Pete Rock - Lost and Found

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From Dotmusic:

Essentially, it's an outing for that beautifully laid-back, smoked out and polished up production style that Pete had perfected by '94. With relative unknowns, he concentrates on purely street sentiments as he sculpts effortlessly graceful, bass-heavy grooves shimmering with keyboard fills and muted horns. Somehow, Pete Rock's best music seems to transcend the possibilities of hip-hop and the SP1200 and drift on a setiva cloud closer to the soundscapes of dub reggae, filtered through a nostalgia wave of black American musical history.

It's two albums that were shelved sometime in the mid-90's -- somebody didn't think they'd sell, I guess. One is from a project called INI, the other from Deda, and they are dope. DOPE, I tell you! I'm leaning towards the INI right now, but I may change my mind later. The record of the year... except the year might be 1995.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 23 October 2003 03:49 (twenty-two years ago)

How do they compare to Petestrumentals? That was my favorite record of 1997, of course.

― rob geary (rgeary), Thursday, 23 October 2003 05:38 (twenty-two years ago)

Never even knew about the Deda one, but I've had INI since it was released (2001 maybe?). The people at spinemagazine.com went totally ga-ga over it, so of course I was underwhelmed by the album at first. It's pretty good though. No one seems to make that relaxed, summer Sunday afternnoon type shit anymore. I like it more than the Petestrumentals, if only because there are MCs on every track to hold your attention--which is necessary because the production is not very complex, much more minimalistic than Mecca and the Soul Brother.. By the end, I start to tire of it though, too consistent for its own good and he over-uses filters.

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 23 October 2003 05:53 (twenty-two years ago)

too consistent for its own good

But it's consistently excellent! I don't understand. But see, I'm biased in thinking that the mid-90's were kind of a golden age of hip-hop. That "mnot very complex" production is the hallmark of it -- keep it low, jazzy, give it a groove. James Brown is "not very complex" either, you know.

Is it better than Petestrumentals? Well... not exactly, but I'd say it's as good. The first half of that INI album is so solid I can't stand it.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 23 October 2003 06:00 (twenty-two years ago)

Mecca is a masterpiece, but whenever Pete Rock's aroun, I find I don't miss CL Smooth one bit.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 23 October 2003 06:02 (twenty-two years ago)

K.D.R.O.C.L.S

Kenan Doesn't Reminisce Over C. L. Smooth

― rob geary (rgeary), Thursday, 23 October 2003 06:04 (twenty-two years ago)

It's consistently pretty good, yes. But there's no real standout tracks. No unarguable classics. The songs don't really distinguish themselves from one another. But hey, I like the album a lot so it's just a minor gripe, a gripe that prevents me from saying "OMG YOU MUST KILL YOUR MOTHER FOR THIS ALBUM", yanno?
As far as complexity, it's just personal opinion. You can keep a groove can and still switch it up a lil, throw in a few flourishes in the background, things you will only notice on your 10th listen. See: Mecca, and a few tracks on Soul Survivor.

― oops (Oops), Thursday, 23 October 2003 06:08 (twenty-two years ago)

But there's no real standout tracks.

You are on crack.

I just rememberd that it's my birthday. Everyone has to agree with me today. That is my birthday wish.

― Kenan Hebert (kenan), Thursday, 23 October 2003 06:21 (twenty-two years ago)

pete rock makes me yawn. wish it wasn't true, but i'm yawning now, even thinking about these albums...

― paulhw (paulhw), Thursday, 23 October 2003 23:00 (twenty-two years ago)

three weeks pass...

Every track on this album is a standout.

― ddrake, Tuesday, 18 November 2003 13:52 (twenty-two years ago)

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