Sketchbook: Amazon.co.uk: Music
Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 384,700 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
1. Loop Bass
4. Sketchies Death Track
6. Ampeg 18kHz
7. Dolby C
10. Java Bytes
12. 3 of 4
The third album by Brighton producer Req, Sketchbook sounds roughly like a hip-hop album recorded by Buddhist monks. Not like The Beastie Boys, mind: these are spartan, engrossing instrumentals ready-made for meditative practices. Or, perhaps more realistically, for providing a more spiritual and original chill-out soundtrack than the usual mimsy blandness offered up by that genre. Req has arrived at this peaceful, faintly incense-scented place by an unusual route, having first made his name as a graffiti artist and associate of Norman Cook in Beats International. Two albums for Skint followed, striking for their incongruity amidst the label's internationally renowned troupe of big-beat superstars. Warp seems a more suitable home for him but still, it's hard to think of any obvious kindred spirits. For this is woody, unsteady and strangely affecting music that never seeks to hide how primitively it was made. Roughly-recorded, dulled beats ail and splutter. Tiny cymbals, gongs and flutes drift in from the garden. Unidentifiable stringed instruments are played uncertainly. It could all be a shambles, but Req ensures that the imprecisions signalled by the title are human and delicate rather than annoyingly amateurish. A Sketchbook, then, where the finished versions would be nowhere near as interesting. --John Mulvey
4.0 out of 5 starsA charming oddity.
I'm not familiar with the rest of Req's output, so I can't compare. However, what I can say is that if you like your electronica full of huge beats, fast cuts, phat basslines and twisted melodies, then DON'T buy this.If you prefer to revel in the feeling of just one or two sounds/loops changing slowly over a four or five minute track (a la Steve Reich), then this is for you. Reminding me of Susumu Yokota's Sakura in many ways, but with more of a hip-hop feel, this could be the album for a lazy summer's afternoon.A quirky and understated gem. It will be tragically overlooked.
5.0 out of 5 starsA parallel universe next to the breadbin
This album from minimalist warphop artist Req (aka Req One) is nothing if not unique. Do not expect your usual warp records quick changing synth-and-drum-machine-scapes: "Sketchbook" creates its very own sound world from the beginning. It's an organic, minimalist record full of tropical sounding drums, clicks, drones, flutes, all laid back and lazy. The structures too are very unusual for warp, tracks which hardly build or progress in a traditional sense, but stay beautifully still, shifting and rumbling as if happening in a dream.As a whole, the album progresses concept-style from little rhythm pieces (like "I Seek", reminiscient of a your best friend's shambolic band warming up) to robust beaty tracks like "Upstairs" (the album's highlight). The second half explodes into a string of vast ambient epics such as "Java Bites", accompanied by "Loveache" and "3 of 4" which sort of form a gorgeous otherworldly cycle.This album is undeniably weird, but also extremely chilled out and never uninteresting, so it's always on in the kitchen in our house, which is like having a parallel universe next to the breadbin. That kind of experience is highly reccomended!
Coming from Nowhere, yet satisfying
If you knew about the man known as Req One, and heard all of his works that came before "Sketchbook", chances are you would probably write this off as crap. But after hearing all of the "Daily Beats" series on Skint, his "One", and his "Brassic Beats" album, "Sketchbook" is just a natural progression of what Req has come to do. Starting out as a graffiti artist, Req knows his hip-hop. And he's not afraid to do something different with it. Some of the tracks on this album sound as if Req just took some dusty hip-hop 12"s on a old record player (you can hear the hum of the record player on a number of the tracks) to sample, while he played some instruments over it. Some of these tracks can be described more as Ambient pieces, such as "Symbolic 3", "Colours", and "Love Ache". My personal favorite is "Wasp Zither" in which an absolutely haunting jewelry box melody takes controls, with dramatic pounds of instrumentation in the distance. Powerful stuff. Many will hate on this album because they know what Req can do. But if you know what he can do, you'll appreciate this album for what it is.
This album kind of came out of nowhere, at least that's what it seems to me. Warp-Net.com had no mention of it up until it's release, so naturally, I was asking "Who or what is a Req?"I noticed "Sketchbook" in a small CD store downtown and had to pick it up, mostly just because it's on the Warp label. I was pleasantly surprised at what I heard when I put it in my CD player. The first reviewer is very right, it is all very Lo-Fi, kinda muffled sounding. . .but that adds to its charm.There are some really good beats here, and very subtle melody throughout the album. Yes, the ambient works do become a bit boring, but are enjoyable nonetheless.I must say, the big masterpiece of this album would be track number 13, "Wasp Zither". It's a very mellow track, the melody sounding of a music box almost. The beat is subtle here, but very heavy, like a heartbeat. It's an emotional song.Overall, this is a great CD, minus a song here and there (hence, only four stars).
Another great Warp album from out of nowhere
Warp does it again, exposing great modern music that can only be categorized loosely. Req first achieved fame as a graffiti artist in the UK, then, inspired by his friend Norman "Fatboy Slim" Cook, began dabbling in music-making. (His early releases are on Norman's label, Skint.)The result? Funky, raw, outsider music reminiscent of the Beastie Boys' instrumentals. The sound is aggressively lo-fi with a "basement tape" feel (in fact the whole album is in mono!). Some of the ambient experiments get a little tedious, but they do provide nice tension-breakers.Technology is making it possible for just about anyone to make a record nowadays. Sketchbook is proof that that's a good thing!
don't bother with samples, just buy it
I've only just got around to actually getting a copy of this even though I was privy to pre-release samples from it. The 2 tracks I got to listen to were dull and un-original. I already had a load of Aphex, Squarepusher and Autechre in my collection and I didn't need another lot of impeneatrable scratchiness.2 years later and my girlfriend pulls the album out of her CD box. We sit, we listen and the first thing I say is that I thought I'd hate it... but I didn't. I loved it. The tracks I'd heard all that time ago aren't here, no hamsters chewing tin-foil, just beautiful lo-fi beats. It's an album that makes passing the time with nothing to do a joy.
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