Search - Hybrid :: Y4k

Great as a Mix Compilation - Mediocre as a Hybrid album.

Bricolage | New York | 11/02/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"1.Don't know Hybrid?; These guys are best known for their original work, which is the cutting edge in the breakbeat/electronica genre. Hybrid have also remixed over 70 tracks and many of those are better than the originals, thanks to detailed and extensive production. Over the span of two studio albums and one remix album, Hybrid have showcased incredibly beautiful and diverse tracks with a dark undertone.



2.The Album; With that being said, by Hybrids standards, this album is a bit lacking. I guess you can call it a gifted artist's curse because their previous work set the bar so high. There are some absolute gems on this CD and those alone are probably worth the price. However, some of the tracks are very repetitive. This mix is definitely best suited for a club and not for home listening.



3.Specifics; My first impression was overwhelming joy when I heard that trademark breakbeat. By the end of track 6, I was a little bored. When track 7 came on, the beautiful string arrangements got me excited again. Overall, I think this is much better than most mix compilations I've heard. However, I expected this to resemble Hybrid's remix album, Remix and Additional Production, and it does not. This is more of a straightforward mix and there isn't much Hybrid-style remixing involved.



*The remix of Blackout is the stand-out track in my opinion, even though the arrangement is very similar to their remix of REM's The Great Below.



**Consider the fact that if you're not familiar with Hybrid at all, you will be completely blown at times. Then listen to one of their two studio albums and see just how much better it can get."

Massive!

G3K | Tempe, AZ USA | 11/25/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"I've never been lucky enough to experience a live set or DJ set from Hybrid. They've made arguably the best "electronic" album of all time, Wide Angle, with the classic sweeping strings and synthetic breaks that defined them from the beginning. Morning Sci-Fi expanded their sound to something less compelling but just as cinematic.



This mix really sounds nothing like either of those albums.



What it does sound like is pure, booming nu-breaks nirvana. The first few tracks after the amazing introductory "The Drop" are a little faceless but still earthshattering. By the time FSOL's Vangelis-sampling "My Kingdom (Part 4)" segues into the stunning Hybrid "In Good We Trust (Soundtrack Edit)", you'll be blown away. Dropping the Chemical Brothers' sterling classic "Chemical Beats" in the middle of all this is a stroke of pure genius. The Y4K Edit of Hybrid's "Blackout" turns arguably their worst track ever into a ten-minute epic breakbeat odyssey that is a fitting closer for this mix. (This last track actually incorporates most of the elements from Hybrid's amazing remix of R.E.M's "The Great Beyond". It's unfortunate this track will never be released, as it's their best remix ever!)



Fans of the "Hybrid sound" shouldn't pass this one up, even though it may not be quite what they expect. Self-respecting fans of any sort of breakbeat or electronic music should be sure to pick Hybrid's Y4K up as well, for it's a journey they're sure not to forget for quite a while."

Not For the Casual or First-Time Listener

Amanda Parnell | Bloomington, IN USA | 04/16/2005

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Whether original work, remixes, or dj sets, Hybrid is absolutely foremost in the field of electronic music (and a personal favorite of mine). But Y4K is not an album to pick up if you're looking to acquaint yourself with the group.



While a perfectly fine mix in its own right, the album is quite honestly a bland and mostly-disappointing offering as a Hybrid album. In fact, it seems to be more of a label release than a Hybrid one (it is part of a series in the Distinctive catalogue). That classic Hybrid flavor does shine through on a few tracks, but for the most part, I found myself wondering if the guys hadn't simply been recruited to do the label's bidding.



Longtime fans will hear something to like. Tracks from GusGus and Future Sound of London are enjoyable, and the soundtrack edit of Hybrid's own "In Good We Trust" gives me the chills everytime! (Note: Tracklistings for this album differ, so if you intend on buying Y4K, make sure you know which release of it you're getting.)



New or casual listeners, however, should skip out on this one. I suggest picking up Wide Angle and moving forward from there."