Seeed – Next! (Warner Germany)
Reviewed by Sadie O., 6/28/06
The top ranking German reggae/dancehall band – and German reggae is extremely good. Incredibly well produced – not so much slick as interesting, with lots of odd sounds. Some electronic dance beats, but plenty of real instruments, too. Three male vocalists. Killer riddims and awesome sounds. Most vocals in English, just a couple in German or French.
Only FCC I heard is in track 2. I like 4, 6, 10 and 16 best, but everything with 3 stars is also fantastic. This is a GREAT noise!
1. **starts with live concert noises and cartoon voice, slightly downtempo syncopated skank. Totally danceable booty shaker.
2. **FCC at 1:15 “kick the shit out.” Starts with random noises and breaking glass, slightly uptempo bounce. Female chorus, various male lead vocals.
3. ***Slightly downtempo and relaxed roots rock, sweet song about recovering a love that’s slipping away.
4. ****Excellent midtempo wiggle with big sound, horns, upfull lyrics.
5. ***Slightly downtempo funky skank, great sound.
6. ****slightly downtempo with great energy, fun noises, killer riddim. Bit of German rap at end.
7. ***Midtempo roots bubble, cool bounce, fun lyrics and sounds.
8. ***slightly uptempo rubber band bounce, raps in French by popular hip hop group Saian Supa Crew.
9. ***somewhat uptempo dancehall groove with electronic beat and horns. Fun! weird wind-down at end.
10. ****midtempo dance skank with cool middle-eastern-ish music, cool lyrics about stress. Really cool noise!
11. **downtempo, downbeat, electronic sounds and vocal harmonies.
12. *Slow start, slightly uptempo electronic groove, rather pop sound.
13. ***Slow old-timey blues guitar at start, cool slightly downtempo roots skank, sweet lyrics about respect. Ends with blues.
14. **Midtempo roots rock skank with Tanya Stephens providing female vocals. Sweet.
15. ***midtempo dancehall bounce with berimbau, unnamed female vocalist as well as the usual boys.
16. ****midtempo bloopy bouncy groove, vocals in German. Fades to random (restaurant?) noises 50 secs from end – can skip this.
17. ***somewhat uptempo roots skank with infectious bounce, interesting take on religious concept. Lots of scratch’n’sniff.