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Saafi Brothers "Liquid Beach"
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Top level
Music reviews
Review by Kompressorkanonen
The two musketeers Gabriel Le Mar and Michael Kohlbecker return with their third Saafi Brothers album, this time on their own unimaginatively-titled label.
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Saafi Brothers "Liquid Beach" (Saafi Records, SLR 001-2)
1. Summerhills (7:52)
2. The Green Cloud (7:01)
3. Seven Horizons (9:22)
4. Feelings Per Room (feat. Jasmin Pour) (7:27)
5. Fusedub (5:17)
6. Sunchild (8:00)
7. Metapop (After Morning Mix) (7:19)
8. Liquid Beach (8:00)
9. Lovin’ Music (feat. George Din) (8:30)
10. Metapop (feat. Dea Li) (3:40)
What’s in a name? Well, when you call your group the Saafi Brothers and dub your debut album “Mystic Cigarettes” (complete with illegal ciggies as a major ingredient in the cover art), you don’t exactly leave much to the listener’s imagination. But “Mystic Cigarettes” wasn’t a smokers delight only; however un-altered your state is, that album is a blinder from start to finish, an exceptionally well-crafted journey through dubbed-out, subtle atmospherics and hypnotic trance-scapes (he said, pompously). Never listened to it while “under the influence” but it’s undoubtedly ace whatever the time, place or mood – and that’s no minor accomplishment.
“Mystic Cigarettes” was released in 1997, and it took three years before we were finally graced with the follow-up “Midnights Children”. In the meantime, however, Alex Azary “did a Darren Emerson” (well, sort of), and suddenly, there were only two Saafi Brothers left: Gabriel Le Mar and Michael Kohlbecker. As any self-respecting psytrance/-chill fan knows, these two are some rather prolific guys, with an overwhelming amount of releases in a multitude of incarnations, something which has (perhaps inevitably) led to sporadic lapses in quality control and lack of progression. That’s particularly the case with Kohlbecker, whose solo work has become so samey that you know what his records will sound like before you hear them. For example, his recent Fünf D and Magnat albums ain’t a patch on some of his earlier efforts in guises such as Eternal Basement, Taklamakan or S.M.I.L.E. (I haven’t looked into his Masun album yet, though, but then again, apparently nobody else has either – it was released only to sink like a rock, for some reason). Mr. Le Mar is more consistent in this respect, and his last solo album “Hear and Now” not only comprises some of his best work, but is also his most successful attempt to date to fuse elements of dub, world music, trance and techno in a coherent whole. But although their individual styles are quite dissimilar (Le Mar’s approach is a lot broader and more varied than Kohlbecker’s), they’ve worked together in several projects that has yielded excellent results. For example, their Montauk P album on Blue Room Released from 1997 was a truly visionary piece of work: an almost paralyzingly dark and claustrophobic masterpiece that never got the attention it deserved. Saafi Brothers is on the lighter side of the emotional spectrum, and at its best, this project has combined Le Mar’s love of hypnotic dub with Kohlbeckers trancy techno dynamics to brilliant effect. The “Midnights Children” album was a minor disappointment, though; although it contained some excellent music, it was in parts to noodly and lightweight for my liking, and some of the tracks sounded like outtakes that didn’t make it to “Mystic Cigarettes”.
