Younger Brother - A Flock Of Bleeps

[Guest Astyanax]

Younger Brother - A Flock Of Bleeps

 

 

Artist: Younger Brother

Title: A Flock Of Bleeps

Label: Twisted

Date: 2003

 

Track listing:

 

01. Weird On A Monday Night

02. The Receptive

03. Evil And Harm

04. Crumblenaut

05. Scanner

06. Even Dwarves Start Small

07. Magic Monkey Juice

08. The Finger

09. Safety Zone

10. Bedtime Story

 

Review:

 

Simon Posford (Hallucinogen) and Benji Vaughan (Prometheus) deliver us the

first album of their collaboration Younger Brother. All tracks that Younger

Brother have released previously are also on this album. But all 4 previously

released tracks have been mixed to fit in the album. The first 4 tracks are

ambient/downtempo, the next 4 tracks are trance and the last tracks are 2

short but very sweet ambient tracks. Overall this album stands for very rich

and twisted tracks of Shpongle/Ott sound quality and all tracks contain

twisted voice samples and some have beautiful vocals! And now a review for

each individual track: "Weird On A Monday Night" (T1): The first tracks starts

with a voice sample that sounds like someone suffocating, but wait! The voice

slowly devellopes structure and starts to sound like singing. After 2 minutes

a sweet melody sets in and the music really begins. This is really a weird

track with a lot of humor in it, with strange and funny voices. I couldn't

really get into this one at first but now I think it's a real killer! "The

Receptive" (T2): We already know this one from Backroom Beats, but this

version is quite different from the one on Backroom Beats; it's longer and has

a very nice beat! I don't really like 'real' singing like in this tracks, but

the singing in itself is great. "Evil & Harm" (T3): I guess this was the

first Younger Brother track to be released, on Demented. I've always loved

this track, but the last 2 or 3 minutes were kinda boring. Fortunately they

cut those minutes off, keeping a killer track! I just love the way they did

those guitars at about 4:00. Also the voice samples and some other samples

have been tweaked in this version. "Crumblenaut" (T4): Oh my God! We got

Michele Adamson singing on this one. "Singing"? Well I don't know how to put

it, but it just sounds beautiful! Listen it for yourself! Next on are 4 trance

tracks. First, "Scanner" (T5): I'd like to make a little comparison here to

Infected Mushroom's new album Converting Vegetarians; all tracks on that album

sound great but none of them seem to go anywhere. Just a big collection of

cool and twisted sounds, but no build-ups, no climaxes. Scanner also starts

out really twisted and IM-like, but this track does build up! After 5 minutes

everything becomes clear and the tracks builds to a great (and twisted!)

climax. A killer! Also, this track has a great basedrum which is banging a bit

slower than normal trance though. The beginning of "Even Dwarves Start Small"

(T6) is mixed with Scanner which makes it difficult to hear all of what that

incredible looooser is saying at the start of this track but don't worry he'll

repeat his line later on. For the rest this track is identical to the one

already released on Unusual Suspects. This track has a very nice basedrum and

a great beat. A real dancefloor stomper. "Magic Monkey Juice" (T7): When I

listened this track for the very first time I had this CD in my discman and I

was walking through the university hall with lots of other people, and

suddenly there was this voice in the track saying "Let's pump ourselves full

of magic monkey juice and take a trip to spaceland!" And I started laughing

out really loud and everybody was looking at me, but I just couldn't help

myself! This track is really funny and great for listening with a

headphone; very hypnotic! It ends a bit sudden though, quite like Infected

Mushroom's "Spaniard"; you don't see it coming the first time but after a few

times listening it seems quite natural. Well I don't think "Finger" (T8) needs

much introduction. IMHO the best track from Unusual Suspects (but it has some

strong competitors on this CD , and we have 'almost' the same track here.

