Search - U.N.K.L.E. :: Psyence Fiction

U.N.K.L.E. - A Compelling Work In Progress

funktion | The Synaptic Gap | 04/13/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Mo Wax records founder James Lavelle and DJ Shadow are the men from UNKLE, a collaborative project that began a few years ago, and the duo released its first full album "Psyence Fiction".It was one of the most anticipated albums of the year,thanks to the success of DJ Shadow's 1997 breakthrough album, Endtroducing...; Lavelle's notoriety as a remixer (Beck, the Verve, Radiohead) and talent scout (Shadow and Money Mark are Mo Wax artists); and a lineup of celebrity guests. Radiohead's Thom Yorke, the Verve's Richard Ashcroft and the Beastie Boys' Mike D all co-wrote and performed on tracks here. There's even an appearance by Metallica bassist Jason Newstead. This merger of star power and DJ-culture cred has already caused a backlash in some factions of the electronic underground and generated preposterous pre-release hype in pop circles. But Psyence Fiction - largely written by Shadow, with Lavelle serving as co-producer and concept man - is neither a bombastic, allstar spectacle nor a groundbreaking reinterpretation of dance music as we know it. The album is an accessible yet edgy blend of movie-soundtrack-style ambience, hip-hop experimentation, rock & roll reverb, maniacal drum breaks and turntable-synthesizer spasms. Psyence Fiction is neither a lofty concept album nor the sonic equivalent of cinema. But it is Shadow and Lavelle's striving for such greatness that makes UNKLE a compelling work in progress."

Brilliant integration of stylez

Manny Hernandez | Bay Area, CA | 03/15/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"What happens when alt-rock and Joe Satriani ("Unkle Main Title Theme") meet Massive Attack ("Blood Stain", "Unreal"), Craig Armstrong ("Celestial Annihilation"), and you pour a little straight-up Public Enemy-like hip-hop into the mix? Sounds like science fiction? Fatboy Slim, you say? Not really. How about Psyence Fiction, U.N.K.L.E.'s ultimate definition of the future of music in 1998, and one that certainly goes beyond 2004? Granted that this work as a whole is a masterpiece (haven't taken it off my jukebox in over two weeks now), the pinnacles of the album (it has two) come when the voice of The Verve's Richard Ashcroft breaks the silence in track #5, singing "God knows your Lonely Soul..." and when the unmistakable voice of Thom Yorke embraces you in "Rabbit in Your Headlights" close to the end.What more can you ask for? This album is as close as it comes to perfection in blending musical styles. Listening to it six years after its original release sounds every bit as fresh as it did back then. Indeed, I dare to say it sounds better today, because a lot of these sounds have sunk in, to become a part of mainstream culture, something that says a lot about how far ahead of their time these guys were back then."

Impressive

Manny Hernandez | 12/03/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"DJ Shadow's influence over this disc is evident with the innovative breaks that underlie every track. However, apart from the expected imagination here, what was a complete surprise was the wide variety of genres explored. From start to finish, the whole affair is completely unrpedictable, ranging from typical Shadow-style mellow grooves, to more classical ballads, to even some speed metal (! ). Consequently, this album is not as immediately accessible as some of Josh's other releases and may require a few listens to open up fully. Nevertheless, due primarily to the creativity of the beats, the album doesn't lose its focus and remains a consistent and comfortable listen throughout from the very first sitting. Believe the hype - this was one of 1998's best and most innovative releases. A must have for all DJ Shadow fans."