Expanding dance music from hit singles into a concept album isn’t easy — like stretching out a picture with Photoshop, it won’t retain its focus without a few tricks. And, like any grand venture, these ego-fueled artistic joyrides quickly come to a fork in the road; they can either coast and become classics or wipeout painfully. There’s a wide gulf between an artist who can pen a catchy melody and one who can create an hour-long masterpiece. Unfortunately, many ambitious musicians have found themselves stuck somewhere between these extremes.
While I Kamanchi, the collaboration between legendary Bristol DJs Krust and Die, isn’t a concept album by name, it might as well be. First of all, it’s a hyped-up collaboration between two respected names; both have gained considerable respect over the years by producing a beat-heavy blitzkrieg of tracks. Second, the unifying theme of Kamanchi, a catchall phrase for positive change, appears throughout the album. Finally, it seeks to strike a balance, placing vocal joints next to hip-shaking floor-fillers. It begs the question: does a drum ‘n’ bass concept album succeed or does it collapse under its own weight?
If one’s judging the album based on the production, then it works. Krust and Die come through with a throbbing mix of tracks on I Kamanchi, a mix that bears many similarities to Krust’s pioneering work with Roni Size and the Reprazent crew. The album incorporates a range of jungle styles while avoiding anything too thrashing. Never emulating the head banging excess of Bad Company or the sci-fi fixation of Dieselboy, this album keeps things decidedly more populist. It’s a little more garage and a little less dark than many of its contemporaries.
It’s also a testament to the flexibility of these pioneering producers. Both have been producing music for years, especially Krust, who started in the late ’80s. This album proves they can stay relevant. “Circus” is a banging track of fat, squishy bass beats accented with crisp cymbal hits. Tracks like “Hold It Down” layer the delicious diva sounds of singer Tali over ragga-style beats and a rolling bass line that gently jabs listeners throughout. Contrast those tracks with “Ultimate”, a techy trip on top of pulsating bass licks that’s colored with a mechanical medley of Transformers samples.
Though the tracks on I Kamanchi are crowd-pleasing, that doesn’t mean the album is without its weaknesses. To start with, the Kamanchi theme never really catches on. The concept gets mentioned in the brief tracks sandwiched between regular songs, but these vignettes never fully articulate themselves and never coalesce into a solid idea. Though “Intro”, the opening track, puts listeners on edge with quivering string samples, most of the other skits sound trite and tired and are a distraction from the albums’ focus. It’s more filler than killer, and though heartfelt, seems a little clichéd.
In fact, most of the lyrics on the album are less than inspiring. Despite having a talented line-up of collaborators — singers Tali and Violet, MCs Rodney P and Darrison and fellow Bristol natives Retna, Holly, Grant and Osheen — their contributions don’t always add to Krust and Die’s work. There are exceptions; the smoky, jazzy singing of Violet on “Back To Da Boogie” channels some of the best work found on New Forms, resulting in a solid melody that isn’t bogged down with heavy samples. However, other tracks fall far short. Particularly painful is the wordplay on “Sounds of the Culture”, where the refrain “This is the sound of the culture / Kamanchi dropping that sound” only serves as a midpoint between uninspiring, clichéd bantering between MCs. Nothing said on this album really pushes things forward. It never approaches the jazzed-up wordplay of albums such as Billion Dollar Gravy by London Elektricity, instead staying firmly entrenched in more traditional accompaniment.
Overall, the album showcases Krust and Die doing what they do best; producing solid tracks. Both have certainly made their mark on drum ‘n’ bass, and this album is no different, showcasing both producer’s solid mixing and floor-filling melodies. It’s unfortunate, however, that they haven’t been able to utilize more exciting collaborators. A solid stable of skilled lyricists might have helped this album become more than a showcase for expert knob-twiddling.