Coldcut review from Music Tech Mag
We’re sure that many of you will need no introduction to Coldcut. While pioneering the use of cut-and-paste sample and VJ’ing during the late 80s and early 90s, Matt Black and Jonathan More also founded the Ninja Tune record label. Home to an eclectic roster of artists, the label is seen as one of the UK’s most successful and respected independents. From their first release in 1987 to more recent albums and projects, the pair have collaborated with a wide range of artists, and it is this diversity that really comes through in this sample pack.
The format of the DVD is identical to the other Loopmasters disc reviewed on these pages, so rather than discuss that let’s move on to the sounds. The drum loops vary massively, from swinging live funk breaks and filtered percussion to some surprisingly excellent electro R’n’B grooves. There seem to be some noise artefacts on several of the loops, although it could be argued that this is part of the lo-fi Ninja Tune sound. The basses are a bit of a let-down, with some fairly standard live basss and a few grungy synths, but this is made good by the awesome musical loops section. There is a huge variety, including harps, horns, 80s funk synths, warehouse rave pads and squelches (there’s even some whistling).
While this pack is less specialist than the others reviewed here, it is a great source of inspiration and could be used to add a fresh element to a track if the regular well has run dry.
Verdict
A versatile pool of inspiration for lo-fi beat heads and techno junkies.
Rating: 8/10
