Search - Jaffa :: Elevator

Softcore muzac

Enrique Torres | San Diegotitlan, Califas | 08/13/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Somewhere between mid tempo and down tempo Jaffa has found an audience for his airy sythns that go on without hardly any attention being given to the music. His use of organ and keyboards, coupled with programmed music is there, lingering and drifting off on puffy clouds, like a ballon in the sky going straight up but getting nowhere. This is music for a beautiful day, the kind that doesn't really exist except in the movies. A real beautiful day is constantly in flux, even a tranquil park has it's own chaos with children yelling and cars driving by. The textures are void of any feeling, just barely audible forays into slightly changing patterns never stirring far off the safe path. This is a walk through the park with eyes straight ahead not noticing one's surroundings. It is pleasant music for Jaffa's utopian vision where droning music is the national anthem. Do we really need three versions of the title track? If they were dramatically different I'd say yes, otherwise it sounds like material being streeeeeeeeeeeeeeeched. Don't get me wrong this isn't a bad CD it just isn't that good. "Lazywalker" begins to groove but eventually becomes lost in a sea of banality, too bad as it starts out fresh drawing interest from the gravely voiced sample. The CD has it's moments of creativity, like the oddly misplaced "Star67" with it's funny phone conversation("Is your wife there?") and the vocalized("God bless the child")version of "Sneakin." I say oddly misplaced because it doesn't fit into the light airy themes on the other tracks. Actually I preferred these two tracks to others because they draw a reaction as oppossed to a passive listening experience. I'd recommend this CD for a quite starless night when music is inconsequential, along with a bowl of vanilla ice cream."

Up and Coming

dbcjr | Philadelphia, PA USA | 08/13/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Jaffa is a young and upcoming artist that I sincerly hopes gets the recognition, press and fame he deserves. "Elevator" is a sweet album. Yes, like others have stated it does compare to Thievery Corporation and I would even include Slide Five (I wish they never broke up). Jaffa takes you on a wonderful lounge trip that may leave you feeling very relaxed and free. Most of the time there are a few "stand out" tracks on an album that make you decide if the album is worth picking up or not. Even though this is his first album and I run into very few people that have heard of him, I recommend this album to everyone! You won't be disappointed...trust me."

Solid Release

bordersj2 | Boston | 01/12/2006

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Gotta admit - I love the last review - the visual is awesome... Mona Lisa with gold chains over Sean John, rayban shades and a cap to the side! :) On that note, Jaffa is David Kakon, a very talented keyboardist/piano player from Canada. This release is actually a bit older now since it was released back in 2000 off of the Stereo Deluxe label out of Germany (think Mo Horizons or the "Bassic Instinct" compilations series). Knowing the label from that time, it fit in pretty well with their style or even Om's music (King Kooba, Soulstice, etc.)



Most recognizeable on this one is "Elevator". It's a cut that's been around for quite a while now, from Brazilectro to casual lounges, and it's been remixed and cut up dozens of times by some of the best electronica and nu-jazz. It has neat keys and a very reminiscent vibe that makes it a cross cultural success. Another popular track here is "Sneakin'". Personally, I dig the original that's sans the Erika Baduesque vocals singing Billie Holiday's classic track. The beat on it's fresh and the keys give the song a real nightlife feel. But those are the only cuts that snatched my attention. The album does have a cool, sexy feel to it but joking aside there is a point to what someone else said about the useless vocal samples in this - they just weren't really necessary and the cuts would've been better served without them. But I bump up the rating a bit because you do have both versions of "Sneakin'" here two different remixes to "Elevator", as interpreted by Fila Brazilia and the Herbaliser.



I would recommend this to anyone that's a fan of the Stereo Deluxe sound from 1999-2001. But it wasn't an album that I could play without fast-forwarding and admittedly, of the 11 tracks, there were really only 8 unique songs; the top two tracks are available on far superior compilations. In fact, the versions of "Elevator" I prefer is the jazzed up remix by Nicola Conte found on "Get Into the Martinin Mood" and "Feeling Good vl 1" and the live inspired one found on Brazilectro 2. I've had this one for quite a while now but found it tough to review mainly because of those reasons. Still, it's a solid release. If you're a fan of King Kooba's "Newfoundfunk", Moodorama's work, Mo Horizon's "Come Touch the Sun", you'll probably dig this and vice versa."