Today, I'm starting a series of debates about certain 808 tracks that I'm sure will cause some nice discussions.
You're all invited to join in... actually, you're obliged to do it
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808State Debate - v 1.0 - The Only Rhyme That Bites '99
What sort of dementia is that? Pure & sweet violence! 5/4 patterns mixed with 4/4 rhythms, erasing almost completly the original vocals. Is this the beginning of Graham's exquisite incursion into syncopated off-beats (like the recent conga mix of Pacific)? What do my guests think about it?
Hmmm, hadn't listened to that in at least five years. I had simply erased it from my memory. After listening to it again now, I remember why, it's pretty annoying. Even MC Tunes' voice has been tampered with, so you wouldn't recognise it. I like a sample, but not if it's repeated endlessly. I haven't got enough musical knowledge to comment on the patterns, but they sound OK to me, I quite like a complex pattern. The fact that Bombadin was included on this single, with a pretty awful version (Heller & Farley), didn't help.
I prefer the Only Rhyme mix on CD2 (Optical mix) which also features the Calerone mix of Cubik.
Well yeah, the Optical mix used to be a regular in my DnB sets those days... But hey, TORTB '99 is a new version done by the boys - this is what tickles me. I don't think it's annoying though, but I think it's a message to everyone saying 'this is how we do things now', like they's trying to disconnect themselves from the past - which is a shame, but completely understandable, since 808 has evolved a lot between '89 and '99. Any more inputs?
I liked the front cover of the piranha, again the track didn't do much for me, and the second cd was just black with no tracklisting, at least mine was
I like the 99 version. However I agree with the Optical remix being better has a harder slant to it. I'm never sure about artists remixing their own tracks, I think they almost always sound better if someone else does it. If you make a track you obviously like enough to put out as a piece of your work it must be hard to remix that track when you think that the original is so good. I understand it was really more of an update than a remix but it was just ok not outstanding. Other artists take a different angle and whilst it often ends up sounding like their own music the results can sometimes be superb. Look at 808's remixes, some of them are their finest work.
ive been playing it out a lot (the 99) fits into my set ..but hey thats all in 5 s or 7 s i love the position of the final funk off.worth it for that alone.
I have a mix of only rhyme from before the origenal version (if that makes sense) it was done when Phil Kirby was working with tunes in late 89.
I say its a mix but really its that rap over a diferent piece of music,
which often happened , i was involved as the r8 rears its head and kirby was strictly Alesis. the grey one with the matching sequencer (like orbital)
theres another tune with Kirby /raagman called cool and deadly.
think Paddy plays bass on them as well..