This track has a very special atmosphere, very cool vocals and crisp clean

sound quality. The ending is a bit different from the original though... At

the end the track slows down and perfectly transites into "Safety ZOne" (T9);

slowed down sounds left from The Finger just continue to be used in Safety

Zone, so they really form a whole. Safety ZOne is a short but very sweet

ambient track, perfectly ending the trance part of the CD. To end the CD, we

get a short "Bedtime Story" (T10): at first this track seems just like a

guitar playing the same over and over again, but try listening with a

headphone and you'll see that it is actually very rich of sound, but still

very soothing. I love to listen Safety Zone and Bedtime Story just before

going to bed, sweet dreams guaranteed! Overall I give this great album a

9.5/10 rating!

[seraph]

AHMMM...What to say ? This album is good, but I've expected much more than just

good already hearing 4 great songs they released it before. I expected much

more diversity but I got one pretty good crafted album and that is all..Where

is that well known crazy Simon's energy ? Lost unfortunately....I don't mind

the album..It is just that is a bit predictable...And they could have put more

trance songs...Beside FINGER and EVEN DWARVES START SMALL that are AMAZING ,

also stands for brilliant EVIL AND HARM that is just plain perfect rest is not

that interesting except CRUMBLENAUT and SCANNER...next time, deliver us your

old , crazy energy Simon ! ...7.5/10

[X-scream]

Amazing! Didn't quite like it back in 2003, but it has grown on me enormously. All tracks are excellent and varied in both style and atmosphere. The progg/tech housey influences of benji combined with simon's magic manipulations are especially outstanding in "Scanner" and "Even dwarves...", wow!

 

5/5

[Jon Cocco]

Younger Brother - A Flock Of Bleeps

2003

FULL REVIEW

 

 

 

01. Weird On A Monday Night ... B

02. The Receptive ... B

03. Evil And Harm ... B+ .................. Richly DARK and moody. Powerful in its voice and music, delivery and rhythm.

04. Crumblenaut ... B+

05. Scanner ... B+ ........................... From 2.50 forward, great, continuously rewarding, and very enjoyable.

06. Even Dwarves Start Small ... B+

07. Magic Monkey Juice ... B+ .......... I love the first 2.40 minutes of this song, those goa-esque melodies, how they develop!

08. The Finger ... B ......................... The last good or great song on the album. I most like the melodies in the second half.

09. Safety Zone ... B- ..................... The best is clearly behind us.

10. Bedtime Story ... B- .................. A peaceful, short, and forgettable closing.

 

I was listening to this earlier for the first time since 2004/05. Upon going to review it I saw Younger Brother was at the very top of the 2003 review section. How convenient!

 

I don't know what happened to this album over the years... but I forgot how good it was. Really, before I thought it was fairly good as a whole with several pretty good songs, those being tracks 1, 3, 4, and 8. I like it more now than ever before. The first 4 songs go together so well. The first two bounce with fun energy and groove. They build up to Evil And Harm which is so deeply dark and evil sounding. I really like that song. It's just badass!! From there the speed and rhythm seems to quicken.

 

I like this album more than the first Prometheus album. There's generally more character and style. It's more diversified with sounds, voices, ideas, and melodies. There's generally more feeling and substance to the album. These artists have got to release smashing follow-up to this thing. It's not superb to me but it's very good or great. Some moments and parts in certain songs are so arresting. I love the creativity in certain parts of this album. I love the unpredictable elements when they're catchy. The general album is pretty catchy. Some tracks are better than others sure, and all are easily above average for downtempo, trance-esque, chill/dub-hinted experiemental, etc, etc.

 

The taste has improved over the years. This could have been a masterpiece relative to the amazing talents behind it. It isn't a masterpiece to me but who knows. It's underrated, undersold, and even I under appreciated it for some time. A Flock Of Bleeps very well done regardless. I hope the next one is even better. Very cool cover and interesting song titles btw.

