Review : Curfew - CD - Inside

From:
Peter J Brown aka toxic pete
(www.toxicpete.co.uk) <http://www.toxicpete.co.uk>

'Inside' by musical modernists Curfew is a work of chilling ambience. Succinct but vibrant beats sit juxtaposed to silky electronic 'ramblings' creating a compelling yet relaxing album with massive appeal and pseudo-healing qualities.

'Inside' is dreamy rather than hypnotic; drift with an open mind as the tracks unfold, drift rather than totally succumb, float still tethered to reality as you remain alert and mindful of your surroundings but at the same time become enlightened. Yes, that's how 'Inside' gets to you; it's a beautiful trip and a lot safer and better value than non-prescription drugs!
There's no doubt that the often eerie sounding electro outpourings play a massive part in shaping the 'sleepy' effect but, the use of (mainly) female vocals is inspired - gentle, silky, evocative, persuasive. Curfew's music sits strangely on the acoustic side of the fence - that probably doesn't make sense but that's the feeling that you get - although profusely 'electro' generated, nothing here actually sounds too unreal or synthetic. Wonderful use of 'horns' and great syncopation occasionally lifts the feel into the realms of nu-jazz and forces the mind to re-adjust and reach for some kind of equilibrium. So, it's not all just dreamscapes, a decent scattering of light and shade bless this album and make it pretty damn intoxicating!
'Inside' by Curfew clearly demonstrates that electronically biased music can still be innovative and worthy; 'Inside' by Curfew is an excellent example of the 'form' - mind expansion goes hand-in-hand with peace and serenity on this, a beautifully rich and extremely compelling album of cool sounds and tranquil aural tapestries. Better than most and as good as the few, 'Inside' by Curfew is mind-fuck of the most pleasant kind!!

Review : Curfew - CD - Inside

From:

Edward Bishop
(Pete Tong Fasttrax TV Producer)

Love this.

It will be featured on Pete Tong TV on 27th FEb 2009 though - 1st slot

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From:

Shane
www.gardenofearthlydelights.com

Yeah, this Curfew album is "OK", it reminded me of Sounds From The Ground released a few years back. Effortlessly lush and all but souless and a tad dull apart from a few tracks! I will be playlisting tracks 6 & 8 tho as they will slide in as sweet as a well lubed tube, which is nice.

Thanks xx Shane

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From:

DJ Laurent Garnier
Some good stuff on here for my radio show. Radio Nova Paris.

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From:

MUSICIAN Winter 2008

Fabulous contemporary electronics from London, incorporating relaxed synth soundscapes and dreamy vocals. main man Sönke Prigge, vocalist Sue Ballingall and guests including Roger Francomb, serve up a series of sweet helpings guaranteed to be huge with the chill set.

From:

http://www.barcodezine.com/

The single-handed creation of one man, Sonke – Curfew is a sturdy album of electronic pop/downtempo songs.
Setting the tone for the remainder of the album, Crazy World immediately invites with its melancholy keyboard chimes and slow, sloping breakbeats. Female vocals dominate the track, as they do most of the album with various tales of love lost/gained.
Together We Can (Let Go) is fairly introspective, middle-of-the-road fare, pleasant listening, yet the tempo is increased on The Things I See, which introduces a slight trance/world music element. This continues on the more mainstream Take My Hand, reminiscent of the latter-day pop experiments of worldbeat band Delerium.
Inside is doubtless Curfew’s most interesting track on show; verdant with clattering percussion, Rhodes keyboards and female vocals, it slowly develops into a full-on jazz effort, complete with saxophone. The track ends then reprises with unfolding piano and keyboard tones before taking a more languid, downtempo route, adding some luxuriant, thoughtfully-layered electronic programming.
Elsewhere, tracks Breathe and Just Thinking head in a more ambient direction, again the production is clean and precise, the songs congenial rather than involving – but still making for pleasurable background listening...

Inside is a fairly consuming and sophisticated electronic record, containing more than a few refined, pleasurable moments...

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From:

author: Joe Klein (found on CD Baby)

CURFEW = INSIDE Before hearing the first tone of this CD you will know the theme: The CD cover explains it all: A head in the clouds and inside the head in foetus position; a person! There are no feet on the ground and the head in the cloud symbolises a far removed being from reality and the world. The world happens outside ; there on the INSIDE are only thoughts and the clouds to consider and where they will be blown to by the wind. Not a proactive state of mind and a situation where thoughts take over and where a new, personal reality is invented, which might be REAL(ity) or not... (what is reality?) ... moving on the the first few notes and words ("Crazy World"): Some kind of church bells in the distance with a 'pad' sound that symbolises the clouds and the wind and there we have it: "watching the world from above..." this surely is the perspective of the person INSIDE the head in the clouds . The 10 songs describe quite well how live in the INSIDE must be like and the beautiful soundscapes almost visualise these feelings. Mostly they tell about shyness and retreat, of things one might see under the influence of mind enhancing drugs or of dreams and of states of mind, which is are bit different from what society would consider normal. The songs seldom speak of positivity (TAKE MY HAND is the exception). Many songs describe a situation that is quite beautiful, but they are dreams or 'could-be' situations. Hemingways THE OLD MAN AND THE SEA' fits in quite well and finally after so many nice thoughts and how things could be we're off to bed with an old friend (DEAR SLEEP) and back to where we started: in a dreamlike state high in the clouds... The lyrics are on the CURFEW website and helped me to understand this CD. I followed the artists' recommendation and listened to this CD on headphones lying in my bed. It works !

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From:

http://www.ilikemusic.com

Inside is a relaxing, introspective album for anyone looking for a nice mixture of electronica, ambient, and world music...
Inside creates a relaxing, mood-setting sound, but the songs seldom speak of positivity (Take My Hand is the exception). Many songs describe a situation that is quite beautiful, but they are dreams or 'could-be' situations...
... the title track sings about being helplessly in love. Finally after so many nice thoughts and how things could be we're off to bed with an old friend Dear Sleep and back to where we started: in a dreamlike state high in the clouds, with a departure from female vocals and love songs into an eerie male electronic voice...

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From:

Chris & the RadioIndy.com Reviewer Team

“Inside” is an ambient, chill-out electronic album from the UK band Curfew. Their world sound makes them a musical cross between The Gotan Project, Massive Attack, and The Prodigy. One could say the electronic sounds lean more towards The Prodigy and the ambient more toward Massive Attack. Curfew is comprised of four vocalists, three female and one male, creating an beautiful vocal sound overall. “Inside” is well-produced and allows maximum listening pleasure by creating a relaxing, mood-setting sound. When pronounced, the lyrics are often fashioned as love songs and display how the songwriter feels “Inside.” On “Together We Can (Let Go),” a female vocalist beautifully sings, “If you’re too afraid to show your feelings/Too afraid to speak your mind/Don’t expect love.” Similarly, the title track sings about being helplessly in love: “Why are you so fascinating/I can’t help but give you much too much attention/Much too much of everything.” “Dear Sleep” closes things out with a departure from female vocals and love songs into an eerie male electronic voice similar to Radiohead’s “Fitter Happier.” “Inside” is a relaxing, introspective album for anyone looking for a nice mixture of electronic, ambient, and world music.

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If you would like to review any of CURFEWs albums or CDs, feel free to e-mail your text to:

info@rotaryheadrecords.com

Thank you.