Search - Various Artists :: Om Lounge

Wallpaper music let down by the stars

Richard Diaz | 07/01/2000

(3 out of 5 stars)

"Modern lounge, sonic wallpaper, downtempo, middle tempo music (according to the CD) whatever you want to call it, OM Records excels at releasing it. A quick look at the artists on this comp- Thievery Corporation, Jazzanova, Mark Farina, Julius Papp, to name a few - should make it a no-brainer pick-up. But not so, they actually have the mediocre songs that clog up the disc.Most the tracks use a similar formula: lazy beats, vocal snippets, strings, and dashes of funk on top. When the artists add to this with clever sounds and more intricate production it works. Freakniks' "Slow Roll 77" is what you are hoping to hear, an autumn-cool track of layered percussion, stereo samples, catchy loops and effects. "Nothing Can Pull Us Apart" dips into the vinyl vault for gentle pieces of rhythm and a powdery beat, the sound of stargazing. J Boogie's Dubtronic Science's "Oceanic Lullaby" takes strings, a Japanese koto (?), and even some Rakim samples for another winner. But it's the bigger names that let this down. Reliable Thievery Corporation are disappointingly bland, and like Jazzanova's contribution, use an annoying vocal to mar the tune. Mark Farina and Julius Papp are decent, but they've done better. The remaining tracks range from decent filler to low blood sugar funk jamming.This is respectable, with a few sublime tracks, but those looking to see what OM has to offer should get OM Lounge 2, a more varied and exciting collection."

AMAZING COMPILATION

Dean Halpern | San Francisco, CA USA | 05/08/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I could listen to this CD a thousand times (getting there) and not be tired of it. A perfect mix of mid-tempo tunes. The whole damn OM Lounge series in amazing (vols. I - III). This is coming from someone who owns about twenty "chill out" type CDs. The OM lounge series tops my list, but Serve Chilled from Hed Kandi is great, too, as are the Cafe Del Mars. Happy hunting!"

Gotta Get!!

Canuco | New York City | 04/23/2007

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The first release of the now famous OM LOUNGE series. This first of 10-plus cd releases is chock full low bpm, full-a-funk, grooves. The formula used in these productions has never wavered. The producers have taken inspiration from every corner of the planet to offer the listener a very satisfing musical journey. Sitars from India are juxtapozed seemlesly into an Afro-Caribbean rhythm...Bhuddist chanting draped over a throbbing beat of the conga drum...European violins soaring over South African souka and more. The experience is quite uplifting and refreshing. I highly recommend the entire series of; Om Lounge. You can't go wrong with these. Bon Appetit."