Another three years have passed since then, and since their previous label Blue Room Released has gone up in smoke (heh heh), this album is issued on the duo’s own label Saafi Records, whose purpose seems a bit unclear at this point (will it ever release anything else than SB records?). I was quite unsure how relevant this project would be six years after they first appeared on the scene, and frankly, this is a very unconvincing record and undoubtedly the weakest SB release so far. The mood is light, summery and overall very pleasant and undemanding, sadly lacking the depth, finesse and vitality of their best tracks. At its worst, “Liquid Beach” resembles the tedious wallpaper music to be found on dozens of chill out compilations – superficial coffee table tunes with no substance or musical merit. Traces of the Saafi magic of old can be found in tracks such as “Seven Horizons” and “Sunchild”, but these still sound like they should have been released a couple of years before “Mystic Cigarettes”, not after, as they’re basically very dub-techno-by-numbers tunes with few interesting twists. It must also be added how little they’ve progressed in six years – the differences from the first Saafi album are marginal production-wise (we’re talking minute fine-tuning here), and when the music is criminally short in the ideas department too, this record simply falls flat. And I still haven’t mentioned the ill-advised cheesy vocals that turn up every now and then without any musical justification whatsoever (the closing “Metapop” is particularly horrible). I was all set to report that this was the album that once again placed the Brothers at the top of their league, but the truth is that this is a very lackluster effort that only contributes to ruining their reputation. It would be a good idea for the two gentlemen involved to reinvent themselves a little and come up with some new ideas soon – otherwise they’ll end up as irrelevant has-beens in no time. And where I previously assumed that Alex Azary played a marginal role in the creation of “Mystic Cigarettes”, it now dawns on me that his input must have been quite considerable. Either way, I’ve long been prepared to see someone come up with a lightweight pop version of “Mystic Cigarettes” (after all, there are plenty of Shpongle clones out there), but I never thought that the Saafi Brothers themselves would be responsible for it. Avoid.
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Comment List
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ivana farias
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13.09.2003 05:25
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Hi! I'm from Brazil. I'm a ballet dancer, woman, 45 years old. I love music. Any style. Music is music. But my hears claim good music.
I become Kohlbecker fan because "Out Dreaming", I never heard about Eternal Basement, Kohlbecker and the others projects.
Out dreaming was the start to my searching. I didn't stop to search... so arrived here.I was obssed to find who made this most beautiful song. After, I bought many cds from Kohlbecker's projects.
Each one has ID card. Each one a great surprise. Kohlbecker is the most creative musician that I ever heard. A man with many souls. But to discover this you must have too.
Liquid Beach is the better work from Saafi. More mature. But I feel they could do more. New releases will show this growth.
To talk about Kohlbecker you have to listen "Save Earth" by Funf d.
Listen more, with open mind, and you'll find music inside the music.
Bye from Brazil
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Dominique Hinnen
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07.09.2003 23:27
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It's true, nothing is realy new on this record if u heard the other records of the Saafi Brothers and Gabriel LeMar, but ... in my opinion it's very well done. The sound quality is perfect and they're add some elements without breaking the typical sound. As on every album of this crew, it's necessary to listen it with "repeat" turned on, to discover all facetes and to grow your pleasure as listener. And they are realy experts for impressive grooves and effects.
So, not a surprise nor a milestone, but a very good album.
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Denis B
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30.03.2003 20:48
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I (as another Saafi Bros fan) was looking forward to this album. The Saafi crew have shown before that they could provide excellent music with depth.
Especially the first album, and their track on the "Made on Earth" compilation are favourites of mine.
However this album feels a lot like "Another round of the same stuff".. Where previous releases and tracks were interesting and often ventured down new paths, this one keeps to the formula.
Of course, this gives avid fans of the formula another hit, but if you are looking for freshness, you will perhaps be a bit disappointed (like I was).
denis
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mich zuviel
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21.03.2003 17:06
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To that guy who wrote this review:
You wrote about yourself!
The fact that you are making jokes about the liquidations of recordcompanies is showing that you are not part of electronic music network and is disqualifiing!
Same with the recordcompany who released MASUN LP Störaktion it's not Kohlbecker's mistake that structures are at the moment
are going away. The music industry is heavily sick then there is no music you could write about! That is not funny!
By the way FÜNF D has extremly many fans
not every psychedelic like the Full On staff.
That you don't like Kohlbecker's sound but you like the sound of Montauk P is irritating because both are Michael Kohlbecker sound.
By the way in May 2003 check
eternal basement records
eb-records.com
there you will expierience a real new sound!
If you are not satisfied with the development of the projects of Kohlbecker then one question
do you think Fullon Goa Sound is the future?
That is really a joke! That sound has already been from 1995 - 2000!
