There's a new kid on the block: Menotti HiFi. Three musicians from Münster, Thomas Hoppe (drums), Gudze (bass) and Arne Piri (keyboard) form the trio, two of which were already members of the Senior Allstars. After three years of jam sessions, experimentation and sound discovery, they are now presenting their debut album: “YKSI” (Vinyl Only Records). The name and origin of the band refer to Dub – and yet the three don’t see each other as “Dub Act”. They sound (by their own admission) as if the Beastie Boys were recording an instrumental album in Lee Perry's Black Ark Studio. Since the Beastie Boys famously didn't play reggae, it should be clear that we're dealing with a sound pretty much on the fringes of the genre - which can be quite refreshing. To me it sounds like rock and breakbeat, played and processed according to the concept of Dub. Difficult to describe in more detail and equally difficult to evaluate because of the lack of clear references. It's best if you listen for yourself.
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Menotti HiFi: YKSI
4 replies to “Menotti HiFi: YKSI”
Uff!
It's really very difficult to rate. Please forgive me for my spontaneous review. But I would say “put six!”
Brutal, how it's stuck for me. In the first tune there is already an irreparable piston seizure or you just have to replace the entire engine. No, unfortunately I can't do anything with it. But I would have complete understanding for all those for whom something like that somehow grooves.
There are quite a few moments and phases in the album that want to tell me that my “judgment” is far too harsh, but as reggaeDubAs a connoisseur, I have to overcome myself too much to catch an enjoyable moment here and there, er nonsense, I wanted to say. I hear too much breakbeat but also awkward jazz.
Now I would like to mention something good.
“Tunji” sounds a little jazzy to me but I really like the groove and the trumpet is awesome!!!
For this, the “trumpet man” (or did they even borrow Youthie?) gets an A with a double plus from me and the Grammy on top of that. This will definitely be on my all-time favorites list (although I'm afraid that Spotify won't be around forever and that means all my favorites will be gone. That will be hard for me because I love my favorites lists. Now don't say I can download everything.
I'm not in the mood for tendonitis because of all the mouse pushing. I'd rather ask Alexa to burn everything to CD in Wave quality and let me know when she's done. If it could do something like that, I would definitely buy one. Sometimes my secondary thoughts are more extensive than my entire knowledge). Ok, that's my spontaneous impressions. Maybe you should send the album to Adrian again. I'm pretty sure he's doing something really radical with it.
As long as ……………. lemmi
I just want to add how great it is that your vision of dub music is so broad and inclusive, Mr. Wynands! It's really inspirational, and I hope dub Creators also feel stimulated by your incentive, and keep on conquering new territories for the music
Thank you very much! :-))
When I read "Menotti Hifi" I immediately have two associations: 1. the legendary Argentine football coach Cesar Louis Menotti and 2. King Tubby's Hometown Hi-Fi. As we have known since the early days of reggae, football and reggae go hand in hand. Bob Marley and Burning Spear loved to play football in the yard or meet up with friends to play football.
Purists will turn up their noses and turn away in disgust at this fine blend of funk, pop, rock, jazz and punk. In any case, I like this somewhat strange, colorful reinterpretation of the Dub-Genres. I particularly liked them dubbig refugee anthem “Wouldn't You”, the fugazi punk hit “Cassavetes” as well as the jazz classics “Tunji” by John Coltrane, “Contemporary Focus” by Alfred McCoy Tyner and “Mahjong” by Wayne Shorter. Clearly, the album doesn't become clear on the first listen; it takes time and a bit of perseverance.