Amon Tobin

I was ambivalent towards this album when I first gave it the once over. To my ear it seemed sonically dispersed, sort of 'all over the place' and 'busy.' But I never, ever dismiss an album after one spin, unless it's glaringly obvious garbage- and on the second, third and so forth runs, the album as a WHOLE began to make sense. One minute it's playing in the background, as some album always is, and the next I was just flooded and floored with a DAMN-that's-good-!@#$ sort of epiphany. The exotic time signatures pounded by wall 'o sound percussion, the deliberate, ominously simple bass, the myriad of bizarre textures soaring over that juicy slaughter of rhythms... Wow. Everything on this album just works even where it sounded disjointed to the virgin ear.
As a hobbyist musician, I'd kill to get a glimpse into the making of this disc. Just to watch those gears turn as Tobin's ideas were crunched through the machines. There is real brilliance here, and MORE than your typical attention to detail.
My favorite tracks have to be Get Your Snack On, and Rhino Jockey. Both are prime examples of seriously unforgiving bad-assery. The kind of stuff you blare when you're hungover and getting ready for another shift in the Night Business.
I referenced Fatboy Slim only due to the slightest 'big beat' comparisons. And yeah, I like FS, too, but this is clearly on a whole new plateau.
Final thought: You should look into the rest of Tobin's catalog, too. Supermodified is markedly darker and 'bigger' than much of his other work, which has more pronounced jazz references. Those albums are amazing, too.

Laterally, 'Supermodified' is a mood piece, sound-scapes etc, but as a concept, I'm afraid it's off the rails. It doesn't draw the line, it's in over it's head - I get a disturbing feeling that it's something to be scared of.
The road Amon Tobin is walking, isn't gonna lead anywhere good.
'Supermodified' is extremely corrupt. Full of decadent ideas and whims all crammed up against each other like lemmings. It conjures up areas of mystery and sultry dynamics, readily striking maddening chords in reviewers, like yours truly, who vociferously decry 'rock' in all it's insidious forms, but hypocritically embrace it's very fundamentals at every opportunity.
'Supermodified' has as it's granddaddy, 23 Skidoo's epic 'Seven Songs' from way-back. It has the same granite intensity, the same uncompromising fluidity.
I know nothing about Amon Tobin, I'm non-plussed about his hap-hazard title, and I'm immediately suspicious of anything 'Featuring Quadraceptor' (what IS that!?) but you get the feeling he shouldn't be confined, plonking away in dank, dungeon-esque studio's. He should be out in the sunshine, floating over field and dale, invoking mind-imagery in a classical music sense. Film work surely beckons.
'Supermodified' is the angular, spiky world of 'electronic brush-strokes' to cosh a cliché, but it's surprisingly diverse, deceptively melodic and, after a good few spins, genuinely haunting.
Deconstructivist jollity aside, I was riveted by 'Supermodified' and I wouldn't mind more. I just wish I could be sure it was safe.

Hat Trick! Amon Tobin released 3 equally brilliant but very different albums (Bricolage, Permutation, Supermodified), each a masterpiece in their own ways. This may be the best place to start for Tobin, but it kind of depends what could hook you first (then, obviously, you acquire a taste for Tobin's music and can build up with the others, or something like that). If jazz is your thing, Permutation. Like darkness? This. If you like the sounds of drum and bass, Bricolage is your best bet. If you like the soundtrack to Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, the soundtrack to that. (I really don't recommend Adventures in Foam or The Foley Room first). Of course, that's only a suggestion.

Amon Tobin modified his sound beyond belief with this album. The Drum and Bass has been deftly toned down. It's packed with even more change. There are less obviously notable loops. And he further takes the ____load of textures the guy uses and melds them. I like the way he plays with the sultry textures of Chocolate Lovely, pairing it up after different sounds, creating patterns. It's fun to listen to, and it helps get old. While Tobin's loops will irritate most people who don't want to see why it's loops are there (especially with Keepin It' Steel, which is fascinating), figure it out. Don't limit your imagination with this.

Once all digested, you get a brilliant album. You can let your mind wander (or have method to your madness) with no relief and even break into a groove. And Supermodified will take you across many areas. The Sultry Chocolate Lovely with it's chill-out vibe that's organic and puts Thievery Corporation to shame. Songs that can creep you out a bit like Golfer Vs. Boxer and Saboteur (the latter sounds like an ancient tomb). Groove to the MONSTER breakbeats of Four Ton Mantis. Listen to factory music in Rhino Jockey. Take a mile drive on the freeway to Get Your Snack On. And don't forget to relax in Natureland and Deo. The moods this guy creates, electronic music has soul, case closed. These are reasons why Tobin is my favorite electronic artist, ever. Mary Anne Hobbs is right. There is no artist out there who has achieved sonically what he is doing. Not just sonically though. I say cut sonically out. There is no artist out there who has achieved what he is doing.

I realize I may be a bit biased, and this review sounds like hyperbole, but Amon Tobin really owns my head. This guy, in my opinion, makes than 99 percent of electronic artists look lazy.

10/10

I must be honest. Before I had heard this album I had heard very little electronica music. So initially I didn't have much to compare it to in its own genre. Yet I am obliged now to at least give it a great review because it was basically responsible for me getting into the wonderfully distinct music of electronica.

