When Danny DeVito commissioned Irish producer David Holmes to provide the score for the film Out of Sight, he chose wisely. Holmes's gritty, urban dance music, first exposed on the sadly underrated The Film's Crap Let's Sl... more »ash the Seats, is perfect for evoking scenes and atmospheres, yet it's interesting enough to stand on its own. For this album, Holmes and a friend wandered the streets of New York, collecting voices and noises; Holmes then assembled them into an imaginary soundtrack with the structures of modern dance music and the sonic qualities of rock and dub reggae. Let's Get Killed is a disjointed cut-up session that brings the grit and excitement of city life into your living room without leaving a drop of blood. --Matthew Corwine« less
When Danny DeVito commissioned Irish producer David Holmes to provide the score for the film Out of Sight, he chose wisely. Holmes's gritty, urban dance music, first exposed on the sadly underrated The Film's Crap Let's Slash the Seats, is perfect for evoking scenes and atmospheres, yet it's interesting enough to stand on its own. For this album, Holmes and a friend wandered the streets of New York, collecting voices and noises; Holmes then assembled them into an imaginary soundtrack with the structures of modern dance music and the sonic qualities of rock and dub reggae. Let's Get Killed is a disjointed cut-up session that brings the grit and excitement of city life into your living room without leaving a drop of blood. --Matthew Corwine
"Bought this years ago and enjoyed it then, and still occaionally do now. If you don't know, he did the soundtrack for OCEAN'S 11 and included a few of his own tracks(from this cd) in the movie remake. So if you enjoyed the sound found in that movie(hip, cool, sophisticated, jazzy, retro, funky, etc), seriously consider backtracking and getting this release. Especially since the OCEAN'S 11 soundtrack has edited versions of his tracks and contain dialogue from the movie(which may irritate some if you just want the songs). Standouts on this cd for me include:*My Mate Paul--the coolest/hippest sounding track maybe. Should find its way in some spy movie soundtrack.
*Rodney Yates--ultra smooth tux-wearing, cocktail drinking song. Clooney's theme in O's11 as he walks out of prison in the opening credits.
*Radio 7--007 theme-inspired track. Ultra cool at first, slightly repetive later though.
*Freaknik--the big beat, breakbeat, 4-on-the-floor, breaker's extravaganza. funky as hell. the title implies it.
*Don't Die Just Yet--what I call a 'slow burn' song. it starts out slow and uneventful, but stick with it and when the strings kick in you'll be rewarded with a very moody and memorable track.Also, Gritty Shaker was in O's11, Slashers Revenge has a haunting sound to it, Let's Get Killed is really long, and Caddell Returns is just...there. The rest are just samples/or intros, not actual tracks. Overall, if you enjoy this type of music and are not afraid to pick up a 5-year old release, i strongly recommend you do."
In search of the miraculous...
Jan | Norway | 12/28/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I got hold of "Let's Get Killed" in 1997 and it has been one of my favourites ever since. David Holmes must be one of the most talented music makers out there! The previous reviews down this list really sums up the content of the record. Anyway, for any of you David Holmers out there, don't miss out on David Holmes' supreme mix-cd of tunes from his own collection of the funkiest music ever created: "Essential Mix 98/01 (David Holmes)" which is a double album of rare tracks ranging from the soul-music of Marlena Shawe to a real wild David Holmes production ("Little Short One part I") via the likes of crazy, maniac, mind-blowing 70's psychedlia! It's magic! The album was released between "Let's Get Killed" and the "Out of Sight-"album, and shows that Mister Holmes's interest in music is BEYOND any of his living competitors. Burn, Hollywood, Burn! Next to DJ Shadow and Keb Darge, you will find David Holmes at the wheels of steels!"
The best of David Holmes
flare31 | Czech Republic | 04/14/2005
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I found this CD rather acidentally, however, this record changed my music life. I will not waste your time saying all what was said bellow but the motto of this song for me is: A nightlife in NYC with all it brings. Buy it and give it a few chances, the mystery shall be revealed pretty soon, enjoy!!!"
Genius
S. Cannon | 11/17/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Yes... this IS the best thing David Holmes has ever released. It is a musical journey made up of break beats, random conversations, and sound bites that you might hear if you were to drive through a downtown area with your car window open! :)
This CD has gone down as a classic... just buy it!"
A Sophisticated & Melancholy Groove of a Headtrip
R. Friesel Jr. | Burlington, VT USA | 01/15/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is a curiously essential album indeed. It is all of the following simultaneously: artistic, entertaining, haunting, ironic, lively, and mentally demanding. There's an almost fatalistic melancholy about this album that is as compelling as it is disconcerting. An eclectic mix of electronics, voices, effects, and "real" instruments, this CD is as much collage as it is music. It is innovative on several planes and I sincerely believe that a CD this outstanding doesn't come along very often. Highlights include the whimsical "Gritty Shaker," the curious "Radio 7," the chilling "Caddell Returns," and the moving "Don't Die Just Yet." Let's not take those as the only worthwhile tracks though -- they're all brilliant in their own right. And while I can (at times) do without some of the sampled "filler" padding the beginnings of some tracks, more often than not, they add more than they detract. (As I said, "artistic"...)Faults? (1) Two of the most memorable tracks ("Radio 7" and "Don't Die Just Yet") are ostensibly covers of songs by Monty Norman and Serge Gainsbourg (respectively). This is a minor criticism though, as Holmes' renditions of these tunes are stunning in their own right. (2) The aforementioned issue with the sampled "filler." As stated though, this is minor. However, (2b) there are some (as yet unsubstantiated) rumors circulating that Holmes did not personally record all of the sampled voices used. I'm startled at this because I can't imagine where else he would've gotten them. All things considered though, I *highly* recommend this album to any and all."