House, R&B, Soul & Rap > 5 GBP to 10 GBP House, R&B, Soul & Rap > Dance

Siminimina Bay-Beh

Advantages: Lots of big dance tunes
Disadvantages: A couple hold it back

Dropping in Summer 2009, “Party Hard” came as the debut album from the former UK Garage MC (who debuted in 1999), turned Funky House musician Donea’o. The musician sings soulful R&B to the urban House variant seen as an alternative to the Bassline scene (as the ‘southern’ alternative) and is one of the leading acts of this genre. In the past he has worked with the likes of Lethal Bizzle, Craig David and The Streets, and although he doesn’t get any ...
...of the most lively club music for the UK. 1. “Riot Music” Getting things going here, you have a track from him which sees him getting right down to some high energy material which is bound to get people and to excite people for what is to come as he shows what the dominant sound in London is as he rides heavy breaks and comes with a empowering lyrics for a big burst through. **Four Stars** 2. “Devil In A Blue Dress” Moving it on a little, you find ...

XICripZ 09.06.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Party Hard - Donaeo

Progression from their roots

Advantages: A development of their distinctive sound without losing the magic of their first album
Disadvantages: Definitely not to everyone's taste

The second album from Argentine/Parisian nuevo tango pioneers Gotan Project is a much more fully rounded recording and an easier listen than their first outing, La Revencha Del Tango. The first album established their iconic sound, mixing traditional tango melodies played on accordions with dub beats and new production techniques. This takes it a step further and we see that there really is more to this trio, tracks such as "La Viguela" (a type of ...
...smooth acoustic guitar work with weird processed vocals, yet somehow it works. The French influence has clearly become stronger and this is most evident on the haunting "Celos" which conjurs up images of a wartime jazz quintet playing in a smoke filled basement in Paris. For me however, the highlight is the final track "Paris, Texas" an epic re-interpretation of Ry Cooder's theme for Harry Dean Stanton's 1984 movie of the same name. Overall I would ...

natedizzle 03.06.2007 · Read full review
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Review of Lunatico - Gotan Project

Christmas Rappin' (With Not Kurtis Blow)

Advantages: Lots of big tunes
Disadvantages: One average tune

...you tend to connect with Christmas time. **Four Stars** 3.“Dana Dane Is Coming To Town” - Dana Dane Here we get a funky jam that I really can't see any rooms for complaints in as we find that Dana Dane comes in with some storytelling rhymes that seem to take on all that Slick Rick was known for (even though he didn't debut as a solo artist until the year after this). He comes out with flows which have him telling a rather straight-forward tale that ...
...making good use of past Christmas song samples to help him as he does his thing. **Five Stars** 7.“He's Santa Claus” - Disco 4 Starting off with a little “Jingle Bells” (as just about ever other on this album up to this point) we see that we get a track that soon changes its direction as the cold beats come into effect and the rappers in the crew come to do their thing by all giving each other a chance to lay down their own stuff on the mic(rophone) ...

XICripZ 05.12.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Christmas Rap - Various Artists

8? So What Happened The The Other 4?

Advantages: Bangers throughout
Disadvantages: Nothing specific

Their second album of 2001, “8 Days of Christmas” followed “Survivor” as the fourth album from the R&B trio Destiny's Child. Using the line-up that the group worked with from the point when they reached mainstream popularity (with Beyonce Knowles, Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams) it finds them bringing a Christmas-themed album containing mainly well-known festive tunes, as well as a couple of reworked ones and completely original songs. 1.“8 ...
...the album with the titular track to this release and the biggest single from the original version of the album (with a latter edition going on to include “Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer” a fresh re-make of “The 12 Days of Christmas” and fill it out with the types of things that they would actually want to have. It is a banger of a tune and the perfect way to start things off. **Five Stars** 2.“Winter Paradise” We find that the act are backed up by ...

XICripZ 04.12.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of 8 Days Of Christmas - Destiny's Child

Are You In That Mood? What Do You Mean, No? Mariah, Tell 'Em!

Advantages: Lots of big tunes
Disadvantages: One average track

Her only album of 1994, “Merry Christmas” was Mariah Carey's fourth album and a Christmas-themed one. As with all her albums up to this point, it finds her bringing a strong mix of Pop and R&B in order to come up with a sound that seems to bring together a wide-ranging audience. She brings both traditional carols and some original tunes too. 1.“Silent Night” She begins the thing with a song that you really couldn't see being missed off as she gets ...
...to do for her (the thing that made her stand far ahead of others in the game when she made her breakthrough in 1990). It's a great showcase of her talent, and a strong way to begin things to give you a good feel for the direction that will be taken with this album, showing that she will do things in the way that fans expect from her. **Five Stars** 2.“All I Want For Christmas Is You” This is a great song in that it somehow managed to stand up as ...

XICripZ 03.12.2009 · Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful
Review of Merry Christmas - Mariah Carey