I have listened (ever since this album) to other great electronica works by bands like the Cinematic Orchestra, Boards of Canada, and others and yet this one still impresses me like none other. It's quite complex if you listen to it closely yet upon repeated hearings of it I was showed that everything, no matter how complex, fit exactly in its place, making the overall sound easy to get into and hard to get out of.

I would recommend it to anyone who hasn't heard much electronica and would like to experience for themselves what all the fuss is about. I would also recommend it to any person looking for music with a professional but still widely accessible sound to it.

It will jump from your speakers & demand attention! You've been warned...

This is such an interesting album. I listen to it to try to catch all the little details Tobin has put in his music. I am addicted already. Enjoy!

I have all the Amon Tobin releases, and I have to say that this one is my favorite. At times it is raucous and hard (big furry head), at times it is beautiful and soft (at the end of the day), at times it is dark and haunting (bloodstone), and at times it makes you wonder how in the world the sounds are being generated... it is a great trip. I think some listeners might be a little caught up in the project concept, or are just unable to deal with a slightly different sound. Maybe others just don't like any of the softer stuff... probably the same ones that don't like Amon's jazzier tunes as well. It is a shame for them, cause they are missing out. Try to appreciate an artist taking risks and keeping his sound fresh, rather than lamenting that each recording doesn't sound the same. It would be easy for Amon to pump out the same sound every CD... but that wouldn't be very entertaining.

This is a great 5 star CD.

The Foley Room is his first attempt at the realm of found sounds, and that's his only basis (His other one: Chaos Theory, really doesn't fall into the same way of sampling like this one). It's intriguing for what this guy does, but I feel that he has a bit of a way to go before he can make a found sound recording and it be as intriguing as his first four albums.

What do I mean? I mean that this album isn't as engaging or as good as his other stuff. However, he is fairly new at this kind of stuff. But if you look at how much he evolved during his work prior to the found sounds (around Chaos Theory), it's very exciting. Who knows what this guy will do in the future now that he has embraced a microphone and can record anything and do anything with that sample. It's going to bloom sometime, and I can't wait to see what he does with that in the future. He might even move away from electronic altogether. He might even make a good hip hop album (the next Paul's Boutique? Be awesome, but

If anything, this might get points because it's cool to watch an evolution, and just to ponder "how did he get THAT sound?!". Well, for some, because for me it's a waste of time. While it's a step down, naturally (see above), it's still a cool listen.

1.Bloodstone-The beginning with the Kronos Quartet is eerie, and reminds me of a vampire's lair, or a church, or something really cool. Awesome, but I think Tobin would have been better if he eased on the beats in the second half.
2.Esther's-Sometimes a cool listen, sometimes not. But his use of wings and motorcycles on this one is thrilling. Surf's up...in hades!
3.Keep Your Distance-Killer track, creepy with an infectious beat.
4.The Killer's Vanilla-Interesting track, but nothing to special. Gets a lot better in the second part.
5.Kitchen Sink-This song is killer. Best use of his sounds.
6.Horsefish-Another killer track! Focused, interesting, moody. The best one on here.
7.Foley Room-Mediocre. The beat is pretty dark, but it's not much of a thrill.
8.Big Furry Head-Meh.
9.Ever Falling-I like the falling vibe to it. It's still above average
9.Always-Excellent beat. Texture isn't as good, but who cares?
10.Straight Psyche-Lot's of cool twists in this one. Still, not killer.
11.At The End of The Day-Good closer. Not as good as Nova or Natureland, though. Like the bursts of light and darkness.

The album I got came with a DVD that highlights some of the making, and I think the cd is enhanced. While this is the only Tobin album that's I see in most stores, don't start with this one. Get his earlier albums first.

7.5/10

If Ninja Tune was entirely in its own music genre (and I'd like to claim that it is), then it would be hard for its roster to compete with its staple artist, Brazilian born Amon Adonai Santos de Aravjo Tobin, who for over a decade has graced our ears with abstract downtempo trip hop and experimental jazzy breaks. Such is the case with Foley Room, an organic and at times dark album, that swirls and loops through filtered sweeps and broken beats. For his sixth release, Tobin abandoned his perfected technique of sampling from dug up vinyl, and built an ambitious collage of field and studio recordings with the help of The Kronos Quartet, Stefan Schneider (To Rococo Rot) and harpist Sarah Pagé. The elaborately cut up bits and pieces of familiar every day sounds form into an organized chaos of dissonant elastic melodies powdered with bouncy rhythms and dropped into a chamber, which the sound effect designers call "the foley room".

I've been a die hard Amon Tobin fan for many years. Also, being into music production for about 6 years, means that I have a LOT of respect for the man and what he does with sounds.

This album is probably in my opinion the least musical of all his albums. It still has that dark and edgy Amon Tobin vibe that he is so famous for, but some of the tracks on the album just miss the point a bit, with too little musicality. Sure it's interesting out of an "experimental" perspective, the rhythmic work is complex and inspired etc., but some of the tracks have little direction and no real tune to them, which I personally find a bit bothersome and hard to listen to. Tracks like "Big Furry Head" and "Always" make the album more worthwhile though.

I think this album will mostly appeal to real muso's, that can fully appreciate the idea of the use of foley sounds, the recording of them, how he incorporated them into this album, the arrangements etc.

If you don't have all his other albums, I would rather recommend some of his earlier work like Supermodified, Bricolage etc.