Here there is a big response to Kohlbeckers and Saafi's music:-)
Uniformed minds we don't need!
There are enough in Irak at the moment!
Remember the Montauk LP name!
DEFINITON IS LIMITATION!
You didin't understand it!
The actual Saafi LP Liquid Beach is made for the friends of that sound not made for you!
Who has the chance to experience them live will experience the most positive energy!
They produce energy in the medium of music. Everybody who is negative like you won't understand it. That is natural and right like that.
Don't be a musical fascist!
Don't lie with Alex Azary he is still part of the Saafi Brothers Pool!!
Sorry you are disqualified poor guy!
The Saafi Club Europe
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Dr. Dunkel
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21.03.2003 21:45
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So my review caused a stir in ceratin circles, did it? Well, reactions are always a good thing, I reckon. Some very good examples here of how people with a different view draw all kinds of strange conclusions about their opponent. Let's see:
> You wrote about yourself!
Huh?
> The fact that you are making jokes about the liquidations of recordcompanies is showing that you are not part of electronic music network and is disqualifiing!
Euro-english: isn't it cute? Patronising comments aside: Well, whatever "electronic music network" is (sounds like a shadowy organization ŕ la the Freemasons to me), I'm probably more involved than you know. By the way I miss Blue Room as much as anyone (greatest psy label ever) but I could'nt resist making a piss poor smoke-related joke. Sad, I know.
> Same with the recordcompany who released MASUN LP Störaktion it's not Kohlbecker's mistake that structures are at the moment are going away. The music industry is heavily sick then there is no music you could write about! That is not funny!
I know, and it bothers me. I'm completely aware that the Masun album (which I bought the other day and quite liked, by the way) didn't flop because of any fault on mr. Kohlbecker's part. But I didn't suggest that either, did I? (I seem to recall that I wrote "for some reason"). READ the review a bit more carefully before posting, please!
> By the way FÜNF D has extremly many fans not every psychedelic like the Full On staff.
Well, and?
> That you don't like Kohlbecker's sound but you like the sound of Montauk P is irritating because both are Michael Kohlbecker sound.
Read the review again, my friend. I didn't say I didn't LIKE his sound, what I said is I think it should evolve a little. I don't need, and the world doesn't need, a phletora of MK records that sound more or less similar. And I think that's what has happened lately: stagnation.
> By the way in May 2003 check eternal basement records eb-records.com there you will expierience a real new sound!
I'm actually not being ironic when I say that I will be looking forward to it :-)
> If you are not satisfied with the development of the projects of Kohlbecker then one question do you think Fullon Goa Sound is the future? That is really a joke! That sound has already been from 1995 - 2000!
What makes you think that I view "full on" as the future? That only because I dislike "Liquid Beach", I'm a "full on" fan? In fact, I don't think I own a single "full on" record, and frankly, that style makes me cringe. Anyway, to answer the question: No, no and thrice no.
> Here there is a big response to Kohlbeckers and Saafi's music:-) Uniformed minds we don't need!
There are enough in Irak at the moment!
Remember the Montauk LP name! DEFINITON IS LIMITATION! You didin't understand it! The actual Saafi LP Liquid Beach is made for the friends of that sound not made for you!
Now which relevance does Iraq have, I wonder? "Liquid Beach is made for the friends of that sound not made for you" - I'm still entitled to an opinion, I believe? Particularly since I've been a fan of Saafi Bros. since 1997...
>Who has the chance to experience them live will experience the most positive energy! They produce energy in the medium of music. Everybody who is
negative like you won't understand it. That is natural and right like that. Don't be a musical fascist!
Well, I'm not. And have never been. I just don't like boring records. And this was one of them, I'm afraid.
> Don't lie with Alex Azary he is still part of the Saafi Brothers Pool!!
Well, that I didn't know. How come he's not on the records, then?
> Sorry you are disqualified poor guy!
And you are slightly biased, I believe.
Cheers,
/kompressorkanonen
(the evil, narrow-minded, disqualified, uninformed musical fascist)
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