“Hold Your Colour” was released in 2005 as the debut album from the Australian Drum & Bass act Pendulum. This album found them bringing a commercially-friendly Drum & bass sound that gave them the chance to breakthrough (unlike most acts in this genre), however they would go on to over-do it with their second album “In Silico” to their point where they lost their Drum & bass foundations.
1. “Intro”
2. “Slam”
They get the album going with one of their biggest tracks and one that gave them the chance to break away into the mainstream with material that has them moving the general Electronica sound towards something that fits in with the styles that were prominent in the contemporary Drum & Bass scene and they achieved it effectively (although the synth at the breakdown wasn’t really that impressive).
**Four Stars**
3. “Plasticworld”
I saw this one as an improvement on the last for the fact that it took things further down towards where the Drum & bas world was at during this time and it doesn’t seem just as keen to give it the chance to fit in with the expectations of others (who don’t really need to be catered for). You get some chill-out stuff mixed in with some weighty kickdrums for pretty big tune that I can’t really see any issues with whatsoever.
**Five Stars**
4. “Fasten Your Seatbelts”
Here you get a collaboration piece with The Freestylers for a pretty strong
tune. I found that although I did enjoy it, the Breakbeats are lost here sand so they go for some more conventional Electronica with this one. However you found that there is an interesting integration of the Drum & bass elements through things that were made particularly important as Jungle immerged alongside it.
**Four Stars**
5. “Through The Loop”
Sampling snippets from ‘Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory’ you see that here you get a raw jam that has them appealing to popular things that you tend to get in a lot of Drum & bass material time, but with such a popular reference used to assist, it makes it even more impactful as they come in with one of the heaviest breakdowns on the whole of the release to show that they can compete.
**Five Stars**
6. “Sounds Of Life”
The heavy beats appear to come through on this one too, although this is another that finds them attempting to break away from the typical musical directions a little as they get Jasmine Yee of Halogen to come and provide some vocals over the thing to give it a mellow mood as they lay down another standard break. It is rather uneventful and can be ignored quite easily as it is nothing more than average.
**Three Stars**
7. “Girl In The Fire”
This is a track that really I doubt I would have liked had it not got the type of exposure that Pendulum are able to receive as you find that here you get a track that uses more of the hardcore Drum & bass stuff mixed in with the kind of off-putting synth that doesn’t really sit too well in the Drum & bass world (and was phased out in the UK especially for its connotations to styles which don’t fit in as well with it. However after a while it all falls into place here.
**Four Stars**
8. “Tarantula”
Had this track not been overplayed, this would be the best on the album and completely out-do any other recording that they’ve done before (and are likely to do again based on the sound of their second album). Here they appeal to the Junglists and go right in with this remix to the track of the same name and essentially rip it. There’s no a single things wrong with this track, although it should have stayed in the underground for its power to be truly felt (as its heavy play has hurt it massively).
**Five Stars**
9. “Out Here”
You find that they come off the last one and into this one with an apparent rethink of where they wish to take the album as they bring out a tune that has them moving back towards the freedom of Electronica (which can be taken anywhere musically) and do very well with this funky jam that completely took me by surprise and showed me just how far they can twist expectations to come up with the goods. It is infectious and you are bound to enjoy it for all it offers.
**Five Stars**
10. “Hold Your Colour”
This is a very distinctive track on the album and one that I felt like a good choice to represent the album by (as its titular joint) and you find that in it you get a track that may not be the best on the album, but is one that has them bringing something that appears to round-up all the sorts of things that you get here with a fly little mix-up of what has made up the most impressive side of this debut release.
**Four Stars**
11. “The Terminal”
I felt as though a lift came as this one powered through and you find that you get a jam that has them pulling out the most impactful stuff that they seem to have been holding back a little on elsewhere on the release. It really does the business here as you see that they built it all up gradually, as any good Drum & bass track should and they take you into their world to make the breakdown that little bit more satisfying.
**Five Stars**
12. “Streamline”
This track pulls things down again as you see that after showing the act coming up to their highest standards, you see that they go into one side of Drum & bass that they clearly haven’t been able to master yet as they go for a chill-out track and do it in a strange way with extra trips in the breaks to prevent it from actually having its relaxing qualities come through. I felt as though it was a wasted track, but I can see why they tried.
They somehow pull it back for this one as they do more of the spacey stuff, and get us away from the kind of stuff that seems far too predictable and uneventful. In doing so they get another chance to display their abilities at creating a full and complete atmosphere to base their music around in order to make for one that makes you feel as though everything is right and you can connect with it in every way.
**Five Stars**
14. “Still Grey”
The album ends with a calming track, and so seems like the perfect musical direction to go with as they bring their debut to a close, however I can’t say that I really feel this end of Drum & bass that much, never mind when these do it and so I can’t say that I really that bothered once I knew where they were taking it, but I can’t say that I didn’t enjoy it by the end as it was a very satisfying track to end on.
**Four Stars**
Although I could see clear weaknesses in this, for a commercial Drum & Bass album it is a reasonably strong one and one that gives you the chance to feel a pretty wide spectrum of what the genre can offer, although missing out on the darker end that I feel makes for the best results.
How helpful would this review be to a person making a buying decision? Rating guidelines
yPrelude Slam Plastic World Fasten Your Seatbelt (ft. The Freestylers) Through The Loop ... more
Sounds of Life (ft. Jasmin Lee) Girl in the Fire Tarantula (Pendulum vs. Fresh ft. Spyda & Tenor Fly) Out Here Hold Your Colour The Terminal Streamline Another ...
Postage & Packaging: £0.00 Availability: 3-5 working days
Advantages: Drum n Bass begins its come back Disadvantages: Not as stand out as people make out
andthentherewere 03.12.2006 (03.12.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Hold Your Colour - Pendulum
Advantages: Very cleverly constructed, and very pleasing sound Disadvantages: Cover / Inlay Design and Content does not reflect the rest of the album.
BenBenjaminJesus 24.04.2007 (24.04.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of Hold Your Colour - Pendulum
Advantages: Drum n Bass begins its come back Disadvantages: Not as stand out as people make out
andthentherewere 03.12.2006 (03.12.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Hold Your Colour - Pendulum
Advantages: Unique, mood-lifting, guaranteed to love this is you are a drum and bass fan. Disadvantages: None
laurenjade109 18.08.2008 (18.08.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: somewhat helpful
Review of HoldYourColour - Pendulum
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