This album establishes Amon Tobin as the master of electronic music. There are artists out there that offer a lot of stuff that's different from Amon Tobin, and I love it, but nobody has been able to impress me like Amon Tobin. He's, hands down, my favorite electronic artist. He adds more texture and richness than other crazy beat makers, and makes those crazy beats as crazy as they want to be (what!?). Eh, never mind. HE EFFIN OWNS ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Besides 311, he's the only artist that's really worth keeping an eye on. I can't wait to see what he makes up next, considering he's going into the found sound realm.

Anyway, Out From Out Where adds even more than Supermodified, even though I didn't find it quite as impressive. Judging from the Gundam on the cover, it seems to dabble in Science Fiction and, other things . Not cheesy Science Fiction like Star Trek, or happy like...let's go with The Jetsons. I'm thinking of things like the Alien series, ExtraTERRORestrial Alien Encounter (even though it's no longer at Disneyland), stuff like that. There isn't much light in this album. While some of his works had at least some kind of shading that represents light, like shadow (light+darkness=shadow), you won't find much of that. It's darker and less jazzy than a lot of his other things, in a nutshell. And very complex and dense as ______. Of course, being Amon Tobin, there are a lot of touches and a ______ load of sounds that would be a waste to talk about.

Describing the songs in perfect detail would a long time. There's too much to talk about. Believe the hype about this guy's music: there's nothing on the planet like it. Yes, maybe a hair less impressive than his earlier works (not because of the songs, because I don't feel it deserves a 10), still amazing though. Thanks for rendering the majority of electronic music useless to me, Tobin. Amon Tobin fans, add it to your collection now.

9.5/10

Nobody makes music quite like Amon Tobin, and he'd never made an album quite like this one. A brilliant record, each track a masterful collage of noise, samples, beats and blips and warped, twisted, tortured synthesizers. Gone are the days of jazzy drum n bass from Bricolage. Amon Tobin has flowered into a master of sound, creating a dense, layered work that draws in the listener. This record feels more complete than any previous Tobin work. It makes its excellent predecessors Supermodified and Permutation look like warm-up demos. It's also, against all odds and reason, his most accessible work (and it's certainly true that not everyone finds Tobin accessible). If you get only one Tobin record, get this one.

I love this CD. Some of the tracks are great for tribal/goth and alternative bellydance. Track 2 is great to dance to, has a hip hop sort of style. Tracks 9 and 10 are very trance like with a solid down tempo. Track 6 is another favorite. The whole thing is great, very danceable.

this is, by far, the best Amon Tobin i've heard. not many jazzy innotations but very ambient/soundscapey. my favorite track is Hey, Blondie. this song is worth the price of the disc alone. very good use of reverberations. but then again, i've yet to hear Supermodified...

i love amon but this album has one good song what happened mighty micro people is so sick i could give it 5 stars for that song but what the fck

Amazing is right (this may be the first time I use this adjective). It's hard to believe that amazing music like this comes from the electronic genre. Tobin makes music that conjures up images in the mind, can even make you groove, and emotions on the side. This music is so dense and made that it only deserves to be played on some of the best kinds of speakers. Those damn bass heavy headphones that badly wash out treble really can't do this stuff justice. Some music is just higher class. I still can get emotional effects after digesting the sounds, so once noticed through awesome soundsytems, you can easier pick it up in cheaper headphones. So the accusations of me as one who cares more about how it's coming out of the speakers than what's coming out are clear to shut up.

These are great soundscapes that will capture and emotionalize you. Those who are comparing this to DJ Shadow's Entroducing... are coming on to something. At least in some senses. Entroducing... is laid back, haunting, beautiful, and relaxingly mesmerizing. Permutation is edgy, rather tense, the antonym of relaxing. Entroducing... conjures up images of the soul, the brain, sunsets, peace, the sky, and rainy, peaceful, urban streets. Permutation conjures up High speed urban street racing (complete with crashes), Centipede colonies watching the escape of prisoners, reanimation of the dead, and chickens running around with their heads off. Let your imagination run wild with this one. Who needs books when music like this exists.

Permutation may be his best so far, as I have been able to hear his other albums through (_________ you amazon!). Bridge and Switch are dark as ______ and jazzy. These are as black as any downtown gangster area you can conjure. You got totally twisted songs like Reanimator (that I set to the works of a necromancer who dies, goes to hell, and sets the apocalypse) and Escape (Escape can really twist your mind if you got a sick imagination). Even some of the songs that I can't quite put my finger on still appeal, such as People Like Frank. Maybe knowing what the line means (I know it refers to Frank Booth from Blue Velvet) could help, but I can't help but focus on the creepy ambiance and weirdly jazzy bass line.

Fast Eddie and Sordid remind me of cars, with chases, cruises and races, complete with slowdowns, jumps, guns, mood setters, and more! Sultan Drops reminds me of the invading of an empire in an aladdin land. Heck, you could take everything in this album and create so many scenarios it's not funny (my take on Like Regular Chickens is quite fearful, dark and disturbing). Truly, this guy's music is a work of art. And he even can make you dance, actually a lot. I have trouble sitting still.

For those who will stubbornly insist electronic music is non-talented at all, this album will, sadly, not change your mind. But for those who know that electronic music will be more interesting and pure than all of the _______ that people gloat over (Nickelback? HA HA!), this album is for you. Don't wait any longer to check out the music of Amon Tobin.

10/10

This is easily the best introduction to Tobin's back catalogue. Some of his later releases are a better demonstration of the mastery of his production, but are nowhere near as accessible (read: a challenging listen).

