavily from influences that aren't difficult at all to spot (XL owe's a great debt to Ulrich Schauss's signature structure on this one), is great.
Most of the cuts on the album carry male vocals for the most part (Robert Smith was busy I assume) with a few female hyms thrown in here and there. The vocals suprisingly do not spoil the album like we've all seen in so many other electronic producers artist albums. Also, for the most part I'm almost sure that most who know XL's work will find it no suprise that the overall cd is mastered great. Everything from the mixdown, panning, samples, sound great. Hopefully he has a thank you to Albino and Atmosphere in his thank you notes, but besides that, everything else is almost unrecognizable. It may be a bit overproduced in parts, but I assume that it's made to be a cd for a bigger sound system and audeince so that one could hear all of the work put into it with clarity... But I'm sure an Ipod would do just fine =p.
Now, on to the influences.
01. Youthful - Most notably and I'm sure most fure lambasting comments will be the similaritys to T-Pains commercial hit "I'm In Love With A Stripper". Sounds far fetched? Take a listen. With that said, when the fifty-five second mark comes in and those Albino knocks come in, pure bliss.
02. Mushroom - Sasha's Fundamental (don't confuse this with the abelton mix cd Fundacion)
03. Such A Tease - As stated earlier, Ulrich Schauss all the way. Although best track on the cd, one of the best songs I've heard in a long time.
04. Today As many have pointed out, another "Deep Dish - Flashdance" era song. I'm with the others when I state I'm not too fond of this one here.
05. Drift Away - The Cure
06. I Have Got A Xerox To Copy Definitly influenced by the indie rock band from Denmar, Mew.
07. Even In This Moment Four Tet, Ako, Boards Of Canada, etc
08. Yesterdays - New Order / Depeech Mode
09. Honey
10. We Become One - Sasha's - Wavy Gravy / Craig Armstrongs - Finding Beauty)
My main complaint is that I think the influences are to in your face here to not be mentioned, but with that said, the songs probably wouldn't be what they are without them. Hopefully some of the other producers who plan to go into the studio to start their artists albums in the future take notice on how to use their influences and not do direct rip offs (Oakey's upcomming cuts from his album "A Lively Mind" for example). XL took notice of Xpander and Bunnka, which were both a big foot foward for a template that electronic artists have either followed or strayed away from (bad or good), and took the best elements out of each for Today. And it works.
Check it.
Rodas
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Last edited by Rodas on Mar-31-2006 at 11:54
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