WHAT THIS ALBUM ISN'T:

It's definitely not for hardcore 'junglists' or die hard fans of the Diesel Boy sound. Even if you are fans of producers Substance and Decoder, you may be put off by what they do here. So if that's you, look elsewhere.

WHAT IT IS:

This album is definitely a bit more 'mature' than what you might expect from this pairing of artists. It's got that 'Everything But the Girl' pseudo dnb sound for most of the album, but a few tracks are just the original jungle tracks EQ'ed differently (toned down for the masses, if you will). Take for instance "Empty Skies" (possibly one of the best songs ever written). This track ALWAYS killed the crowd when I dropped it on dub. ALWAYS. Granted it was a much harder mix but people were always asking me about the artist and who they were. If any of them picked up this album and were disappointed, then how can they really be mad at Kosheen? That's like being a fan of Thunderpuss Remixes of Britney Spears and not Britney Spears, but not Britney Spears. You can feel that way but don't hate the originators for doing what they do.

Anyways, all in all, the albums hot. I listen to it all the time. I do skip around alot, and my favorite tracks, "Hide U", "Empty Skies", "Resist", "Gone", and "Pride" should please even some of the most hardcore of Drum and Bass fans.

This album is an obvious attempt by Kosheen to 'cross-over' but, hey, not everyone wants to be unknown and poor forever. Get it if you like Ben Watt's production for Everything But the Girl, Nelle Hooper's work on the early Bjork albums or Roni Size's work for Break Beat Era.


this album is hard to resist   July 23, 2002
Clarissa (Ontario, California)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

After downloading about 4 songs from this album I went out and bought it with little hesitation. The funky "Slip & Slide (Suicide)" is what pulled me into Kosheen in the first place, which consists of two producers, Decoder and Substance, along with newcomer Sian Evans who provides all of the powerful vocals which often have a soulful/rockish edge to it. With that Kosheen is able to create amazing drum n' bass songs with interesting poppy-electronica which firmly roots Kosheen at the top of their game. It's hard to even imagine how Kosheen's RESIST can be so underrated for they have such a progressive and creative soundbase. Kosheen has accessible material that manages to remain a well-hidden jewel in the music world but with mainstream elements that almost make this album suitable for radio, with standout songs being "Harder", "Slip & Slide (Suicide)", "Empty Skies", the devilish "Resist" and the new-agey "Face In A Crowd". This album is incredibly addictive and is one of the best drum n' bass albums to come out in a long, long while.

Trust me people... You can try to resist this album but it won't be easy. I don't think it wise of you to resist it anyway for it's a splendorous triumph in this otherwise repetitious genre, and I recommend it to the fullest extent.


Kosheen Hit Rhe Mark With A Stand Out LP   March 27, 2002
Colin Allrich (Los Angeles, CA)
7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Darren Beale and Mark Morrison (Decoder & Substance) have been delivering diesel drum and bass to the ears and dance floors across the globe. But in the early summer of 1999 Darren and Mark teamed up with singer-song writer Sian Evans and began the project that would later be called Kosheen. Now almost 3 years later Kosheen is ready to release their debut album.

The great thing about this album is that it doesn't try to fit vocals on top of a drum and bass tracks. Each track has a unique blend between traditional song writing and electronic drum & bass programming. The album is filled with guitars spread over classic amen breaks, squelch-y synth progressions, catchy hooks and fresh, lively vocals. The first single released "Hide-U" is the predominate opening track on the album. Nice breaks, stabs and Sian's wonderful voice come together to create a definitely unique and energetic sound. The album continues along with "Cover", a mellow ballad where piano progressions are coated over beats and another lovely vocal performance by Sian. "Catch" is next up, and after hundreds of listening to this album, it has to be one of my favorites. "Catch" has a cleverly catchy quality to it. The vocals explode ontop of arpeggiated synths and beats, but yet it's not cluttered with unneeded noise and progressions. Other notable tracks from the album include "Hungry" with its dominant acoustic guitar riffs and seductive performance by Sian, and "Face in a Crowd" which is just explosive, it brings Kosheen into uncharted territory, it's the most progressive track on the whole album.

What I like about the sound of this album is that its not cluttered with too many layers. The trio is able to get their point across without going overboard with progressions and sounds. Which is what makes this album somewhat unique in the whole pop rock/drum and bass crossover. Kosheen is definitely taking a new twist on that old idea. Say so long to other crossover acts such as Olive; Kosheen is where it's at.

8.5 out of 10


Not Delerium, But Close...   February 6, 2004
Null (Where I Am)
4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I faintly remembered hearing about a song called "Hide U" from...well, i don't know who...but I decided that this CD's cover looked interesting enough to purchase it at the Wal-Mart my family was at.
As soon as I heard the double-hit of Hide U's intro, i was hooked until Gone faded from my headphones.
I was in total and pure ecstasy for the whole 59:05 of play the album has on it.

This is surely terrific stuff, aaaaand if you don't like it, hey, you should have read different reviews. not my fault.

The music is fantubular, and the fact that it's a WOMAN singing is...oh, fantastic.

Recommended if you like Delerium or if you think that Enya is a tad too light for you.