What is exciting about Tobin is the effort and style with which he composes his beats. An article that came out at the time of this album's release made mention of the time taken in the construction of the drum patterns, noting that Tobin spent nearly ten times longer on the process than his peers. This attention to detail is evident in the lushness and complexity of the sound produced. Moreover, his inspired choice of samples brings an extra dimension to the tracks, investing them with emotion and interest that the drums (despite his best efforts) can't accomplish.

If you like this sort of stuff, you also have to check out his label-mates DJ Food and Mr Scruff. Not as complex musically, perhaps, but a hell of a lot of fun nonetheless.

A note on the previous review: Bebel Gilberto has sampled Amon Tobin's track on her album, and he is credited in the liner notes.

Amon at his best, absolutely stonkin, great mix of heavy bass warped jazz and electronic fusion, mixed with more jazzy downtemp numbers, huge track is sordid, big nasty bass. Love it (i own all his albums, and am awaiting the delivery of my foley room CD)

I got this CD upon reccomendation of a friend who is really into Tobin's work. He said this would be the best one to get as a first-time Tobin buyer.

I really love this album. The songs are both lyrical and mechanical in a way that you don't often hear. You can tell that it is DJ Jazz, but it has some emotion to it as well. I liked almost all of the songs, but my only complaint is that they do tend to drag on at times, especially when he gets into using fast drumming sequences. This is my favorite album of his.

This one is worlds better than Bricolage. This is a very nice blend of jazz and electronica. The first track is beautifully dark. I definitely recommend this CD.

On its own terms, a fine enough, creative but dated d&b disc introducing everyone to Tobin's particular jazzy fusions, but for almost all who have heard his sequential work, a shallow appetizer.

I love this guy, but I find his later work kind of fatiguing. His music is so brilliant and amazing that sometimes I have a bit of trouble taking it all the way through (laughs). I found his debut, Bricolage, fantastic. While it may not be as brilliant in other senses, this is the best form of the drum and bass sound. It doesn't have the mindless repitition of it, but still has those rhythms that I love about D and B. He does go to other beats as well to, but a lot of chaotic drums are intact that go like ________ peanut butter and jelly over everything else. On top of that, when you add Tobin's still great use of, uh, everything else he sticks on top of the rhythms, this is why Bricolage is so great when I give it a whirl.

Song wise? Wow, where to start. Stoney Street features jazzy rhythms and samples, and you can just visualize a dark city, or maybe a light city, or maybe a city through the eyes of a drunk. Easy Muffin has brilliantly soothing electronic warmth that reminds me of Autechre (like Amber), and of course, the drums. Yasawas starts with single chimes, and builds with a throbbing bassline, cool textures, and looping breakbeats vs. Drum and Bass. Creatures is another delicious drum groove with ether sounds and creepy noises. A great ode to the creatures of the night. Chomp Samba is a drum and bass tour de force. There's a groove of jungle dense drums right after thumps of percussion, and it fills with dark, dark, dark ambiance.

The New York Editor impresses with a unexplainable pulse of a beat, a jazzy shuffle. I won't get started on why Defocus is bad@$$, but take the title of the song into context. Bitter and Twisted? Wires and Snakes? Listen to those tracks and their drums. One Day In My Garden, with it's light brazillian rhythm, evolves into more of the drum and bass mayhem, and once again brings you out on a breezy note. Dream Sequence is very abstract goodness, and One Small Step is the best drum and bass song ever. Finally, we get Mission, that takes the whole thing down (and I swear that I hear the flute from Sequent C from Phaedra).

So even with Permutation and Supermodified, this album stands out on it's own. Reccomended. Like, now. I would say this album is a drum and bass tour de force. That alone is enough.

10/10

I first discovered Tobin while listening to a co-volunteer's radio program at KSVR-FM in Mount Vernon, WA.

Tobin is decidedly different in his down-tempo, semi-lounge, avant-garde Jazz style, blending electronic production and sampling with a layering of drum'n'bass raunchiness that is very eye-opening if you've come expecting traditional or soft Jazz.

Not a "happy" album, not a "relaxing" album, this work definitely has niche appeal for those of us who consider ourselves electronic music fans, with occasional Jazz crossover. I've yet to throw this disc in the CD carousel at a social gathering and not have the whole room stop dead and say, as a whole, "Who is this?!?!"

Some love it. Some do not love it. Me? I love it. Both this, and the later disc, "Permutation". I've featured Tobin on my radio programs at both KSVR-FM and KSER-FM, and will always recommend Tobin to anyone bored with the usual pop Jazz or traditional Jazz offerings.

Some people may brand him as electronic, but I have to thoroughly disagree. Have you ever wondered what it was like to watch a movie completely visualized in your head by means of musical influence? This, and most other works by him will do the trick. There are so many sounds and emotions going on that you can picture a scene for every song. It's not just a composition, its a visualization. The intensity levels can peak to a point you wouldn't think could be reached by music. The way he explodes the combinations into a structurally accurate form amazes me. He fuses Jazz with Drum and Bass with Ambience with Jungle with just plain creepy noises, and it feels as though you are somewhere. Being a musician, I have a deep respect for music that takes you somewhere just through your ear drums. This does the trick. This creation in particular has a lot of creepy, desolate, isolated sounds pouring through your speakers while at the same time exploding with some form of insane serenity. You can't classify this guy, he is all over the place. If you are for anything vocal, he is not for you. BUT, if you are into instrumentals, much like I am, and ORIGINAL sounding instrumentals, this is perfect. The spectrum of music is displayed within this work of art. It's not just music, its art. Its a display of what you can do musically if you really sit down and THINK about it. Listening to it leaves me speechless. It's truly a vacation in musical format, and I highly reccomend it. If you don't at least ive it a shot, I think you are missing out on a potentially epic piece of art.

