2 Future 4 U - Armand Van Helden

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
Value for Money

Advantages:	Varying styles, Many top quality tracks
Disadvantages:	A couple of below standard tracks

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Two years ago, "You Don't Know Me" was a massive chart success for American based DJ, Armand Van Helden. With the vocal prowess of Duane Harden accompanying a catchy base line, the track shot from the clubs straight to chart success. Van Helden's only previous commercial breakthrough had come in the form of a remix of Tori Amos's "Professional Widow", which hit number 2 in the charts in 1996. Two months after "You Don't Know Me" was released, the album "2 Future 4 U" also hit the shops on FFRR (Full Frequency Range Recordings).

The album consists of 9 tracks, each refreshingly different from each other and with Armand's hip-hop roots shining through on many of the tracks.

The first track on the album is called "Mother Earth", and features vocals by Tekitha Washington, a female member of The Wu-Tang Clan. This track is, in my opinion, one of the best on the album. It is a song about how we should care more about the planet on which we live and stop destroying it through pollution and so forth. The track has a tribal feel to it and a good strong bass line not too dissimilar to that of 187 Lockdown's "Kung-Fu". Overall, I would say this is a top-notch track and certainly a very good way to start out the album.

The second track is called "The Boogie Monster", and offers a much funkier track to "Mother Earth". This track starts normally enough but once it gets to the breakdown, a rather scary vocal saying 'are you afraid of the boogie monster?' takes over. This continues with the track gradually breaking down until only the vocal remains. There is then a slight pause before a vocal, in the same voice, says 'get down', and a big bass line comes in to the track. This bass line continues throughout the track and is the kind of thing that would be good to dance or 'get down' to.

The third track features another American based DJ, DJ Sneak, and is entitled "Psychic Bounty Killaz". This track is again another top-notch tune, which has many cheeky samples cut in and out of the track. These are presumably the work of DJ Sneak and help raise the feel-good factor of the track. The track has a strange start with a nice, cheesy record suddenly being cut out to the sound of gunfire. Beats then start from there and gradually build up to a breakdown, which filters in the main tune with it getting progressively louder before a sample of a needle being dragged across a record cuts this out and the beats, bass line and rest of the tune come in. Although there are no proper vocals on this track, it does have a sample of somebody saying what sounds like 'disco king on the mean machine', which also adds to what is already a great track. I would say this is possibly the best track on the album other than "You Don?t Know Me".

The fourth track is the classic "You Don't Know Me", featuring Duane Harden. If you haven't heard this track, questions would have to be asked of why you were reading this review. However, if you haven't heard it or cannot remember it, it has a strong, soulful vocal saying 'you don't even know me, you say that I'm not living right, you don't understand me, so why do you judge my life?' Accompany this with an extremely catchy bass line and a good, solid beat and you have probably the anthem of '99, "You Don't Know Me".

The fifth track is called "Alienz". The track kicks off with a very strange sample asking 'does the government know more than they're willing to tell us?' before a pumping beat kicks in. Personally I don't think this track is as good as some of the others on the album and is not really the kind that could get stuck in your head, as with "You Don't Know Me". This track remains generally the same throughout with a few mini breakdowns to go with the strong beat, which lasts the duration of the track. There are no vocals on this track other than the 'does the government...?' sample and a voice saying "aliens" dotted around now and again.

The sixth track is called "Summertime", and features Mi Madre. To be honest, I haven't really listened to this track very much, and when I have listened to it, I have been somewhat unimpressed. This track is a completely different style to the rest of the tracks on the album and has a Hawaiian feel to it. Gone are the kicking beats and in their place is a much more chilled out tune. The same tune plays from the start through to the end of the track before fading out in a very annoying manner to those who are trying to mix something into it. This track falls well below the rest of the albums high standards.

The seventh track is called "Necessary Evil", and is one of the most bizarre tracks I have ever heard. What comprises this track is the sound of what seems to be sawing wood. At first I wasn't too impressed with this track either, but it has grown on me and I now consider it to be up there with the best tracks Armand's produced. This track also has a very funky feel to it with a beat stopping and starting throughout the track. There are no vocals on this track and the sound of the saw continues throughout the track right up until near the end when there simple beats to finish the track off. If you heard this track and didn't think too highly of it, I recommend you listen to it a few more times and you may well grow to like it.

The penultimate track is called "Entra Mi Casa", and features Mita. The lyrics on this track are quite explicit and are not really the kind to stick in your head, as they are not sung to any real tune. This track has a Latin feel to it, which I am not really a fan of and so therefore is not really a track I am too fond of. Although the tune is quite catchy, I think this is another track that drops below the high standards of the rest of the album.

The final track on the album is called "Flowers". This track was also a chart success and features the vocals of Roland Clark. This track is much more chilled compared to tracks such as "Psychic Bounty Killaz" and "Necessary Evil", but is still a tune of the highest quality. This track is basically a strong bass line accompanied by the voice of Roland Clark, and is quite an uplifting track. It has the same bass line running throughout the track from start to finish and is certainly the king people can sing along to. In my opinion, this is an excellent track to conclude an excellent album.

I would recommend "2 Future 4 U" to any fans of house music, especially the 4 x 12" vinyl, as there are six quality tracks for the price of 2 or 3. The tracks are also so varied that fans of any kind of music would probably like at least one track on this album.