Search - Freeland :: Now & Them

A hit collection

David Chatenay | San Francisco | 03/12/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I never listened to the first album by Adam Freeland, but I'm impressed by this one. The opening title is a jewel ("We want your soul", with cuts from Bill Hicks), and then the hits keeps on going: "Mind Killer", "Burn the clock", "Big Wednesday" very Aphex Twin, "Heel 'n' toe" with its insane break beats, the soulful "Supernatural thing", the dub "L.I.F.E.", and the quiet extro of "Nowism". This album takes you from the intro, and doesn't let you down til the end."

Freeland proves he can play in the big leagues

Mark | Canada | 05/31/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

""Now & Them" is Adam Freeland's debut artist album since the breakup of Tsunami One, his old outfit with Kevin Beber. Most DJs can't write music to save their own skin, as we have seen in the past several years. Suddenly, when it comes to coming up with their own tunes and not simply taking credit for or remixing others, they fall flat on their faces. Freeland, however, avoids this completely. This is a genuinely GREAT album, with amazing production. Freeland's writing skills are SUPERB here, it really is refreshing to know that not all DJs are incompetent. Freeland has stated in many interviews that he hates the copycat nature of electronic music, wherein somebody comes up with a great idea and everyone else makes that idea into a rigid formula and plays it to death (insert trance music here). You can hear this line of thought in "Now & Them", there is a grand total of ONE formulaic track, but it's still done creatively and well. Do NOT expect an album of breakbeats, you will be disappointed. Instead, don't expect anything and you'll like it.



(9/10) "We Want Your Soul" starts you out with a scathing blast against American capitalism. A spoken female vocal really inspires the kind of angst that builds up in a certain kind of individual. Meanwhile a male announcer reinforces the notion that you are being told what to like. This is all overtop of a good solid standard breakbeat with stabbing guitars. "We Want Your Soul" is very interesting; rarely do we hear this type of song from the electronica community. It's like Rage Against the Machine going electronic...you really have to hear for yourself to understand what I mean...



(8/10) "Mind Killer" follows up with a great blast of VERY heavy beats, big guitars, huge basslines, and a fairly decent rap overtop. Definitely a head bobbing track that is very unique. Great production throughout! The rap could have a few more verses in it, but I think Freeland wanted to focus on instrumentation in this one.



(8/10) "Burn the Clock" is another great instrumental tune. It was used in a Calvin Klein ad, featuring Kate Moss of all people! Really interesting rhythms, and great basslines again! Freeland is clearly focussed on crafting solid tunes, as opposed to going for crowd pleasers. There is great layering and pace to this track, and definitely more head bobbing too.



(9.5/10) "Big Wednesday": easily the best song on the album. Featured in "The Animatrix", this is an unbelievably smooth tune. A great walking beat with just a hint of background fuzz provides the scaffolding for some GREAT effects that roll overtop of the beat, rebounding in time with that great beat. Freeland avoids the build-it-up, tear-it-down style and instead provides a focussed and well written piece that is never boring, very polyphonic and extremely hypnotic. It's not ambient, but its not breakbeat, its just great stuff, really. Samples a clip from "South Park" at the end too!



(8/10) "Heel 'n Toe" dives headfirst into hip-hop, but Freeland keeps his style apparent underneath the rap. A fairly decent tune, with a catchy chorus and great focus on rhythm. Not quite as good as the first four tracks, but a good catchy tune with a pretty decent rap too.



(6/10) "Physical World" is pretty odd and a bit off focus. Didn't catch me in any way. Some ok rhythms in there, but not a great song.



(6/10) "Supernatural Thing" also flops. Too little is in this song, and the vocals are pretty annoying and cheesey. There's far too much empty space in too many spots of this song.



(8/10) "Reality 3D" Freeland returns to some great rhythms. This one's a bit more repetitive, but the rhythms make up for it. A spoken philosophical train of thought over some well crafted beats. Not too rushed, but not laid back either.



(6.5/10) "L.I.F.E" is another boring tune that just didn't rub me the right way. Not much to it, and also lacks focus.



(7.5/10) "Nowism" falls more into ambience, and improves over L.I.F.E., but is still a beat weak in some areas. A fairly decent tune to end on though.



Overall,"Now & Them" is really great. Only a couple of stinkers, but the first 5 tracks cancel them out big time. This is well crafted and carefully thought out music. Great beats, Freeland has a WONDERFUL sense of rhythm. This is one DJ album that is worth pursuing."