This CD starts with a track (Stoney Street)that is completely off track from the rest. Overall, the best track is the second (Easy Muffin) and afterwards it somewhat flows, but never really finds on overall style between jazz overtones and dark dub-step. Still enjoyable to listen to, but only randomly in a large playlist. It seems a little rushed to production.

I really enjoyed this soundtrack. It brought back a lot of memories of sneaking up behind people in the game, and is definitely one of my more played soundtracks. The sound is very distinctive, and the compositions are incredible; Amon Tobin's mastery of sound shows in every piece.

This CD is spine chillingly brilliant. Relighting memories of hiding in the shadows, and lurching out at your unsuspecting enemies. It's only once you have heard Amon Tobin's work, without being chased by an AK47, that you can really start to appreciate every aspect of this masterpiece. It makes you feel emotions that would never see the light of day in normal music. Simply outstanding! A must buy for a Splinter Cell fan, or for someone that has never played the game. You can't go wrong, in feeling something for this.

I love the title "Chaos Theory". Bit of a contradiction, innit?

Having had this album now for some time, since its release date anyway, I can confirm 2 things:

a) It's still mind bendingly different

and

b) It's absolutely brilliant.

This is quite a departure for Mr Tobin. Being a sound pincher a la DJ Shadow and other Ninja Tune stable mates, it must have been quite a challenge to make this album, considering that it is an album created by REAL musicians. Even more of a challenge considering that they all spoke completely different languages and the two brothers that worked on the record didn't get along (see sleeve notes and various internet reviews). And how did Amon get them to make the sounds he wanted if he himself is not a musician? Did he whistle them? Did he fart them? HOW? Thats what he leaves me wondering after every record. How?

This is the only score (not soundtrack) that I have repeatedly listened to ever, and that goes for films too. It's extraordinary how Tobin manages to bring together a group of instrumentalists to create the sound he has, which is where his studio engineering comes into play, I guess. Chances are we wont see a live show of this.

This is essentially a dark, broody, paranoid, schizophrenic sound murdering excercise that has probably been accentuated due to heavy bouts of weed smoking. A remarkable factor of this album are the things that you think you heard, but are not quite sure. Felt bass rather than heard bass has been an Amon trade mark for a while and he plays with this throughout. The arrangement and complexity of the beats are unprecedented for a pop band setup (anybody care to challenge this?) and I dare anybody to listen to it and NOT feel something. Be it panic, paranoia, power (end of El Cargo), you will feel something. Probably nauseous.

Amon's love of jazz really shines through on this record and I find it subtly blending bits of Permutation with Out from Out Where (Kokubo Sosho Stealth) a real treat to the ears.

Mr Tobin makes it clear that this is NOT a 6th album (incl. Cujo), so just enjoy it for what it is. It doesn't get five stars because it is missing the one essential ingredient that his best album (Permutation) has: a wickedly dark sense of humour that makes you want to chuckle and hide at the same time.

Look at that. An review about a game soundtrack without a mention of the game. Times are a changing. Will it be the case that some day a score for a film will totally outshine the film itself? Who knows, but Amon has finished the score to a film called Taxidermia. I don't have a clue what the film is about, but the score is good though...

Prior to the Playing of SC: Chaos Theory, i didn't even know who Amon Tobin was, and boy was I missing out. Soon after hearing the in-game music, I did some investigating and found out who the artist was. I can tell you that after getting this CD, I love every single track on this disk. The dark, moving melodies can almost draw you into a different world and stir up different emotional reactions within you. If you are even a passing Amon Tobin Fan, this CD is for you.

I've loved Amon's work for years and this is no exception to the high-octane high quality music this guy seems to effortlessly perfect album after album.
For those who know Amon's work, this is a little more `accessible' than his older stuff but don't let that put you off. But for those who don't know it, maybe for the gamers, this is the ideal gateway into his world.
His talent is something to behold, and he reaches new levels with the full orchestra behind his beautifully choreographed strings, samples and heart-breakingly fast beats.
The first track kicks off with a fantastic hard-core riff that promises deeper and darker paths ahead. I'm not much of a gamer, so I can only imagine that the images conjured by the music match and enhance the game to no end. Like walking through a spider-web and the horror dawning on you that you're the prey.
Theme From Battery is one of my favourites, slow and atmospheric, bleeding into the next track with more familiar break beats and industrial sounds. El Cargo is haunting and eerie, letting Displaced slam huge steel doors behind you as you run for cover.
This is total Tobin, at his very best. What I love about it is that I can thoroughly recommend it to anyone who knows serious music when they hear it.

It's been two times I've seen Amon live, and it's by far the most dancing, catchy, sharp, violent, dark and aggressive sets I've ever heard.
He's brilliant on CD, and with vynils too (even if they are encoded for FS).
Who cares if his transitions are not perfect, if the sound quality is not hi-fi? His sets are grimy, with jungle/drum'N Bass tracks overlapping each other. The album may not be a perfect recording, Amon may not play a "best of" but this CD sure conveys the frenzy a crowd can go into when Amon is playing.
Believe it, or hear (see?) it for yourself.

I should preface my review by stating that I am a _huge_ amon tobin fan. His album > album progression is rivaled only by Medeski, Martin and Wood. Every (studio) album he puts together represents a large step forward and each serves both to expand and refine his ludicrous sound.

I rushed out to get this album as soon as it popped out (having already been a fan of the DK and DJ food solid steel album), and have been largely disappointed thus far. The sound quality is disappointing, and many of these ballyhooed final scratch transitions fall flat for me. I feel as if I could peform this mix given an afternoon with mixmeister or pro-tools (though the proper hoodidge > four ton mantis transition is nice).

As a survey of Amon's finest tracks, this compilation also fails to impress. A bunch of his finest tracks are here but most appear in abbreviated fashion, and this serves to lessen the impact of what are normally beautifully crafted songs. As mentioned before, the poor audio quality also diminishes the detailed flourishes and breaks of many of the tracks.

There are some interesting cut-ups, notably J5's quality control (run through the chipmunk filter) over Verbal and a nearly unrecognizable Dizzee Rascal over Proper Hoodidge, but they seem to me to be interesting artifacts with little improvement on the originals.

I'm no connesieur of the genres, but most of the spastic drum and bass and hard jungle stuffed in between his own tracks don't really interest me wholly.

All in all, if you're an Amon Tobin completist, pick the disc up. But if you're starting out, please do yourself a favor and pick up bricolage, supermodified or out from out where (they pretty much progress from Jungle-Jazz with cool breaks to other-worldly breaks-oriented techno). Anyway, cheers and much love to Amon Tobin, may his next release bury the memory of this one.

I had no idea this was going to sound like it does. This is a live mix of ambient, drum n bass, electronic, you name it. The only problem is the mixing between songs isn't as tight as I'd like it.
There's tons of material on this disc, but it goes by fast. Its nothing like amon's other albums, but his choice of songs are intereesting, from Aphex Twins "Remix" to "Completely Real" by Suspicious Circumstance, theres danceing going on and you better be in.

Big Audio Dinomite and / or Under World live Anytime . What's missing , well , it has no Soul 2 It . A waste of my precious ears and Time ... Later and have a Kool 2oo5

I agreed with the first reviewer in that seeing Amon live leaves the audience with the impression of "not catching everything". When I saw Amon Tobin with Bonobo earlier this year I was somewhat dissappointed with the show.(and I don't mean the 8 dollar drinks/water) When I go to see artists like Tobin and Bonobo I expect to hear the same type of trip-hop/downtempo that they release on their albums, instead of playing any of his own material Bonobo played an average house set. I was overwhelmingly bummed since I consider Bonobo to be one of the best downtempo acts ever, but I can't stand house music. (I'm not kidding here he seriously played four on the floor house music his whole set, no joke) My next disappointment came when Amon played his set and included only two or three of his own tracks in a largely jungle set. I actually like jungle, but I feel like it wasn't what I waited two monthes and drove 400 miles to see. For a moment he snuck in Marine Machines but pulled it out really fast, and at the very end he dropped Propper Hoodidge and everybody went nuts. You could definitely feel the crowd asking "what? only 2 Amon Tobin tracks!" I understand that nobody wants to play a set of all their own material, but when you are (arguably) the best trip hop producer(s) in the world why would you play a House/Jungle set of mediocre tracks that you didn't even make? This mix reminds me of what I was hoping he would play at the show, a set that actually contains Amon Tobin tracks. Amon has really been influenced by the glitchy breaks that have blown up so much lately as reflected by the stylistc changes on "Out From Out Where", and although I really like glitchy breaks, I question whether someone like Amon who virtually created a new genre of music needs to follow the same trends as the rest of the electronic scene. Most producers could only dream of creating lush symphonies like Amon's so for him to take off in the direction of AFX seems sad to me.

Impressive compilation/collaboration from one of the most creative, aggressive, and intelligent electronic artists out today, flies by despite the repeated remix of Verbal, due the the inspiring array of interpretations, mixed with the first half of originals, also hitting the mark, as is usual for Tobin.

Amon Tobin has made some staggeringly difficult music in his short but prolific career. Although to some his music is instantly accessable and listenable, but to me Amon Tobin was someone you had to sit down and get to know, learn the quirks of his music, pull it apart then reassemble it to truly apperciate what he was doing(why? because I'm pretenious like that). So it came as quite a shock to find that Collaborations & Remixes is as immediate as it is. I was expecting to learn to love Tobin all over again(not a problem) but right out the gate I was shocked and impressed by the quality of what could have been an experiment gone sour.

The CD is split into unequal halves. The first 5 tracks represent the collaborations and the second half, well yeah you got it. The tracks on the collaboration all have that Tobin signature stamp on them but what helps this album is how much life each distinctive artist brings to the table(and a few surprises to boot). Kid Koala opens the album off with a surprisingly moody number that focuses mainly on creating atmosphere instead of virtuouso scratching. Infact, the entire album seems a bit darker and downbeat then his usual batch of stuff. Something of a continuation of the mood that Mighty Micro People left off on on Out From Out Where. From there, each collaborative artist leave their own sound and flavor combined tastfully with Tobin's already masterful production, leaving a fresh breath of air into Tobin's own signature style.

