Search - 4 Hero :: Two Pages + Bonus CD

Get This 2 Disk Version....which is the version to go for!!!

fetish_2000 | U.K. | 05/10/2005

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Although coming into more prominence over the last few years, 4-Hero, have been producing tracks for the early Drum 'N' Bass / Jungle scene, since the early 90's, but would later move into a more cerebral and less aggressive sound, focusing on the more melodic end of Breakbeat. Considering the two producers ("Dego" & "Mark Mac") had made their mark with the underground Hardcore/Rave hit "Mr Kirks Nightmare", they moved from singles to album releases, with 1991's "In Rough Territory" & 1995's sublime "Parallel Universe", and then followed up 3 years later with their most ambitious effort 1998's "Two Pages".



Two Pages is a long sprawling album that takes in many facets of Breakbeat, Drum 'n' Bass, Jungle & Club/Dance, and the strong musical influences of the albums producers runs strongly throughout the album...(Jazz, Soul, R&B), with elements of Jazz instrumentation, Soul Vocals and smooth breaks, sterling arrangement of Trombones, Cello's, Trumpets, Piano & Violin, and keen sampling. are all used to marvellous effect here.



Disk 1: Is the more downtempo of the two disks, with most of the smooth Jazz/Soul tracks contained, here. And its here that listeners will hear the shift from hard-hitting drum breaks, into something far more melodic and elaborate, and orchestral. So some of the most sublime and beautiful sounding Jazz-Breakbeat fusions are contained here: "Loveless..(Feat Ursula Rucker)", "Planetaria" & the exceptional instrumental "Spirits in Transit" (which for me, ranks as one of the finest things they've ever produced), all implement various strings, Sax, percussion, acoustic instruments, along with complex skittering drum patterns, that are as heavily indebted to Jazz, as they are Drum 'N' Bass. This is music to immerse yourself to at home, as it frequently sounds like what intelligent Drum 'N' Bass is supposed to sound like: Music that has a danceable melodic quality, without having to resort to tough drum Breaks or speaker shaking bass.



Disc 2: Moves away from the freewheeling Jazz-orientated arrangements of the first disk, and shifts focus to a more energetic programming-heavy beat orientated sound, increasingly more focused compositions that move towards, tight more dance-fixated tracks., with a far more gritter sound and "We who are not as others", "Wishful Thinking" & Pegasus 51", agreeably skirt through dense soundscapes of paranoid breakbeats. That makes for a far more upbeat sound, that shows a huge level of diversity from the more relaxed pace of the first disk. And feels more aimed at those listeners that like their Drum 'N' Bass, to be suitable for the home & Clubs. (Although some of the complex drum patterning on some tracks, may be a little too rhythmic for clubs).



Those that haven't gotten around to buying this album, should be aware that two versions of this album exists. The single disk edition that edits down the tracks to fit on a single disk, and changes around/ excludes some of the tracks for shorter tracks, that allow it all to fit on the one disk. Although, this isn't an issue with the two disk edition, which (having owned the 1 disk edition, and upgraded to the 2 disk), is obviously how the artists intended it to be. Listening to the 1 Disk with it's 19 tracks is a incredibly long task, as the first half of the album features more cerebral, stylish tracks....but halfway through the change to the more rugged and dense tracks moves into play, without much of a smooth transition. Don't get me wrong....the 1 disk version is fabulous, and looking back, I should have given it 5 stars instead of the 4 stars I awarded it, when I first reviewed it. But the 2 Disk edition breaks the distinctly different tracks across the 2 disks, so the more melodic tracks feature on disk 1, (which sound perfect listened to in the daytime), and the moodier, heavy sounding tracks are on disk 2 (great late night listening), plus the 2 disk edition has the original tracklisting (that is edited on the 1 disk), as well as one more track. Two pages is unquestionably an expressive, sprawling, highly imaginative, melodic & Beautiful sounding album, and those that have heard their work either through, the remix work they do, or their singles, truly must own this album, it covers so many bases, and does them so well, that those they like the breakbeat / Drum 'N' Bass genre, owe it to themselves to have this in their collections."