Warp, 2004
Jimmy Edgar’s slickly-produced instrumental hip-hop reminds me of similar efforts from Ghostly International’s Dabrye. On “No Static,” jazzy synths glisten over beats to good effect. Unfortunately, the rap samples are a bit weak. “Morris Nightingale Theme” is more to my liking, with melodic riffs distorted, stuttered, and answered. “Urban Outtake” takes a page from the past, starting with eighties synthesizer stabs, then morphing into a combination of flute samples and scratching. “Re: City Alley,” the fourth and final track, is probably the most electronic-sounding of the bunch, creating a dense atmosphere of synth beeps and washes with vinyl surface noise. Jimmy Edgar is a nineteen-year-old designer from Detroit. If this EP is any indication, he’s in store for a long career making funky music.
Its okay…
I mean the stuff is “slickly” produced, a nice clean sound. But at the same token its overall effect on my ears was boredom. It would be decent background music at a party I guess, that way you’re not exactly listening to it you’re more just hearing it.
I agree that yes, in the future jimmy should try and utilize the vocal snippets and samples he uses to greater effect. Maybe he should listen to early Push button objects to get what im talking about, even though they too tend to be repetetive they carry much more intention and inject serious “flava” into the tune.
i really disagree with that comment…
jimmy has got some intense originality and i’m anticipating the fullength that supposedly comes out in the summer, seems likea this is only an introduction to the future SO GOOD
vocal snippets are for prefuse and thatstuff is already old and dated
old and dated?
what kind of argument is that?
I think the Jimmy Edgar thing has been ludicrously hyped, but I’m tired of criticism on the basis of how ground-breaking the work is. It’s all about making good tunes, dudes, not just showing off your new Reaktor ensembles.
I’d give this EP 3/5. It’s not perfect, but I think it’s very catchy (like the previous reviewer, I could also give a shit about originality if the music sucks). Obviously, he doesn’t have the programming skills of Richard D. James. I don’t like the argument that he’s a lesser Prefuse 73 though; I think each have their benefits. I’m waiting to make a final judgement on Jimmy Edgar’s stuff until his full-length. I will say this, though, I’m glad he’s back from just static clicks and cuts, that Micheaux album was intensely banal at times.