Some recent albums: Vinyl vs. CD

[Cakes]

So I picked up a few albums over the past few weeks on vinyl:

Alaska & Paradox - Isolationist LP - Paradox Music
Lynx & Kemo - The Raw Truth - Soul:R
Calibre - Shelflife 2 - Signature

IMO all three are a must buy. The real question here is which format. I'm not a Serato user quite yet but I've got to recommend the CD versions for the Lynx & Kemo and Calibre albums. I grabbed the CD versions off "THE WEB" over the weekend and I finally got around to sampling the proper album approach.

The Alaska & Paradox LP is absolutely wicked but the only major bonus you get on the CD is Abyssim (a 9 minute epic of midtempo soundscape business which you can probably enjoy on youtube). The vinyl version is pressed on transparent plates which gives you automatic street cred that the CD won't. So I give the vinyl version a +1 in this case. Content wise this is one of Dev's better albums. I was expecting more of a hybrid blend of the Alaska and Paradox guises but then end result comes out a bit divided. The quality of still there though and his deeper stuff continues to floor me.

Lynx & Kemo really knock it out of the park with Raw Truth. The vinyl version just seems like a collection of "tracks" when you pull it out plate by plate and give it a whirl. The CD is fucking brilliant though. It really comes across as an album effort with great flow and transitions and a nice varied approach to tempos and styles. This is truly the shit that should be getting signed by majors instead of Chase and Status and Pendulum. Hopefully Lynx and Kemo get the exposure they deserve in the future.

Shelflife 2 gets the CD recommendation for one simple fact: CALIBRE MAKES TOO MUCH GREAT MUSIC AND COULDN'T FIT IT ALL ONLY 4 PLATES OF WAX. Almost everything on the LP was excellent and had me excited when I got it from Redeye and agve it a listen. Then I got around to the *ahem* "rip" of the 2xCD and I shed a tear every time I heard something that got left off the vinyl. By the time I was done I had to change my shirt. Calibre gets real deep across the tempo band on the CD while everything on the vinyl is at d&b tempo. So +1 for the CD here.

[THE BLACKEST]

Calibre does it every time man. Once I have the $$ for it I'm def going to pick up Shelflife 2 and Isolationist LP. Recently I copped the Ed Rush n Optical LP. Its not the Creeps and definitely isn't Wormhole, but destroys Dr. Shade. They are indeed back. Anyways, thanks for your reviews Cakes!

[J_Dastardly]

I definitely agree with you on the CD version of "The Raw Truth". My god that album is on point. I only picked up the CD version, but I can certainly imagine how on vinyl it wouldn't flow as well.

[subfugitive]

Nice to see someone tap out some thoughtful words regarding a myriad of d&b hot points (vinyl vs. CD, mainstream vs. underground, etc.) all in one compact post.

Thanks Cakes!


BTW, I agree with you on The Raw Truth -- phenomenal album.

[ladymaroo]

nice reminder... i've been meaning to grab that lynx & kemo album for a minute.

[Dustin]

Buy Calibre's new album.

[sstarch1]

Buy them all, twice.

[indidjinous]

thanks for the thorough review Cakes, I'll give them all a listen for sure....

[Cakes]

I just now remembered to check this thread. Glad to see some of you could make use of my spiel.

I also checked out the Survival album on Exit. If you like his stuff it's worth grabbing but I haven't been a huge Survival fan ever. For me it was 2-3 good tunes, not great, surrounded by mostly filler. The best of the tunes Walk On by is available as a 12". Survival and Spectrasoul are two artists who D-Bridge has gotten firmly behind who I just "don't get". They've made some really good tunes here and there but for the most part what they do never hits my sweet spot (LOINS).

[subfugitive]

I just now remembered to check this thread. Glad to see some of you could make use of my spiel.

I also checked out the Survival album on Exit. If you like his stuff it's worth grabbing but I haven't been a huge Survival fan ever. For me it was 2-3 good tunes, not great, surrounded by mostly filler. The best of the tunes Walk On by is available as a 12". Survival and Spectrasoul are two artists who D-Bridge has gotten firmly behind who I just "don't get". They've made some really good tunes here and there but for the most part what they do never hits my sweet spot (LOINS).

'Hehe. You said loins. Hehe.'

I'll agree, a lot of Survival's stuff is very 'meh,' although he's also put out several absolutely killer tracks.

But I really like most of what SpectraSoul drops. That duo's the new M.I.S.T. IMHO.

[MINDPHUQ]

I was going to buy Martyn's LP on vinyl, but decided to go with the CD because there was a HUGE price difference between the two, and the CD has 14 songs while the vinyl only has 7. Sure, you get a cool poster with the vinyl, but you can't play a poster.

[J_Dastardly]

thanks for the thorough review Cakes, I'll give them all a listen for sure....

Hey Mike, I think I gave you a copy of "The Raw Truth". I know I meant to because I think you'd dig the quasi-organic sound.

[Ray_Casil]

Calibre does it every time man.

AGREED!!! He's my fav DNB producer! Tried to get him down here (he's in Atlanta July 4th). Didn't pan out :( Still working on it.

[| Bass Drop |]

Lynx & Kemo - The Raw Truth - Soul:R

:star: