Rasident Advisor

It's hard to understand exactly what's going on with young Apparel Music. Nearly every release has the word jazz associated with it in some way, a word that can turn listeners off just as often as it turns them on. (The imprint's explanation that "Jazz becomes the means for a reconfirmation of the world of house most virtuous" only further obscures things.) In Jazzy Gardens case, though, you can forget the nomenclature and simply enjoy... more...

Rasident Advisor

It's hard to understand exactly what's going on with young Apparel Music. Nearly every release has the word jazz associated with it in some way, a word that can turn listeners off just as often as it turns them on. (The imprint's explanation that "Jazz becomes the means for a reconfirmation of the world of house most virtuous" only further obscures things.) In Jazzy Gardens case, though, you can forget the nomenclature and simply enjoy the sound. Which is, well, a bit jazzy.

Not terribly so, mind. In fact, Kjofol likely owes more influence to the world of classical music than jazz. His plinking piano makes an appearance in all of the original tracks here, winding its way through the blur of minimal house percussion that reminds of the ultra-clean atmosphere of someone like Bruno Pronsato. The Berlin-based producer isn't a bad point of comparison: Kjofol's melodies are always expressive, but prone to dissonance much like Pronsato's early work for Orac.

What makes Kjofol different, however, is his relentlessly sunny disposition. "Brimbazz" and "Little Garden" are suffused with a light that keeps them buoyant, while "Pensive Sorrow" seems like one of the most easy-going odes to contemplative unhappiness you'll hear all year. Backed by an Echonomist remix of the latter, the only thing wrong with this bright and airy EP is its name. Jazzy or not, these are gardens made for exploring. (Sam Louis, De) less

ibiza-voice.com

Kjofol "Little Garden" (Apparel Music)
Kjofol merges his studious classical piano training with the four-on-the-floor recklessness of house music on “Little Garden”. The electronics on here give it a nice vintage psychedlic feel, like a dusty old Legendary Pink Dots album. However the treated piano, while evoking Harold Budd in spots, comes across more like George Winston, making this track more New Age than late night techno. more...

ibiza-voice.com

Kjofol "Little Garden" (Apparel Music)
Kjofol merges his studious classical piano training with the four-on-the-floor recklessness of house music on “Little Garden”. The electronics on here give it a nice vintage psychedlic feel, like a dusty old Legendary Pink Dots album. However the treated piano, while evoking Harold Budd in spots, comes across more like George Winston, making this track more New Age than late night techno. less

urb.com

"As the first release on his own Apparel label, Italian/DJ Producer Kisk wastes no time in making his intentions clear on the Jazzy Tourism EP. It is first and foremost a house album, but to label it as just that would be a mistake, because there is far more taking place. From the outset, there is – no surprise here – a large influence from the Italo house scene. Kisk uses electric pianos to dot the background, complementing the pounding... more...

urb.com

"As the first release on his own Apparel label, Italian/DJ Producer Kisk wastes no time in making his intentions clear on the Jazzy Tourism EP. It is first and foremost a house album, but to label it as just that would be a mistake, because there is far more taking place. From the outset, there is – no surprise here – a large influence from the Italo house scene. Kisk uses electric pianos to dot the background, complementing the pounding kick drum and adding a fine textural element.
The beats are raw and at times minimalist, but over the course of the seven or eight minute tracks, Kisk gives himself ample time to build deeper sonic layers. Furthermore, Kisk varies his drum loops to avoid monotony, and also to separate his tracks from traditional house. At times, he drops out the snare/clap, or the whole drum loop in its entirety. These sorts of elements allow the tracks to grow and evolve, rather than staying static.
In case you hadn’t noticed, the title of the album hints at another influence that plays a crucial role: jazz. Jazz in its nature is built around freeform structures, a trait that Kisk communicates well on the Jazzy Tourism EP. While the tracks are programmed and function within certain boundaries, there is a loose vibe to the entire project. Spooky sound effects weave in and out at will, with no natural rhythm. Obscure vocal samples, almost like whispers, float in the back of some tracks while stabbing, eerie pianos take the foreground. The whole jazzy feel of the EP is tied together nicely by the saxophone, which appears for both short blips and longer stretches.
While Kisk could benefit from richer, denser sounds (he does take the minimalist route more often than not), the Jazzy Tourism EP, is a very solid start. It is equally suitable for a strobe-light-heavy club or a chill evening. Kisk engages the listener with his freeform spirit, yet retains the necessary danceability and principle rhythms upon which house music was founded."
Zach Cole (URB) less

de-bug.de

Kisk - Jazzy Tourism EP (Apparel Music)
Sehr sweet und klingelnd beginnt das Label mit einem Remix des Titeltracks, den es hier in insgesamt 4 Mixen gibt, von Lopazz & Eddie Zarook. Flüsternde Stimmen im Hintergrund, sanftes Keyboard, tänzelnde Synths drumherum und ein warmer pushender Housegroove. Musik die auf einen herabplätschert wie ein warmer Sommerregen und sich immer wieder in ihrem eleganten Trudeln auffängt. Das Original... more...

de-bug.de

Kisk - Jazzy Tourism EP (Apparel Music)
Sehr sweet und klingelnd beginnt das Label mit einem Remix des Titeltracks, den es hier in insgesamt 4 Mixen gibt, von Lopazz & Eddie Zarook. Flüsternde Stimmen im Hintergrund, sanftes Keyboard, tänzelnde Synths drumherum und ein warmer pushender Housegroove. Musik die auf einen herabplätschert wie ein warmer Sommerregen und sich immer wieder in ihrem eleganten Trudeln auffängt. Das Original liefet alle Elemente in einem spartanischeren trockeneren Sound ist mir aber im Hauptmotiv mit klassischen Housepiano und Saxophon doch einen Hauch zu kitschig. SCSI setzt voll auf die Wärme der Bassdrum, bringt die Vocals am besten zur Geltung und gewinnt durch seinen smoothen Chicagofunk und das gedoppelt smooth fusionartigere Saxophon dann tatsächlich noch. Der Yapacc Remix kommt eher sanft dunkel minimal daher, nutzt die Samples für Andeutungen und entwickelt eine sehr smarte dichte Stimmung für die Morgenstunden mit ein paar Bonusstakkatovocals.
http://www.apparelmusic.com/
http://myspace.com/djkisk
http://de-bug.de/reviews/ less

de-bug.de

Lopazz & Eddie Zarook - Cat Jazz EP (Apparel Music)
Die digitale Ep featured 4 Tracks die sich um ein und das gleiche Thema drheen und Remixe von Cella, Fanceso Gemelli und Tornike. Die Tracks sind trocken. Funky. Jazzig auf ihre smooth holzig direkte Art und können schon mal klingen als wären die beiden eine Funkband, deren Stil sich vor allem aus der Instrumentierung und dem perfekten Gefühl für die Kicks die sich aus der... more...

de-bug.de

Lopazz & Eddie Zarook - Cat Jazz EP (Apparel Music)
Die digitale Ep featured 4 Tracks die sich um ein und das gleiche Thema drheen und Remixe von Cella, Fanceso Gemelli und Tornike. Die Tracks sind trocken. Funky. Jazzig auf ihre smooth holzig direkte Art und können schon mal klingen als wären die beiden eine Funkband, deren Stil sich vor allem aus der Instrumentierung und dem perfekten Gefühl für die Kicks die sich aus der Reduktion und Konzentration auf den Groove ergeben, bestimmt. Die Remixe verwässern die EP ein klein wenig und letztendlich ist nur der süssliche Groove von Tornikes "Twotwo" Remix wirklich richtig verlockend.
http://www.apparelmusic.com
http://de-bug.de/reviews/ less