Name: U.S.S.R.: The Art of Listening
Brand: Ninja Tune (USA)
SKU: 564400
Price: 21.03 USD
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4 (1 reviews)

U.S.S.R.: The Art of Listening

Rating

Album: U.S.S.R.: The Art of Listening
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Till Suns in Your Eye - (featuring Motion Man)
2)	It's On - (featuring Vakill)
3)	She Who Is Tested - (featuring Yarah Bravo)
4)	Combustible - (featuring Gift of Gab)
5)	Ghetto Rebels - (featuring Phi-Life Cypher)
6)	Revelations Well Expounded - (featuring Kela/Urszula Dudziak)
7)	Harp Song, Pt. 2, The - (Part 2)
8)	Pacifist, The - (featuring Yarah Bravo)
9)	In Control, Vol. 3 - (featuring DJ Plus One)
10)	Taa Fun Aiye - (featuring Ade Soma/G Ruff)
11)	Who Me - (featuring Demolition Man)
12)	Correct Size, The - (featuring Mucho Mu)
13)	Art d'Ecouter, L' - (featuring TTC)
14)	That Which Is Coming - (featuring Rev Clevie Brown)
15)	Edie Brikell - (featuring Slug)

Album: U.S.S.R.: The Art of Listening
#	Song Title	Time
1)	Till Suns in Your Eye - (featuring Motion Man)
2)	It's On - (featuring Vakill)
3)	She Who Is Tested - (featuring Yarah Bravo)
4)	Combustible - (featuring Gift of Gab)
5)	Ghetto Rebels - (featuring Phi-Life Cypher)
6)	Revelations Well Expounded - (featuring Kela/Urszula Dudziak)
7)	Harp Song, Pt. 2, The - (Part 2)
8)	Pacifist, The - (featuring Yarah Bravo)
9)	In Control, Vol. 3 - (featuring DJ Plus One)
10)	Taa Fun Aiye - (featuring Ade Soma/G Ruff)
11)	Who Me - (featuring Demolition Man)
12)	Correct Size, The - (featuring Mucho Mu)
13)	Art d'Ecouter, L' - (featuring TTC)
14)	That Which Is Coming - (featuring Rev Clevie Brown)
15)	Edie Brikell - (featuring Slug)

Performer Notes

This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Additional personnel: Urszula Dudziak (vocals); Motion Man, Vakill, Yarah Bravo, Gift Of Gab, Phi Life Cypher, Kela, DJ Plus One, Ade Soma, G Ruff, Demolition Man, Mucho Mu, TTC, Revd Clevie Brown, Slug (rap vocals).
Personnel: DJ Vadim (scratches); Gruff Rhys (guitar); Chandru (violin); Andy Ross (tenor saxophone, baritone saxophone); DJ Plus One (scratches); Blu Rum 13, Yarah Bravo (background vocals).
Audio Mixer: DJ Vadim.
Recording information: Politburo; Rosebud Studios.
U.S.S.R.: The Art of Listening, even more than its predecessor, represents a large leap toward the rapping side of hip-hop, with guests on every track but one and virtually no space for the exquisite ambient breakbeat of previous DJ Vadim productions. It's difficult to mourn the loss of Vadim the solo artist, though, when the tracks and productions found here are so refreshing and totally distinct. All but one of the rappers are fresh faces (for a Vadim LP), which paves the way for talented newcomers (Yarah Bravo, Phi-Life Cypher, Vakill, TTC), some of whom have their own releases but all of whom will benefit from more attention. Vadim continues to strip his productions down, so far in fact that occasionally there's more space between the sounds than there are sounds themselves. One of the best tracks, "It's On" features the excellent Vakill freestyling over some standard jazz keys but also a few blink-and-miss-it samples: jew's harp, the distinctive sound of Japanese noh music, and a precious few grunts and moans from an earthy blues vocalist. Yarah Bravo is easily the most distinctive rapper here; she plays with her rhymes, drawling like a sloshed debutante and practically tripping over her own vocals like the hip-hop equivalent of Jackie Chan's drunken master. Gift of Gab from Blackalicious brings it back to the earthier side of alternative (read: American) rap with the deep groove "Combustible," but great features for Phi-Life Cypher and Demolition Man return to the up-and-coming British sound of ragga flow over heavily distorted analogue synth. While his sizable generosity -- inviting an assortment of voices to appear on his own album -- initially appears to be a fault, it quickly becomes clear this is a blessed virtue instead. ~ John Bush

Professional Reviews

Vibe (11/02, p.163) - "...DJ Vadim has more in common with the experimental composer John Cage than with Dr. Dre..."

NME (Magazine) (9/28/02, p.45) - 7 out of 10 - "...A cerebral triumph....Rhymers like Phi Life Cypher, Task Force and TTC all shine individually. At the center, Vadim tosses opulent strings and hazy flutes in with the kind of beats people once called 'blunted'..."