RUOK?

From URB Magazine
After one of his more negligible dance tracks became the ass-kicking, bullet-dodging anthem of The Matrix, just what the hell was Jack Dangers supposed to do? Refashion his own myth, apparently. On his seventh Meat Beat Manifesto album, R.U.O.K? , Dangers dumps the cramped, sample-heavy confines of his last three albums, including his commercial-friendly 1998 Actual Sounds + Voices, for a visceral feel as immediate and confrontational as his first gritty post-industrial recordings some 13 years ago.

Which is not to say the samples are gone so much as they’re pushed around, bullied into second-class status by Dangers’ renewed awareness of sonic depth. The Meat Beat Manifesto classics "God O.D." and "10X Faster Than the Speed of Love" were built around basic dub principles like a murderously deep bass line that rolls like a slammed Cadillac and lots of airy space peppered with percussion sounds, and it’s these elements that define every track on R.U.O.K? The most eerily cool thing about "Spinning Round" isn’t the quiet whirling talisman sound Dangers has used before, but the intangible silence between the bass and a very lonely tambourine. Even "What Does It All Mean," featuring copious amounts of turntablist du jour Z-Trip’s freestyle scratching, takes on an earthier live hip-hop immediacy thanks to Dangers’ restrained use of synths and layered breakbeats. And there’s Dangers’ collaboration with The Orb’s Alex Paterson, "Horn of Jerico," a hypnotic funk excursion track every bit as psychedelic as anything either of them have released separately. Aside from "Spinning Round," little on R.U.O.K? possesses commercial cache, but what is that against a career-defining turn?

Heath K. Hignight

Product Description
Visionary, Forefather, Innovator...these are terms that get thrown around all to loosely in the world of electronic music, but for certain individuals, these descriptions apply without question. Jack Dangers, the veteran composer and sound sculptor behind Meat Beat Manifesto, is one of these individuals. His constantly evolving musical invention has generated a long string of futuristic classics, such as "Strap Down", "God O.D.", "Helter Skelter","Psyche Out", "Radio Babylon", "Edge of No Control" and "It's the Music". Past Dangers' production/remix projects include: Public Enemy, David Bowie, Orbital, DepÍche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Coil, David Byrne, Bush, Banco de Gaia, and The Shaman. Adding to this list of heavy hitting achievements, the single, "Prime Audio Soup" from the MBM album Actual Sounds and Voices, was featured in the sci-fi fantasy blockbuster, The Matrix and on its platinum-selling soundtrack. Danger's innovative uses of samples and breakbeats have inspired countless artists (both in the dance and hip-hop worlds), putting him in a category with other visionary artists of the late 80's/early 90's such as Coldcut, The Dust Brothers, and The Bomb Squad. R.U.O.K? , MBM's seventh album and first in 4 years, represents a healthy growth in the innovative Meat Beat sound, and includes colloborations with turntablist of the moment, Z-Trip, and ambient legend Alex Paterson of The Orb.

RUOK?

Tracks:

Yuri
Spinning Round
Horn Of Jericho
What Does It All Mean?
No Words Necessary
Intermission
Supersoul
Hankerchief Head
No Echo In Space
Dynamite Fresh
Retrograde
Happiness Supreme

Album Description

Visionary, Forefather, Innovator...these are terms that get thrown around all to loosely in the world of electronic music, but for certain individuals, these descriptions apply without question. Jack Dangers, the veteran composer and sound sculptor behind Meat Beat Manifesto, is one of these individuals. His constantly evolving musical invention has generated a long string of futuristic classics, such as "Strap Down", "God O.D.", "Helter Skelter","Psyche Out", "Radio Babylon", "Edge of No Control" and "It's the Music". Past Dangers' production/remix projects include: Public Enemy, David Bowie, Orbital, DepÍche Mode, Nine Inch Nails, Coil, David Byrne, Bush, Banco de Gaia, and The Shaman. Adding to this list of heavy hitting achievements, the single, "Prime Audio Soup" from the MBM album Actual Sounds and Voices, was featured in the sci-fi fantasy blockbuster, The Matrix and on its platinum-selling soundtrack. Danger's innovative uses of samples and breakbeats have inspired countless artists (both in the dance and hip-hop worlds), putting him in a category with other visionary artists of the late 80's/early 90's such as Coldcut, The Dust Brothers, and The Bomb Squad. R.U.O.K? , MBM's seventh album and first in 4 years, represents a healthy growth in the innovative Meat Beat sound, and includes colloborations with turntablist of the moment, Z-Trip, and ambient legend Alex Paterson of The Orb.

Album Description

2002 album from electronic careerist Jack Dangers, features contributions from Alex Paterson of The Orb and turntablist/mentalist Z-Trip. With frequent funk samples and snippets of obscure '50s traditional vocals all over it, RUOK? still has much in common with his series of populist breaks records. Includes bonus enhanced mini CD with 3 extra songs 'Fromage', 'Untitled x 2', 'Radio Atlantis' and video 'Free Piece Suite'. Digipak. Run records.