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS:

 

1. WEIRD ON A MONDAY NIGHT

3. EVIL AND HARM

4. CRUMBLENAUT

5. SCANNER

6. EVEN DWARVES START SMALL

7. MAGIC MONKEY JUICE

8. THE FINGER

 

 

B+ or 8.8/10

[D3lirious]

One of my favourites 5/5

[rino]

Usually I write long, constructive reviews, focusing on almost every aspect of the album, but in this case, all I am going to say is that "A Flock of Bleeps" is in my top 5 post year 2000 albums! From start to finish this is such a creative and nicely flowing album. And although I do not like Prometheus, the sound of him and Simon Posford mashing together in the studio is, IMO, nothing short of breathtaking! I give this CD a very, very warm recommandation, and I would recommend listening to it from beginning to end, without interruption or the skip button, in a single listening. Amazing!!! The way in which it evolves from the slower, dubbed out beats to the stompier tracks only to end it all on an ambient note is great. Flow wise, "A flock of bleeps" can hardly be equalled.

Simon Posford simply amazes me when he's sharing the studio with others, and this is no exception, being his finest work/collaboration since the immaculate Shpongle debut, "Are you shpongled?". I very well remember how I though this was so original, such a nice sound and a new, cool direction for trance music. That opinion still stands.

I'm not saying everybody will like it, of course they won't, but for the sake of the people involved in this project, I am damn well positive that it would be hard to find people who haven't heard this yet, three years after its release. Nice going guys!

[Goa Bill]

Best album of 2003 and probably the best Simon Posford effort since The Lone Deranger. All tracks are excellent here. Absolutely no weak moment.

10/10

[chatnik aka alien]

4. CRUMBLENAUT

 

 

This is one of the best songs ever, whoooaaaaaa what Simon has do with voice in this song.........

[abasio]

I bought this, listened to it a few times, was dissapointed & then I let it sit on my shelf! It really is probably time to dust this one off & give it another listen. It has a high chance of a delayed wow factor I'm sure.

[Goa Bill]

A perfect album. Still goosebumps me every time I hear it.

[murphythecat]

What a release! the complexity of every song and every moments are just incredible.

9.5/10 only because its not better then AYS, because if thats was anyone elses work, everyone would be flipping out, but because its posford and some people is waiting for a new twised, peopl say its not that good, but imo it is wicked!

[murphythecat]

Usually I write long, constructive reviews, focusing on almost every aspect of the album, but in this case, all I am going to say is that "A Flock of Bleeps" is in my top 5 post year 2000 albums! From start to finish this is such a creative and nicely flowing album. And although I do not like Prometheus, the sound of him and Simon Posford mashing together in the studio is, IMO, nothing short of breathtaking! I give this CD a very, very warm recommandation, and I would recommend listening to it from beginning to end, without interruption or the skip button, in a single listening. Amazing!!! The way in which it evolves from the slower, dubbed out beats to the stompier tracks only to end it all on an ambient note is great. Flow wise, "A flock of bleeps" can hardly be equalled.

Simon Posford simply amazes me when he's sharing the studio with others, and this is no exception, being his finest work/collaboration since the immaculate Shpongle debut, "Are you shpongled?". I very well remember how I though this was so original, such a nice sound and a new, cool direction for trance music. That opinion still stands.

I'm not saying everybody will like it, of course they won't, but for the sake of the people involved in this project, I am damn well positive that it would be hard to find people who haven't heard this yet, three years after its release. Nice going guys!

+10000

[Charlie]

4. CRUMBLENAUT

 

 

This is one of the best songs ever, whoooaaaaaa what Simon has do with voice in this song.........

Yeah, I agree. It's the best tack on the album and possibly one of Simon's finest moments and, considering how fine a musician he is, that's saying something. There's a bit in the track, maybe two thirds of the way through, where, after it's slowed down and gone all mellow and dreamy, it kicks back into life with that incredible semi-creaking, semi-whooshing sound. It's difficult describing the sound as it's kinda flowing yet, paradoxically, it's also kinda staggered in it's effect (I think of it as the sound of time slowing down) but, whatever it is and however you describe it, it always gets my hairs standing on end. Just incredible.