Jaku [Import]

Jaku [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Product Description
European pressing of the talented DJ's 2004 album has earliest release (Japanese scheduled for October). The album features guests like Mr. Lif, Aesop Rock, & more. Sony.

Tracks:

Still Island with Shuuzan Morita
Road to Nowhere
Nosferatu with Mr. Lif
The Beginning
Transitions
Stormy Cloud with Ken Shima
Univearth with Tetsuro Naito
Deck-athron with DJ Tatsuki
Kill Switch with AESOP ROCK
Pretense
Slit of Cloud with Akira Sakata
Passage
Beyond Raging Waves with Shin'ichi Kinoshita
Distant Voices
Song 2

Customer Reviews:

Grade A.......2007-06-27

not everyone likes DJ Krush, but I do. This is another one in the series of his beautiful albums.

Excellent mix of beats, vocals and instrumentals.......2006-11-10

Another great album from Krush. Jaku and Kakusei are must haves for any music lover.

The best, and most refined, album from DJ Krush........2006-06-27

I've been a fan of Krush for years, and own most of his albums. If you are a lover of dark and atmospheric trip hop, then this album is for you. It is strong from start to finish, and incorporates beautiful japanese instruments, brooding beats, and smart lyrics. This is one of those albums that reaffirms your faith in good music.

I think that this album is Krush's most complete work. It surpasses "Zen," and takes the listener on a contemplative journey through towering soundscapes and dark valleys. I don't review many albums, but I believe that "Jaku" is a trip hop masterpiece.

Hope this helps.

a masterpiece.......2006-04-05

theres so much to say about this album that words can't even describe. honestly, you really have to listen for yourself.
ive been a krush fan since i first heard 'kakusei'. for those of you that have been krush fans since day 1, thats not very impressive. but at the time, i was young, and listened to a lot of hip hop, and kakusei is his most trip-hoppy instrumental hip hop album. just solid beats... but lets focus on 'jaku'.
lets just say it brushes upon every emotion ive ever felt in my life. it starts out dark, and throughout the whole album there is a dark mysterious feeling to it. the mental image i get from the first track is flying high through green mountains, the sky all grey and misty. while listening to it, theres a sence of anticipation, chills that run through your body as if something is about to happen. and something does. especially on track 6. if you have seen the album art, it fits the music perfectly.
there is a feel for almost all genres of music. some hip hop, some jazz piano, some ancient flutes, and rhythm that is almost tribal, but still stays modern enough to be played in clubs.
the first track captures you, and lets you know whats coming ahead in the album, then the rest of the album takes you on a journey to the eastern part of the globe.... and gets lost. when i say this is a masterpiece its because this is krush's latest work (well he actually has two remix albums out now that are amazing as well) but this is his last full length non-remix album he has made, and he has taken his work to the next level. traveled the universe and came back, and then made an album to describe it. after nearly two decades of making music, his experiences throughout his life and where he has traveled come together on this album. As well, you still get a feel that this is the dj krush from japan you have always known. it seemed as though for the production of this album, he sat high on top of a mountain, in a temple, meditated, and understood the world. and jaku is his memoires.
after hearing 'shinsou' or 'the message at depth' (the album that came out previous to this one) i thought there was no way he can follow it up with a better album. but he proved me wrong. this work is far better than any of his other work, can he prove me wrong again?

Chill.......2006-03-29

Was at a friends house drinking and chilling and I heard the Tsugaru Jyamisen for track 13, Beyond Raging Waves. Bought this album for this song but was suprised at how most of the songs were good. I know have about 6 of his albums. Also check out 'Zen' and if you like the sounds of the trumpet, check Ki-Oku for some nice turntable and trumpet sounds.

Average customer rating:

What a Krush

Jaku
DJ Krush
Manufacturer: Sony
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

Ambient | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

General | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Trip-Hop | Dance & DJ | Styles | Music

Acid Jazz | Jazz | Styles | Music

General | Rap & Hip-Hop | Styles | Music

Dance & DJ | Imports | Stores | Music
ASIN: B000295UZY
Release Date: 2005-01-25

Tracks:

Still Island - DJ Krush,
Road to Nowhere - DJ Krush
Nosferatu - DJ Krush, Mr. Lif
Beginning - DJ Krush
Transition - DJ Krush
Stormy Cloud - DJ Krush, Ken Shima
Univearth - DJ Krush, Tetsuro Naito
Decks-athron - DJ Krush,
Kill Switch - Aesop Rock, DJ Krush
Pretense - DJ Krush
Slit of Cloud - DJ Krush, Akira Sakata
Passage - DJ Krush
Beyond Raging Waves - DJ Krush, Shinichi Kinoshita
Distant Voices - DJ Krush
Song 2 - DJ Krush

Album Description

European pressing of the talented DJ's 2004 album has earliest release (Japanese scheduled for October). The album features guests like Mr. Lif, Aesop Rock, & more. Sony.

Customer Reviews:

What a Krush.......2005-11-28

Nobody does rap/electronica quite like DJ Krush -- downtempo, hip-hop, and exquisite beats. He's done amazing works with acid-jazz, beats, and complex rhythms. But this Japanese turntable pioneer has dropped all that in his eighth album, in favor of a more.... organic sound.

Instead, "Jaku" harkens back to Krush's roots -- that is, it mixes gentler, chiller beats with traditional Japanese music. It's an unlikely combination, but unsurprisingly Krush makes it work. The resulting music is cool, dark, clear and has that timeless vibe from the traditional instrumentation.

Elusive beats and soft shakuhachi flutes set the tone of the opener, "Still Island," followed by drums and bells and gritty hip-hop cameos by Mr. Lif and Aesop. The songs that follow vary wildly: Some are delicate, breezy and even ghostly, while others are beat-heavy and tripwire taut. "Decks-athron" is one of the few exceptions, with its futuristic beats and swippy effects.

By the last third of the album, the traditional instruments have gotten even more prominent, except for another brief foray into futurism. Shin'ichi Kinoshita and Akira Sakata add their vocals to nimble koto melodies. It ends with the pretty music-box melody "Song 2," which makes use of electrobeats in a more delicate way.

It's not the sort of music that Krush became famous for, and it might take a little while for his fans to adjust to this sound. But once they are used to it, it's impossible not to appreciate the innovative way that Krush melds trippy beats and hip-hop with flutes, piano, koto and chimes. It's a departure, but a very successful one.

The one flaw of the album is that Krush keeps his foot too firmly in old territory, and so the hip-hop sound is out of sync with the more ethereal songs like "The Beginning" or "Stormy Cloud," with those windy parts. But even the ethereal songs have a sort of dark edge to them, which keeps this from sounding like (gasp) new age music.

"Jaku" explores new (or old) territory for DJ Krush, and he doesn't disappoint. A bit of unevenness is all that mars this beautiful, dark, atmospheric album.