Search - Smith, Mighty, Various :: DJ Kicks

Fantastic Trip-Hop/Dub/Jungle Collection

melodic | New York, NY | 12/20/1999

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Smith & Mighty date back before Massive Attack diaspora and are probably just as valuable. This DJ Kicks installment starts with reggae/trip-hop aesthetic and flows into bouncy dub-hop and finally slides into smooth, soulful jungle. Easily, one of the best DJ Kicks collections. It's a shame that they fell out with their record company and have subsequently missed the trip-hop renaissance/gravy-train. For any listener who wants accessible, diverse bass 'n beats--this album will not disappoint."

The evolution of dub, hip hop, and drum n' bass

The Djeli | Ile Ife, Nigeria | 04/05/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The late 80s was an era of house, groove, reggae and hip hop dominating the urban scene. In 1989, Smith and Mighty joined these genres, basically inventing the concept of "trip hop". Along with other Bristol natives like Massive Attack and Tricky. There own dubbed out trip hop sound was not on lp until 1995's "Bass is Maternal". However, under the More Rockers guise they also produced other tracks. This 1998 mix features their early works as well as newer drum n'bass material. Though most of these tracks are Smith and Mighty related in some way or another, there are a few other tracks from other artists, such as DJ Krust. The mix begins almost like an evolution of the music...first we are presented with some of the best dub reggae I've ever heard until the tracks evolve into trip hop and hip hop, then almost majestically transforms into the complex drum patterns of drum n' bass, which carries the last half of the album. The Dnb is mostly rapid breakbeats over an atmosphere of jazzy funk, like alot of Bristol DnB. It even features a Dnb version of Roberta Flack's "The First Time". The amount of soul poured into this album is unbelievable. Possibly the best mix CD ever in my opinion and a document of the British Urban sound. Essential album for anyone into progressive music. For those who believe the last innovative music existed in the mid 70s this is evidence that good original music is still being produced. Big up to the ones known as Smith and Mighty."

I & I say----

Math 27 | baltimore | 01/03/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is fast becoming one of my favorite Trip-hop/Dub/Jungle mix albums. Neat blend of styles that will first seep into your skull with the 1st half of the album then jolt you out of your skin with rapid drum and bass tracks in the 2nd half. The other reviewers are right, This Smith and Mighty record is better than their recent Big Word, Small World and their 1st Bass is Maternal album. I think this should be credited also to the several guest musicians (More Rockers, Flynn&Flora, etc) and vocalist that appear on this DJ Kicks collection. S&M are exclusively on 8 or 9 of the 24 tracks on this album. I was curious about S&M after becoming a fan of the Trip-Hop/ Bristol Sound through Massive Attack and Portishead then learning that they were actually influenced by Smith & Mighty. So I gave them a shot with Big World, Small World and was only impressed with a few great tracks. But this Dj Kicks album is much more interesting all round. But S&M's deep influence in Dub and Reggae sets them apart from their other well known Trip-Hop counterparts. This is an excellent mixed CD featuring the pioneers of the Bristol sound that should not be missed."