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    7ball #20/Faith Massive
    Faith Massive — Drum & Bass For the Masses cover

    Faith Massive

    Drum & Bass For the Masses

    (1998)

    Reviewed by Derek Walker

    DiscogsYouTube
    Label N*Soul Records7ball #20September/October 1998
    drum and basselectronicelectronicatrip hop

    Faith Massive creates music that taps into the consciousness of the dance music scene. Sonically, comparisons can be drawn to such seminal drum & bass artists as Goldie and Roni Size, but Drum & Bass For the Masses, this duo's N-Soul debut, is adventurous in it's own right, reinforcing N-Soul's more-than-competent skill for finding talented dance/techno artists and giving them the recognition they deserve. Early on, with the skittering beats of the album opener, "The Beginning," Faith Massive (comprised of respected DJs Joey Davis and DJ Seven) makes good on their goal to capture listeners with their engaging and enticing tunes. This is the type of music that could easily be classified as "snoozic"--beats that slither and prance through your brain, lightly seasoned with minimalist samples ("Dubconscious" is imbibed with a groove that would make RZA, of Wu-Tang Clan fame, proud) and dreamlike synths. Guaranteed to either draw you into a meditative state (great for Scripture reading) or have you bobbing your head ... or both. With Drum & Bass For The Masses, Faith Massive has recorded a promising debut, one that can easily compete with it's mainstream contemporaries. The masses will be pleased.

    Other coverage for this album

    Opus 2005Reviewed by Jason MoreheadI live in a college town and, during the school year, Friday nights beckon like the light at the end of the tunnel (if you're a college student, you know what I mean). Like the sandhill cranes returning to their roosts, or the lemmings' annual journey over the cliffs, college students descend on the main strip, standing in long lines to get into the local alcohol-dispensing establishments. Now,…The Lighthouse Unsorted 1998Reviewed by Kenn JohnsonTaking its place among other N-Soul productions, the self-titled instrumental debut from the duo known as Faith Massive has a decidedly different feel from other ambient club releases. Despite its ubiquitous grooves, layered rhythms, and chest-thumping bass, it still manages to stand apart, in that it has a somewhat urban feel to it. The album segues easily from sound-of-the-street hip-hop to…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by James StewartOne half of Faith Massive may be better known to those readers who frequent the web as the US-half of the Tastyfresh website--Jamie Wright. Jamie, along with Joey Davis, presents the second drum 'n' bass release on a Christian label (the first being Trip's Cultural Shift), and to these ears, the Christian dance scene is setting off on a good foot as it explores this subgenre. This release has a…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Titi Ala'ilimaFaith Massive is a new drum'n'bass outfit on N-Soul records. Various sources compare them to mainstream groups such as Roni Size and LTJ Bukem. Not being very familiar with the genre myself, I can only describe it as hyped up percussion laid over mellow synth tracks, with a few ethereal vocals thrown in for good measure. The only close comparison I can come up with is World Wide Message Tribe's…The Phantom Tollbooth 1998Reviewed by Shari LloydDrum 'n' bass has exploded on the dance music scene. It grew out of the hardcore house/rave scene of the early nineties. It's a sub genre of jungle music which rather than using the straight 4-4 beat of house and techno music (boom-boom-boom-boom), relies on breakbeats - the sort of funky drum breaks played on old soul records sped up to between 160 and 180 beats per minute. Drum 'n' Bass is a…

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