Kaleidoscope

Listening to the album, I couldn't help feeling somewhat cheated. It's ok for a football team (and maybe bands like Genesis) to change their staff without warning us, but I don't expect decent artists to. It's a trust thing.

anyway, back to the album. There's some strong tracks here - some tracks ooze quality and cool late-nite vibes (Full Bleed, the Crow), but it's inessential stuff, especially since a much better mix of Crow is on the "Funkingfusion" compilation. Elsewhere, their experimental jazz background wears right through the cool stylings, leaving you with indigestible noodlings like "The Aging Soul Rebel". Sorry boys, but the "Reprise: a Splash of Debussy" is downright embarrassing, as are all synth experimentations with classical music, as if they wanted to show that they were above all this nasty "dance music" stuff.

There's really no reason to get this over "Recipe for Disaster" and particular the stellar remix album "Refried Food". Trust me, I own a lot of Ninja stuff and this is probably the one I listen to least.


Throwing some paint on a canvas and calling it art   November 28, 2001
 1 out of 16 found this review helpful

For every type of music there is a listerner - no matter how lifeless and uninspiring (like country music). Thus we have DJ Food - overrated, boring, and simply to cool for their own turntables. I do give DJ food credit for creating very avante guard music as I would give an artist credit for being the first to think of putting a yellow dot on a green canvas - but I don't have to like it.


Simply put...   September 15, 2001
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Kaleidoscope is a masterpiece. It's one of those classics that will never, and won't ever, outdate itself.
Much different than previous works by DJ Food, probably because the Coldcut duo didn't collaborate on this one. The past releases were all excellent productions. But I have to hand it to More and Black for stepping out of this one. PC and Strictly Kev, previous Food collaborators, created this one by themselves.
Nice job guys.
One of Ninja Tune's best in my opinion.


Moody fusion...   April 8, 2001
 3 out of 5 found this review helpful

This is one of my favourite albums at the moment, quite possibly THE favourite. It's responsible for changing my outlook on music.

I've always preferred electronic music to the "ordinary" variety, and until recently I was dead-set against buying anything that smacked of jazz. Elements of jazz were acceptable though, which is why I was willing to take a chance with Kaleidoscope.

As you may have guessed, I was shocked to find out that the album is heavy on jazz influence; indeed you have to listen carefully to some of the tracks to discern where the mixing comes into play. My reaction to this was very negative at first. But slowly, my attitude began to shift. I discovered that Kaleidoscope isn't that dreadful light jazz popular with baby-boomers. It's noir, and it's keenly self-aware. Exactly what I like in pure electronica.

I'm now a full convert to DJ Food's brand of fusion. I'd list the outstanding tunes on the CD, but the album is so superb as a whole that I'd be doing it injustice by holding up some tracks and dismissing others. Suffice it to say that I'll remember "The Crow" and "The Sky At Night" for years to come.