Published: June 2nd, 2008
After 4 Mule Musiq singles we finally welcome Force of Nature’s Mule Musiq album debut, their third album so far. Released to huge critical acclaim in Japan in 2006, this is the first European release of ‘III’, with two exclusive new tracks in a cosmic house style.
Force of Nature are KZA and DJ Kent, who have been creating their own original fusion of house, breaks, techno, electro, hip hop, disco and dub since their first release in 1995. Self releasing material on their own Libyus imprint as well as albums with Exceptional Records and for the popular cartoon series ‘Samurai Champloo’, the pair have a formidably eclectic output over the last decade - operating with equal comfort between Japan’s house and hip hop scenes. They are also an in demand remix duo, having remixed DJ Shadow and popular Japanese artists D.C.P.R.G and Tokona X.
Opener ‘Axiomatie’ drives with a mixture of dirty bass, heavy percussion and oriental string samples, while both ‘To the Brain’ and ‘I-Ight’ are summery house anthems, heavy on sampled vocals and funk percussion. The fun continues with the guitar led ‘Straight Ahead’, and ‘Bring it’ drives with afro-beat percussion and airy prodded synth, after the vocal led signature interlude ‘Force of Nature No.1’.
‘Traderoute’ hangs from ethereal sampled flute, while ‘Undefeated’ is a futuristic electro-house journey, with heavily melodic synth climbs and sweeping pads surrounding a driving bass line. The epic ‘Supernova’ and ‘Blackmoon’ move proceedings into cosmic house territory, and the racing ‘Sequencer’ is an electro gem, heavy on stuttering synth and ambient pad moans.
‘Transmute’ continues the grandiose theme with scaling keys and percussion with a slight hip hop edge, ‘Kontinents’ follows suit with more soaring pads and effervescent melodic sequences, and closer ‘Mens Elegies’ suitably closes the album proper with a lounge comedown, pacified by double bass and soothing electric guitar meanderings.
A wonderful mixture of styles and sounds categorise this defining album, with Force of Nature’s progressive electro house putting Japan on the map and beyond.
Mule Musiq, June 6th, 2008
Tracklisting
01. axiomatie
02. to the brain
03. i-ight
04. straight ahead
05. force of nature no.1
06. bring it
07. traderoute
08. undefeated
09. supernova
11. blackmoon
12. sequencer
13. transmute
14. kontinents
15. mens elegies
16. active force (Bonus track)
17. liberate (Bonus track)
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