From the collaborations come 4 truly distinctive remixes of one of the best songs(and singles) from Out From Out Where. Verbal was already a song made of cut ups but here, name artists like Prefuse 73 and Kid 606 decide to take it for their own spin. Prefuse adds his usual gorgous digital cut up mess while Kid 606 adds a harder, energetic edge to the song. The other two lesser known remixers give it a far more downtemp feel which sort of disrupts the energy that Prefuse and Kid provide but still offer their own unique takes on a great song.

Honestly, I could not think of a better place to get started for anyone who wants to approach Amon Tobin's music. Its far easier to get into then the difficult but rewarding Supermodified or Out From Out Where. For its price, you get not only Tobin, but a taste of some of electronic music's front runners as well as some new commers. Certainly one of the most enjoyable releases of last year. Highly recommended.

I only found it fitting to get this CD being that it beckoned me everytime I would enter the "Dance" section at Borders, and since I have become an Amon Tobin fan. "Hey, $10--what do I have to lose?" So I got "Collaborations and Remixes"... right now, though, I'm feeling somewhat indifferent as to whether I like the material here or not...some of the music like the opening "Untitled", "I'll Have the Waldorf Salad" and the "Verbal" remixes do have Amon Tobin's signature orchestra- meets-cut'n'paste D&B touch, but in comparison to his material on the classic "Bricolage" and "Supermodified", this "remix" CD is "common"! But then what remix CD really grabs you unless it's Herbert's "Secondhand Sounds", but that's a whole nother review. Definitely get "Collaborations and Remixes" if you're fond of Tobin's work and the producers and DJs who have collaborated with him. However, don't expect to be blown away by anything that hasn't been done before.

As befitting as artist, who is one of the `Intelligent dance music's' most consistently accomplished artists, is a remix/collaborations album of a similarly groundbreaking standard, as with his solo work. "Kid Koala" adds significant weight to the argument with his quirky sample/Scratch aesthetic on "Untitled", proving that music doesn't have to take itself too seriously. "Bonobo" reach into their organically textural bag of tricks and devise a Mediterranean, endlessly breezy sound on the track "I'll have a Waldorf salad", far removed from Amon's Jazz/D'n'B cut & Paste. Both "Prefuse 73" & "Boom Bip" reinterpret Amon's "Verbal" track.....both are tremendous (possibly surpassing the original), with "Prefuse 73" cutting as Glitching things up like a refined `Aphex Twin'. And "Boom Bip" favours dark, stark, minimal sounds....choosing mood & Atmosphere to push the remix into places the original couldn't even being to think about, with a strong list on contributors & remixers all handing in a consistently fantastic standard of work, there isn't anything on here that I feel is weaker in comparison to any other track, (although people are undoubtedly likely to have their favourite tracks), and as if that wasn't enough, it retails at a mid-price.

this album shows that, when given something to work with, some actual content from his collaborators, amon tobin can make some incredible music. this is shown in the first few tracks of the album. the remixes are the truly great part, taking the only good song from "out from out where" (which was already heavily influenced by prefuse 73) and hearing the unique styles of four great musicians interpret it. The songs have very little in common, aside from the requisite sample cut-up vocals. prefuse does what he always does, with weird tones and unmatchably creative beats. topo gigio puts on heavy atmosphere and creates an enveloping, dramatic song, also the most true to the original. kid 606 turns it into dancehall, and screws around with every element of the song as much as possible, making a fun short-attention-span piece. and of course boom bip brings in some real instruments and gives the album some class. this is the best cd i've seen in a while.

A very good CD that is easy to relax too, Tobin's mix of jazz and techno will have you in his vibe. Despite being choppy at times, this album is definitely worth the price of admission.

into one. If this was a food it would be cut like origami and as bright as crayons, smell sweet and run off your lips in sugary rivers. It's like the heart beating when you find yourself love and you are a hummingbird but your heart can still beat faster. Dig it. Nothing else like it. Anywhere.

The opening cut on this CD is really great, blending saxophones and drum and bass some neat little latin percussion. A really fresh and interesting song, but the next 3 were progressively not as interesting. Maybe I just need to listen to this a lot more, but from what I've heard so far this is probably not going to be getting lots of play. Amon Tobin's other recordings sound extremely interesting, and much more promising than this one (IMO), too bad I took a chance on this one first.

I was asked to be the first reviewer of Amon Tobin's Piranha Breaks CD since no one else has yet to review this title. In a way I can understand why no one has attempted to write a review since, at first, it was very hard for me to get my hands around this CD to give it justice (that at first was after listening to the CD 5 or 6 times).

After playing Piranha Breaks cuts mixed in randomly with Amon Tobin's Permutation CD it became clear that Piranha Breaks is wild and unordered much in the way I view the Piranha as wild (I can't say that the animal is really unordered though). I see chaos and the jungle as I sit here listening to "Hot Pursuit" and especially the title cut "Piranha Breaks." And "Sub Tropic"...well it conjures up the Florida Everglades and the jungles of the Yucatan.

This contrasts with my perception that Permutation, a mathematical and ordered concept, is a CD of order. Listen to the cuts "Bridge", "Night Life", "Switch" and "Toys". That's order, the beat is consistant! compare those with the cuts on Piranha Breaks. "Fast Eddie", found on both CDs, doesn't quite fit the mold of the other 3 cuts on Piranha Breaks.

