Power Ballads

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2007-08-24 rating:
Seriously enjoyable blend of soul, jazz & funk Drum & Bass
London Elektricitys's debut album Billion Dollar Gravy somehow combined golden nuggets of soul, jazz & funk synth-lines and soundscape-backgrounds, with some of the slickest D&B beats to be found anywhere, resulting in the most accompished album by a country mile to come out of this new, up & coming subgenre of Drum & Bass. It was a truly landmark record which drew in new Drum & Bass fans from far & wide who perhaps had hated Drum & Bass before when it sounded too garagey. Here was the NEW modern, musically-accomplished direction for D&B to head in.

So the followup album is bound to be a flop right? Wrong! Fans of BDG would immediately say that track for track, Power Ballads is a stepup in quality and creativity. So does that mean BDG had poor tracks? No, the difference is that BDG was like a book with each track like a chapter in the story. Each track was genetically related to the next creating an album that MUST be listened to from start to end to understand the flow of the story being told. Power Ballads as indicated in the title, is an album of wider, varied and more importantly individual tracks. Track 1 does not lead into track 2 whatsoever, there is no story being unfolded for your ears. Instead there are just tracks which are actually much, much better individually than BDG and are quite simply mind-blowing in places. The pace is quicker, the sounds are richer bringing in more jazz/funk sound-backdrops and all round its more in your face than BDG. This is less chillout, more party-out! In that respect it beats BDG hands down because most of the tracks of Power Ballads could be used in a live set and make a club bounce which was not the case for BDG.

Despite this, I would still say BDG is as good as Power Ballads due to the sensational way it was put together with each track leading superbly into the next taking you on a journey all the way through. Power Ballads on the other hand is one of those albums which you could take any track and send a party into a Drum & Bass dancing frenzy! In conclusion, buy both albums if you havent already.

BTW, BUY THE AMERICAN IMPORT VERSION which does not have a dancing man on the picture because it also comes with a free dvd of them playing live at the jazz cafe! same price too!

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review by: date: 2006-11-05 rating:
Hospital records again show there skills
An absolutely amazing album, just check out the mustard song you will not be able to keep still!! Seriously this is unlike most drum and bass most people will hear, chilled out and also upbeat at the same time! Please check this out most innovatice drum & bass of this year.

If you can't be arsed to splash out, at least check the podcast on itunes

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review by: date: 2006-10-17 rating:
Sublime Drum & Bass!!
When 'Billion Dollar Gravy' came out I was seriously impressed and I couldn't stop playing it, but 'Power Ballads' takes things to a whole new level! This album is quite simply one of the best drum & bass titles available!!

As with 'Billion Dollar Gravy' each track on this album is superb! The beats are wonderfully arranged and perfectly executed giving the tracks amazing energy. The bass is weaved in and out with great skill and it all works perfectly. Mix in melodic riffs and fantastic soulful vocals and you've got an absolute masterpiece!

The immaculate production quality is also worth mentioning. The tracks are expertly constructed and the heavy use of live samples gives the album a very organic feel.

Although this is a drum & bass album, I would recommend it to anyone into dance music. It's jazzy, funky, soulful, melodic, energetic and much more. Without a doubt an essential purchase!

This is only the second time I've been moved to write a review and the first time was for 'Billion Dollar Gravy' so London Elektricity must be doing something right!!

Highly recommended!

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review by: 170_bpm_guru date: 2005-10-15 rating:
'Out of this world'
When I heard this album for the first time, I was blown away. Funnily, when billion dollar gravy came out a couple of years back, i felt exactly the same way. This album though is a true masterpiece and leaves the previous album in the shadows.

It is so appropriate that the first track is titled 'out of this world', with such a live organic feel, which is where the london elektricity(LE) sound has been since Tony Coleman very bravely took LE live one fateful day at the Jazz cafe. I think musically, that has transformed LE into the finest live dance act I have ever heard.

The band oozes soul , jazz, creativity,and amazingly fresh vibes throughout the album. The sound is polished to perfection, and has been created with more live samples than any other successful drum and bass album. Even songwords are included in the album cover sleeve. Lianne Carol who has imprinted her beautiful voice on many of the tracks on the album was recently voted jazz singer of 2005 by the bbc.

It works on the dancefloor, it works in your house, it works in your car, what more could you ask for. Most of the tracks mix seemlessly with your regular dnb tracks.

Lets see, my favourite dnb non-vocal track on the album is probably 'hanging rock'it is mind blowing. My favourite vocal rollers are 'will to love' and 'Far from the shadows'they are some of the most soulful moments in dnb history. Although from a universal perspective, all the tracks on the album sound great.

By the far, the best drum and bass album every produced. The album will probably have massive appeal from non-drum and bass fan too. I had lost hope every imagining that anyone would ever make the first drum and bass album which had 'songs'in it. This one does. LE no doubt realised you need 'songs' if you going to tour as a live act.

Power Ballads is : 'A small step for a band, a massive step for british dance music'.


review by: slashasasha date: 2005-10-09 rating:
hospitality is due
"Power ballads" by the awesome London Elektricity combines drum and bass beats with harmonies and melodies that are out of this world.
Describing there music as fast soul music this album is sure to get your head and body, moving even if you're the most passive dancer out there. From the funky natural double bass track "The strangest secret in the world" to the keys and hooks of "Will to love" there is something for everyone here. Not fond of manufactured drum beats u say? Well London elektricity use the one and only "Jungle" drummer to lay down the break beats.
This album is certainly one level up from "Billion dollar gravy" which was released back in 2003.
Live this band is truly amazing combining soulful lyrics to bass drops it's an act not to miss.
If you're not a fan of drum and bass but of jazz, soul or any sort of music this album is defiantly one to get. It will open your eyes to more musically evolved drum and bass or as hospital say... Fast soul music!

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