Mala in Cuba finds the dubstep demi-god attempting to redefine his praxis through collaboration with a host of top-level Cuban musicians. Easing the listener in by way of the supple and evocative Mulata, Mala makes it clear that he’s not interested in compromising his bass weight and by the time we get to Changuito it’s obvious that something very special is going on, as claustrophobic high-pressure bass bridles moodily against frenzied percussion and layers of delirious, droning horns.
It’s a delicious marriage of balmy euphoria and low frequency menace but it’s not the only trick Mala has up his sleeve: Calle F is an enveloping, jazzy workout whilst The Tourist is the sound of Mala letting his hair down, looping a gentle acoustic bassline and blissing out to some gentle Cuban vibes. Exciting, hypnotic and impeccably produced, what could so easily have been a curio is, in the event, something of a masterclass.
I think a rating out of 5 in a music review is the most pointless thing ever. Barely ever seen ones that I agree with, music is so subjective that the rating usually means fuck all to anyone apart from the reviewer.
1point5 wrote:I think a rating out of 5 in a music review is the most pointless thing ever. Barely ever seen ones that I agree with, music is so subjective that the rating usually means fuck all to anyone apart from the reviewer.
The whole thing only matters to the reviewer! That's pretty much the whole point.
1point5 wrote:I think a rating out of 5 in a music review is the most pointless thing ever. Barely ever seen ones that I agree with, music is so subjective that the rating usually means fuck all to anyone apart from the reviewer.
especially is the 'review' consists of 3 sentences, of which only half a sentence actually speaks about the music. waste!
1point5 wrote:I think a rating out of 5 in a music review is the most pointless thing ever. Barely ever seen ones that I agree with, music is so subjective that the rating usually means fuck all to anyone apart from the reviewer.
The whole thing only matters to the reviewer! That's pretty much the whole point.
haha that is a good point, but you can often get at least some useful insight on music that you haven't heard yet by reading a review, even if it's skewed more or less in favour of it than you would think of it. A rating out of 5 really never tells you anything though.
Yeah, for me, if I was to give something a rating out of 5, it's like, where does this rank in terms of favourites of all the music I've heard.
So 5 stars - Seriously some of the best music I've ever heard
4 stars - great stuff, bound to be on regular rotation
3 stars - sort of tune I might draw for every now and then
2 stars - wouldn't miss this if I never heard it again
1 stars - would actively avoid ever hearing this again
Guess it just depends on how much you trust the reviewer and whether you'll check it out anyway. If one of my trusted friends told me a release is turd, I'd be less inclined to check it out compared to him telling me that this release was one of the best things they'd ever heard.
mala_dmz @mala_dmz
Sorry to everyone who couldn't get the In Cuba Box set. @Brownswood are re-issuing the album in a 4 piece gatefold edition. More news soon.
Picked the boxset up today and just listened to it for the first time.
It really is an amazing album. I agree that The Tunnel is a little bit out of place, but still, I don't think there's a single bad tune on here. Ghost being a personal favorite of mine so far and Curfew is just absolutely mental.
During the final track my mum came into my room and just sat down on the couch to listen along... And that says something.
dubstepper wrote:Can someone please explain why some artists only do limited or never get a repress?
I always assumed it was to minimize risk. If they press more than they can sell, they've lost money on the leftover stock. A pressing of 1000 is a safe number, or sounds like one to me anyways. How well it sells let's them gauge the actual interest and they can decide to repress a second batch or not.
Regardless, big ups on them for repressing this. I freaked out thinking I'd missed my chance to get this because I was at Outlook when this went on presale, but my roommate had ordered it for me. I'd be ecstatic over this news right now if he hadn't.
well the discogs heads have jumped straight on this, cheapest is bout £70 going up to £150. Whats the chance that mala himself could be selling a bunch of copies for a high price on discogs? I doubt it but you never know.
badger wrote:
datura wrote:
what?
i don't think he's quite grasped the idea of punctuation yet.
or the use of paragraphs.
or sentences for that matter.
dubstepper wrote:well the discogs heads have jumped straight on this, cheapest is bout £70 going up to £150. Whats the chance that mala himself could be selling a bunch of copies for a high price on discogs? I doubt it but you never know.
dubstepper wrote:well the discogs heads have jumped straight on this, cheapest is bout £70 going up to £150. Whats the chance that mala himself could be selling a bunch of copies for a high price on discogs? I doubt it but you never know.
dumbest post i read all day.
Not really, it's just a thought. dumbest reply ever. Get a life you tnuc.
badger wrote:
datura wrote:
what?
i don't think he's quite grasped the idea of punctuation yet.
or the use of paragraphs.
or sentences for that matter.