Album Notes

ra "raoul loves you"
norman records
reviewed by: fats

something utterly fantastic now.... ra. heard of him?? nope... neither had i but then we got a promo sent to us last week and since then i've been enjoying a rather sly love affair with this album, called 'raoul loves you'. it's on *coredump* records (previous releases were that superb *vendor refill *12" and a *proem* CD... forthcoming *venetian snares* 12"!!) and it's a funny old beast. fundamentally it's a hip hop/ electronica hybrid taking elements of *prefuse 73*, *machine Drum, david holmes, boards of canada* and even *capitol k* on the odd track. it's so good though.... and bizarrely the album gets better as it progresses. the more i hear it the more genius i think it is. this is one of the best things you'll hear in some time and it doesn't take many listens to realize this.... the only problem is i don't want to turn it off to review anything else. i better had though....

ra "raoul loves you"
grideface
reviewed by:jacob arnold
11.12.04

i've been checking out ra's icons and illustrations for a few years now, but iwas surprised to discover his new album on coredump records. raoul loves you was published this september between releases from well-known artists proem and venetian snares. though he may not be as well-known (yet), ra's tracks are top-quality, with rough beats and scratches, melodic samples, and glitchy computer manipulation.

the intro sets the tone with bursts of noise and a hip-hop-inspired groove reminiscent of prefuse 73. "ev.panic" provides even more drama with female vocal snippets stuttering in and out over funky synths and filthy percussion. on "love to fall apparts," [sic] slowed-down male vocals drift over a soulful bassline. beats kick in as the voices get even more distorted and out-of-tune. this gets a bit grating towards the end-i think it would have worked better as a shorter piece. "you'll be @#!" is nicer, with lo-fi jazz samples and timpani forming a simple, repetitive break. menacing synth pulses take over around the two-minute mark. next up is "bad birds," which combines crow caws and organ over downtempo beats. it's an oddly moving mix, but it should probably be a couple of minutes shorter. "fudge brownie brain" is a great combination of familiar beats, enthusiastic scratching, and melodic electronics. likewise, "petit gilet" is a lush study in chopped-up movie samples over a bass-heavy break.
ra's music reflects his visual aesthetic-gritty urbanscapes with the occasional uplifting moment. this album should make for good winter listening.

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