Will make it into my top 10 downbeat albums of the year
Princess of Borneo | KK, KL, London & NYC | 06/25/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Kennedy is gutsy in his experimentation, skillfully adding electronic sounds to the rhythms and melodies of his tracks. The trip-hoppy and sometimes jazzy basslines are joined by melodies so beautiful it surprises even me. There is a good layer of acoustic-effects, with intoxicating vocals that are daring and reticent at the same time. The result is a beautiful interplay of fluctuating dynamics that vexes the soul for more of Kennedy's work.Most downbeat artists that are prone to experiment heavily end up making music that sounds more ambient/I.D.M. than downtempo. Jon Kennedy takes away the focal genre, making this album a genre-bending production to rejoice about. Previously under the Tru Thoughts label, Jon Kennedy has signed on with Grand Central (the tasteful indie label that coincidentally is the label behind the last three albums I reviewed).Kennedy uses a lot of acoustic-effects (mind you, not real acoustics) to offset the heavily synthesized production. Most of the time, productions like these sound really cheap, but Kennedy pulls it off not only convincingly, but inspiringly. The acoustic-effects still sound electronic, but we see Kennedy's genius anyway. All he needs are actual acoustic instruments, and the skills to operate them and he would have made history for his generation. Give him a harp, give him a set of gongs (Indomalay metal percussions), give him anything. If he continues to produce works of this caliber, the man will reach godlike status in the downbeat scene. I am sure this will make it into my top 10 downbeat albums of the year. Absolute quality."
