Search - Yesterdays New Quintet :: Angles Without Edges

Madlib's best instrumental work so far

B | houston, tx | 08/03/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"People shopping for this cd may or may not have heard the other YNQ album or Madlib's Blue Note thing, and they may or may not be acquainted with Lootpack or Quasimoto and the Jaylib and Madvillain compilations. Whatever you know or don't know about Madlib, the smoky, jazzy and barely disconnected vibe of this album is both totally unique and long overdue. People have been trying to catch this vibe for fifteen years, but most producers and musicians don't have enough respect for the genres they try to loot, or get too bogged down in the lofty ambitions of their projects to let the music happen. Angles Without Edges is jazz, and it is hip hop, although it is not too wrapped up in reaching the audiences of both genres to lose touch with its singular identity.

Madlib is the quintet, in case you don't know yet, and his keyboard skills are fairly rudimentary, but this just means that he doesn't plan to give himself tracks to show off on, but just focuses on using what he does know to make great songs. He uses hip hop style drums and bass along with mostly Rhodes and Clavinet parts over that, and not too much else. This nether region between rap and jazz is tricky because it pretty much lacks melody. What passes for a song's defining motive is usually a simple "ensemble" riff or maybe just a groove, but the groove is always there, and this always feels good. Maybe not everybody will appreciate it, but it is the beginning of what could be a very important development in modern music."

...half amusing/half amazing...

R. Davis | louisville, ky | 02/23/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"...imagine shock g, dj premier and ali shaheed muhammad gettin together to do a jazz album and this might pretty much be what they come up with!
i still prefer my jazz organic/original...but ever since i got hooked on dj cam's 'mad blunted jazz', then this is the kinda stuff i been lookin for...
i've been burned with some of my purchases lately, but this one omost pleases me and that has been somethin extremely rare lately! this aint nothin laid back, kinda like some new age thelonious monk or mingus...this has that free jazz feel, i think folks here are callin it abstract, but whatever it is it's nice...caution tho: if you aint got the ear for the "not-usual", then you may be better off with somethin else...but if you like any craig taborn or clifford gilberto or even some art blakey, then you might can get with this...jump on in, the water's fine..."

Genius!!!

dbcjr | Philadelphia, PA USA | 09/26/2001

(5 out of 5 stars)

"So you're searching for something a little different. Someone that pushes the envelope right off the edge. Well look no further. YNQ has teased listeners with three impressive EP's (Elle's Theme, The Bomb Shelter, and Uno Esta). But who is YNQ? Well, hip hop enthusiasts will recognize the producer, the always busy Madlib. As YNQ, Madlib masquerades as Malik Flavors, Monk Hughes, Ahmad Miller, Joe McDuffrey and his true namesake, Otis Jackson Jr. But you've heard Madlib before producing and Mcing on Quasimoto and Lootpack projects. YNQ's first full length, "Angles Without Edges" takes the listener on a jazzy, hip hop, funky voyage that could sound like the soundtrack to anyone's typical day. Throughout this mostly instrumental 19 track journey, Madlib also educates. On tracks like `The Birth of YNQ' he breaks down the different instruments (Fender Rhodes, vibraphone, electric bass, kalimba, arp odyssey, arp string ensemble, 8 track synthesizer, SP12 & MPC 2000 drums, percussion & thangs, electric guitar, electric clarinet E7, Wurlitzer electric piano, samples & loops, omnichord, EPS Ensoniq Workstation, and a electric band synthesizer) used on the album as well as the musical direction of what actually happens when all five of his alter egos comes together. Besides his intoxicating original material Madlib has a few funk injected renditions of some classics... Ramsey Lewis' "Sun Goddess," Walter Bishop Jr.'s "Keeper of My Soul," and the always appealing "Daylight" by Ramp which is very recognizable from A Tribe Called Quest's Bonita Applebaum. With all the sample based albums that have and will come out (Welcome to Detroit, Petestrumentals, Time to Chill, Lost Change et. al) it's nice to five guys can come together as one, literally, and put out a tight album."