Were Amon Tobin to read this review I dare say he would make a face, walk away and shake his head thinking, "this guy's got it all wrong..." And maybe rightly so since I'm most likely complicating a very simple and direct (not to say Amon Tobin's work is simple-it's not) thought process that Tobin seems to have in his mind, when creating his works. Either way we can be happy this talented man continues to produce CDs for our enjoyment.

PS. Last Summer Tobin did an interview with Patti Schmidt of CBC Radio Two's nightly "Brave New Waves" program. Beg, borrow or steal a copy of that interview to understand more of this young man and his thoughts in regards to the music he creates.

Richard Mercurio

Impressive compilation/collaboration from one of the most creative, aggressive, and intelligent electronic artists out today, flies by despite the repeated remix of Verbal, due the the inspiring array of interpretations, mixed with the first half of originals, also hitting the mark, as is usual for Tobin.

Amon Tobin has made some staggeringly difficult music in his short but prolific career. Although to some his music is instantly accessable and listenable, but to me Amon Tobin was someone you had to sit down and get to know, learn the quirks of his music, pull it apart then reassemble it to truly apperciate what he was doing(why? because I'm pretenious like that). So it came as quite a shock to find that Collaborations & Remixes is as immediate as it is. I was expecting to learn to love Tobin all over again(not a problem) but right out the gate I was shocked and impressed by the quality of what could have been an experiment gone sour.

The CD is split into unequal halves. The first 5 tracks represent the collaborations and the second half, well yeah you got it. The tracks on the collaboration all have that Tobin signature stamp on them but what helps this album is how much life each distinctive artist brings to the table(and a few surprises to boot). Kid Koala opens the album off with a surprisingly moody number that focuses mainly on creating atmosphere instead of virtuouso scratching. Infact, the entire album seems a bit darker and downbeat then his usual batch of stuff. Something of a continuation of the mood that Mighty Micro People left off on on Out From Out Where. From there, each collaborative artist leave their own sound and flavor combined tastfully with Tobin's already masterful production, leaving a fresh breath of air into Tobin's own signature style.

From the collaborations come 4 truly distinctive remixes of one of the best songs(and singles) from Out From Out Where. Verbal was already a song made of cut ups but here, name artists like Prefuse 73 and Kid 606 decide to take it for their own spin. Prefuse adds his usual gorgous digital cut up mess while Kid 606 adds a harder, energetic edge to the song. The other two lesser known remixers give it a far more downtemp feel which sort of disrupts the energy that Prefuse and Kid provide but still offer their own unique takes on a great song.

Honestly, I could not think of a better place to get started for anyone who wants to approach Amon Tobin's music. Its far easier to get into then the difficult but rewarding Supermodified or Out From Out Where. For its price, you get not only Tobin, but a taste of some of electronic music's front runners as well as some new commers. Certainly one of the most enjoyable releases of last year. Highly recommended.

I only found it fitting to get this CD being that it beckoned me everytime I would enter the "Dance" section at Borders, and since I have become an Amon Tobin fan. "Hey, $10--what do I have to lose?" So I got "Collaborations and Remixes"... right now, though, I'm feeling somewhat indifferent as to whether I like the material here or not...some of the music like the opening "Untitled", "I'll Have the Waldorf Salad" and the "Verbal" remixes do have Amon Tobin's signature orchestra- meets-cut'n'paste D&B touch, but in comparison to his material on the classic "Bricolage" and "Supermodified", this "remix" CD is "common"! But then what remix CD really grabs you unless it's Herbert's "Secondhand Sounds", but that's a whole nother review. Definitely get "Collaborations and Remixes" if you're fond of Tobin's work and the producers and DJs who have collaborated with him. However, don't expect to be blown away by anything that hasn't been done before.

As befitting as artist, who is one of the `Intelligent dance music's' most consistently accomplished artists, is a remix/collaborations album of a similarly groundbreaking standard, as with his solo work. "Kid Koala" adds significant weight to the argument with his quirky sample/Scratch aesthetic on "Untitled", proving that music doesn't have to take itself too seriously. "Bonobo" reach into their organically textural bag of tricks and devise a Mediterranean, endlessly breezy sound on the track "I'll have a Waldorf salad", far removed from Amon's Jazz/D'n'B cut & Paste. Both "Prefuse 73" & "Boom Bip" reinterpret Amon's "Verbal" track.....both are tremendous (possibly surpassing the original), with "Prefuse 73" cutting as Glitching things up like a refined `Aphex Twin'. And "Boom Bip" favours dark, stark, minimal sounds....choosing mood & Atmosphere to push the remix into places the original couldn't even being to think about, with a strong list on contributors & remixers all handing in a consistently fantastic standard of work, there isn't anything on here that I feel is weaker in comparison to any other track, (although people are undoubtedly likely to have their favourite tracks), and as if that wasn't enough, it retails at a mid-price.

this album shows that, when given something to work with, some actual content from his collaborators, amon tobin can make some incredible music. this is shown in the first few tracks of the album. the remixes are the truly great part, taking the only good song from "out from out where" (which was already heavily influenced by prefuse 73) and hearing the unique styles of four great musicians interpret it. The songs have very little in common, aside from the requisite sample cut-up vocals. prefuse does what he always does, with weird tones and unmatchably creative beats. topo gigio puts on heavy atmosphere and creates an enveloping, dramatic song, also the most true to the original. kid 606 turns it into dancehall, and screws around with every element of the song as much as possible, making a fun short-attention-span piece. and of course boom bip brings in some real instruments and gives the album some class. this is the best cd i've seen in a while.