UNKLE – Psyence Fiction

Featuring several hall-of-fame guests from different horizons is not usually an easy task and often leaves something to be desired musically. But the result is very, very solid here. DJ Shadow's industrial, grunge-ish touch is instantly recognizable and the "UNKLE Main Title Theme"/"Bloodstain"/"Unreal" suite is like an extended experience of "Endtroducing...".

The album begins with a sample taken from the"NASA, The 25th Year" documentary released in 1983. We hear what could be close to a buzzing spacecraft, like a Nostromo from the 1979 film "Alien" where the beeps of computers would recall the console that lights up in order to extricate Ripley and co. from their cryogenization. It then transitions to hip-hop that will continue in the second "drums of death" part "The Knock" featuring Beastie's Mike D.

I'm personally not a big fan of Radiohead, but I particularly appreciate Thom Yorke's vocal performance in "Rabbit In Your Headlights". Him combined with the pianos and orchestral elements give me "Everything In Its Right Place" vibes. Maybe this was an inspiration for the said opening track of "Kid A".
If you're looking for more "classic" rock riffs, "Nursery Rhyme" does the job. The energetic, yet lightly muffled guitars combined with the vocals makes me think of Sex Pistols or similar punk rock acts.
As for "Chaos", I really thought the vocals belonged to Hope Sandoval at the first listening. It's ironically the least chaotic song in the middle of those drums, guitars and scratches.
Also, the skit "Getting Ahead In The Lucrative Field Of Artist Management" samples an ad from 1976 promoting a game called "Ballbusters", where the "Outro" replays the beginning sample of "Guns Blazing". The circle is complete.

My biggest surprise, however, and arguably the most cacthy song is "Lonely Soul". It borrows as much from classical music as from the most astral and tortured trip hop: guttural bass, nebulous drums, sparkling synth notes. Everything oozes poetry, fear and despair.
And suddenly, after five minutes, the violin kicks in. The listener's frozen expectation turns into orgasmic pain: Richard Ashcroft's fragile and gnawed singing is extinguished in a heart-rending last cry, while improbable firework samples tear apart the musical space reduced to the bass, which is increasingly obscure. Then the Grail, sun coming from the sky through a crescendo of epic and anguishing symphonic music.
Rob Dougan is the first comparison that I will choose for this pearl.

UNKLE, and especially "Psyence Fiction" may not be as known as Archive, Portishead or Massive Attack (especially now and outside the UK/US), but certainly not least recommended.

I had no idea that this got a mixed response when it came out. I love this album and think it's a classic. Not much of a fan of the later UNKLE output but Psyence Fiction is a great album IMO.

It's an okay mixtape; could've been somewhat better though given its artist roster and the hype it received at the time. Worth a listen, though.

I hate Nursery Rhyme - Breather. Why the hell did Lavelle & co. stick that track on this otherwise good album? My main beef in general is too many vocals. I was hoping for more instrumental hip-hop. It's still pretty good - but it has nothing on Entroducing. This is definitely a level below in quality. I'm not a fan of the rock influence, wherever it exists. On the other hand, I love the classical influence. Overrated quite a bit. I was expecting more.

"Psyence fiction" is DJ Shadow's and James Lavelle's endlessly deep, psychadelic and subtle trip into space... nothingness!
There's nothing comparable to this which makes is the best trip hop album ever made in my opinion. A record I will never give up listening to!

A great UNKLE album, harbouring the best of UNKLES abilities. Such original production could only occur with producers such as James Lavelle and DJ shadow. UNKLE, starting with Psyence Fiction, are the most original and skilled producers I have heard to date. Contending with even the highest ranked DJS, their mixing skills are nothing to be laughed at either, with sets such as the Boredom Reborn set to their credit.