Mixed Emotional Features

Amazon.com
Anyone who caught Mocean Worker's previous release, Home Movies from the Brainforest, will no doubt be more than willing to take part in this action-packed sonic adventure teeming with impenetrable rhythms, mesmerizing loops, and out-of-the-blue musical scene changes. Adam Dorn does more than build some of the grooviest drum & bass into a blatantly jazz-era soundscape; the New York based artist pushes analog and digital-powered synths into the mix, along with some highly effective and masterfully understated samples. Midway into "Detonator," the second track on this his debut release on the Palm Pictures label, Dorn decides to throw a hyperspeed big-band section into a groove dominated by a controlling monotone. Equally unexpected, but from the other end of the spectrum, is a plaintive line that effectively halts the progress of a highly percussive and strings-laden song. The delightfully resonant "Boba Fett" closes out this much-anticipated work. --Paul Clark

Spin
What makes Mixed Emotional Features so dazzling is that somewhere along the way, [Adam] Dorn's ears opened up as wide to jungle as they had to jazz.

Mixed Emotional Features

Tracks:

Rene M
Detonator
Jello Dart
Counts, Dukes & Strays
Mycroft
Heaven @ 12:07
Wonderland
Motion Booty
Times of Danger
Boba Fett

Amazon.com

Anyone who caught Mocean Worker's previous release, Home Movies from the Brainforest, will no doubt be more than willing to take part in this action-packed sonic adventure teeming with impenetrable rhythms, mesmerizing loops, and out-of-the-blue musical scene changes. Adam Dorn does more than build some of the grooviest drum & bass into a blatantly jazz-era soundscape; the New York based artist pushes analog and digital-powered synths into the mix, along with some highly effective and masterfully understated samples. Midway into "Detonator," the second track on this his debut release on the Palm Pictures label, Dorn decides to throw a hyperspeed big-band section into a groove dominated by a controlling monotone. Equally unexpected, but from the other end of the spectrum, is a plaintive line that effectively halts the progress of a highly percussive and strings-laden song. The delightfully resonant "Boba Fett" closes out this much-anticipated work. --Paul Clark

Customer Reviews:

One of the very few drum and bass CDs I like........2000-05-20

I generally don't like drum and bass. In fact this is one of the few CD's of the few dozen or so I `ve tried that I like. MW generally doesn't program his drums too fast or dark, and unlike what I've heard (as a d'n'b newbie) the beats blend into the tracks well. It doesn't sound like programmed beats with melodies or instruments added afterwards. What I find especially compelling is his use of jazz, blues, piano, and old samples as the basis to his music. It contrasts well without fighting the percussion. Considering that, it gets a 4 star recommendation.

It starts well with the dark, melancholy "Rene M," and then goes to "Detonator," the cut he made a music video for. "Detonator" starts off as typical d'n'b (distorted drums and snaky baseline,), then kicks into this 60's chase scene horn-frenzy about two minutes in to cool effect. Track 3 "Jello Dart" is pretty good,. "Counts, Dukes & Strays" follows and is excellent, using concise, sparse jazz samples to a laid back hipster beat. "Mycroft," track 5, is the first track I don't like- that squiggly, deep baseline sound of d'n'b is grating, and this has it. "Heaven" is blues to a beat that made Beastie Boys' Check Your Head come to mind. "Motion Booty" despite its title is really a companion piece to "Rene M," and "Times of Danger" brings back the same car chase vibe s "Detonator." The last track is pretty bad, but at least this is the place to put it.

There you have it, 8 of 10 are good, it's got 4-5 strong hits, and it's one of the drum and bass CDs I like enough to keep. One last note, the packaging is first rate and classy; it's nice to see an artist who takes pride in these little details.

could this be my new theme music.. ?.......1999-11-19

For months now, I've regarded Adam F's "Colours" as the best blend of D&B, Jungle, R&B, Jazz, and Trance. Finally, there's another contender. Buy this disc - and if you've never heard Adam F, get that too. Mocean Worker ranks even (and sometimes over) anything by Metalheadz. I'm a fan.. and can't wait to see what comes next from this brilliant artist.

Yeah, its good.......1999-08-11

Its a little over the top in parts for me, but there's no denying that Dorn knows what he's about. It is not as experimental as the likes of Autechre, Richard James/Aphex, and it isn't as slyly funky as Amon Tobin's stuff or the recent Funki Porcini, but Dorn gets quite a psychedelic groove going. Dorn also is pretty imaginative in his rythmic use and placement of samples. He hasn't quite ascended Mt. Olympus yet, but he's getting real close. Recommended.

Brilliant.......1999-04-13

I'm not sure how many people are actualy going to see this review, but for the few of you that do purchase this album.

in a word...dreamy.......1999-03-19

Talk about inspired (or inspiring). This man is definitely in touch with the stuff dreams are made of, and continues to improve on his masterful skills following his first release "Home Movies from the Brainforest." This latest stuff will take you out of your hum-drum here and now, to a bass-and-drum realm of deeeelicious grooves. My sincerest thanks go out to Mocean Worker for a very moving new work of art.

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