Customer Reviews:

Creative, but difficult.......2006-01-02

I also have to cut a star because the last track consists mostly of two people swearing profusely at each other, which I found rather offensive. In any case, we'll just leave the last track alone and focus on the rest of the album.
This is one of those albums where I'll say it very bluntly: it's repetitive.
Now, understand that I say this as a techno fan, so you can imagine that this is of the more repetitive variety of generally repetitive music. The songs here aren't so much songs as they are loop progressions, sort of musical spirals. (Except for "Intermission," which is just very odd. An apparently aged recording of a very tired and philosophical radio announcer, backed up by a warped jazz organ.) I tend to think that MBM is more about enjoyment than making a serious statement, and this album definitely shows it. Tracks range from the minimalistic "Yuri" to the dark and trippy "No Words Necessary," with plenty in between. This is MBM more jazzy than I've ever heard them (or him; it's Jack Dangers and a few helpers, really.) Some time ago I heard an interview with Dangers talking about the style he's doing now, and he commented that his dad is into jazz quite a bit and has influenced his musical style in that direction. That in mind, RUOK? fits in the scheme of things. The result of all this is a rather esoteric album, and one that no one will really hear by skipping around from track to track. If you really want to enjoy it (and in spite of my negativity, I will say that I enjoy all but the last track,) sit down in a quiet room and listen to the whole thing. Gradual progression is about the whole track or the whole album, and loopy music like this loses its appeal if you look for the "good part."

All Grown Up.......2005-05-22

We were all kids once, and so was Jack Dangers. To me this album proves that he is now all grown up. No longer flinging alarmist left-wing rhetoric and prophecy, Dangers is now entering into a larger world of abstract electronics and exploration-- a world that he and his bandmates seem to gravitate to naturally. Although some of the songs seem to shift perpetually, this sounds very natural to the ear, and leads me to admire MBM even more for their efforts. Other songs drive along nicely, such as "Handkerchief Head"-- if this song doesn't make your boot-toes tap, I don't know what will. A definite must for fans of Meat Beat!

I'll see your Actual Sounds + Voices and raise you RUOK.......2004-11-02

"RUOK" is a brilliant piece of genre-mixing from one of electronic music's most deservedly renowned figures. Jack Dangers's spacey, freeform explorations provide a welcome more organic counterpart to the more intellectual stylings of such British peers as Aphex Twin and Autechre. Taking electronica as a starting point, the compositions on RUOK veer off into other styling with abandon, seemlessly incorporating jazzy drumbeats, funky bass lines, and irresistible hip-hop rhythms. It's all wrapped tightly together in a collection of quirky, intricate tracks whose nuances should have your brain working overtime for the album's whole hour-long running time. Techno, hip-hip, industrial, call it what you want: RUOK is one of the most intelligent and forward-looking releases you're likely to hear, and a must for the adventurous listener.

New Directions for MBM.......2004-10-22

This record seems to mark a turning point for Jack Dangers and his project Meat Beat Manifesto. Its everything Jack can do, but nothing like meat beat has done before. You cant compare this album to actual sounds and voices, or subliminal sandwhich. RUOK? Is more of an acoustic session inside the tapelab, with jack having fun with his gizmos gadets and of course, synthi.
At first listen you'll swear its not MEat BEat. The danceability to RUOK? is hihgly minimal. Its a great cd for driving however. "What does it all mean?" is sure to please every electro-hip hop seeker, and the other songs simply show Jack's studio wizadry.
Like someone mentioned before, the production is IMPECCABLE. This isn't just an audio cd, mbm release, but more of a package of music that is intended to be a productive listening experience in the way is was created.
If your a long time MBM fan, be prepared to play twice before listening, literally. That's certainly not an understatement though, as every listen gets better and better.

Brilliant!.......2004-10-04

Jack Dangers has never been one to rest steadily on his laurels, and his latest output R.U.O.K.? is testament to that. Dangers struck a winning combo with 1996's Subliminal Sandwich and somewhat repeated the process with 1998's Actual Sounds and Voices but it was time to move on. Enlisting the talents of turntablist Z-Trip and ambient trailblazer Alex Patterson (The Orb) was only the beginning. Maestro Dangers had an ace up his sleeve and that `ace' was the 1970's EMS Synthi 100. With this arcane unit in the hands of the seasoned Jack Dangers we now have Meat Beat Manifesto's furthermost musical moment since 1996. The political vocals were first up for nixing and then the dense layering was next. R.U.O.K.? is a new direction for Meat Beat Manifesto that will not disappoint long-time listeners though it may perplex emulators. Dangers' compositions are a musical alchemy that leads the listener through a sonic vortex of pulsing synths, obscure samples, tribal rhythms and contagious backbeats. MBM's R.U.O.K.? has successfully raised the bar of musical mediocrity.

-Christopher Curry

Average customer rating:

seriously goood mix of dub
simply the best
mbm at its best
So Dub Or What?
For Dub Heads

RUOK in Dub
Meat Beat Manifesto
Manufacturer: Run
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance Pop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Rock | Styles | Music

Pop Rock | Pop | Styles | Music

At the Center
Variaciones Espectrales
Ruok
Loudness Clarifies/Electronic Music from Tapelab
Hello Friends!

ASIN: B0000BWVD3
Release Date: 2004-01-27

Tracks:

Introduction Dub
Echo In Space Dub
Spinning Round Dub
Fromage Dub
Intermission Dub
Super Soul Dub
Caramel Dub
Happiness Supreme Dub
Retrograde Dub
Timebomb Dub
Radiation Dub
Retrograde Pt. 2 Dub We R 1

Customer Reviews:

seriously goood mix of dub.......2007-02-21

this album is very inspiring. it lays down tricky dub tracks that have a psychedelic twist to them.
this is my favorite meat beat album thus far.
if you're looking for a great after work groove, i highly recommend this album.

simply the best.......2005-11-08

I love this dvd, mostly because it mixes jacks wonderful music with a kind of etheral visual experience. It goes perfectly to
the music, provoking many new ideas for the viewer. I think if
you are into MBM and jacks own stuff, you'll understand this is necessary!

mbm at its best.......2005-07-02

Like someone already said, I don't understand the "pure dub" (whatever that means) compliance requirements for an mbm album. This is sort of like complaining that Throbbing Gristle's "20 funk jazz greats" album is not jazzy or funky enough.
For some dub stuff i recommend Bill Laswell - he has 5-6 new albums every year and they all are guaranteed to sound the same.

This is one of my favorite MBM albums - along with subliminal sandwich. It took me a while to get into it though - I got it around christmas time and I didn't really play it that much until maybe a couple of months ago. Nowadays I spin thru it 3-4 times a week. It is bass- and rhythm-heavy (I guess that doesn;t necessarily say much since all mbm is)...it has the samples of Ukranian engineers talking about montages of sound objects (this actually carried over from r u ok), it has a jamaican-sounding dude similar to that on subliminal sandwich.

Anyway, it is a great album and I do recommend it to those who already own RUOK. It is the whole different deal.

So Dub Or What?.......2005-05-22

This album has gotten a lot of criticism for not abiding by the "rules" of dub. Well folks, if you want "real" dub, check out Twilight Dub Circus. For me, this album works. It makes me feel happy-- it amuses me-- from the rhythmic vocal parts to the dub / electronic hybrid beats. Some pieces, certainly, are not as strong as others-- to me, "Supersoul Dub" seems a little single-minded, for example-- but others stand out nicely, such as both parts of "Retrograde Dub", a driving, rocking piece that rounds out the album nicely.

For Dub Heads.......2004-07-15

As a dub purist, I feel I should warn all dub-heads about this
CD. The front & back covers are very seductive for dub-heads, but be warned: there is no clue on the outside that this CD is
LOADED with vocals; and if you're a dub-purist, you probably
prefer your dub clean of vocals. Once you open the CD, 5 of 12 songs are actually labeled as having vocals, so you breathe a sigh of relief and program for the other 7 songs...only to find, to your dub-purist revulsion: even THOSE songs have too many vocals. So, while the music itself is quite good, Dub-Heads should be warned that this CD has WAY WAY WAY too many vocals to truly be considered a "dub" CD.

Average customer rating:

RUOK?
Meat Beat Manifesto
Manufacturer: Quartermass
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

General | Alternative Rock | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Big Beat | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

House | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Dance & DJ | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B00006YXIO
Release Date: 2002-10-17

Tracks:

Y
Spinning Round
Horn of Jerico - Meat Beat Manifesto, Dr. Alex Paterson
What Does It All Mean? - Meat Beat Manifesto, Z-Trip,
No Words Necessary - Meat Beat Manifesto, Z-Trip,
Intermission
Supersoul
Hankerchief Head - Meat Beat Manifesto, Z-Trip,
No Echo in Space
Dynamite Fresh
Retrograde
Happiness Supreme

Tracks:

Fromage
Radio Atlantis

Battersea Shield [Limited Edition GOLD TIN set]

Average customer rating:

Battersea Shield [Limited Edition GOLD TIN set]
Meat Beat Manifesto
Manufacturer: Malicious Damage
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Electronica | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music
ASIN: B000Q7X6KS

Product Description

Meat Beat Manifesto vs. The Orb - Battersea Shield. 3 track CD/EP. LIMITED EDITION GOLD VERSION!!! Presented in an embossed round GOLD tin based on the celtic design of the original Battersea shield, and also includes two badges and a receipt stamped by Dr Alex Paterson himself. Tracks 1 & 2: Recorded live in Mill Valley, Summer of 2001 at Tape Lab Studios, California. Track 1, Matron is the same as "Horn of Jericho" featured on Meat Beat Manifesto - RUOK?. Track 3: Recorded and mixed in Concrete Hull 2004.

Album Review:

Album Review

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