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Asa Breed
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Binding: Audio CD
EAN: 0804297906522
Label: Ghostly Int'l
Manufacturer: Ghostly Int'l
MPN: 65
Number Of Discs: 1
Publisher: Ghostly Int'l
Release Date: June 05, 2007
Studio: Ghostly Int'l
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Editorial Review:
Tech man Matthew Dear has spent the last several years dipping his toes into pop, and while Asa Breed doesn't exactly dive into the deep end, it gets Dear pretty well soaked. Initially associated with the Richie Hawtin school of Detroit minimalism, he's been diversifying his sound over the course of his prolific recorded output (he also records under the names Jabberjaw and False, among others) since at least 2003's Leave Luck to Heaven. But Breed is more song-oriented and accessible than anything else he's released, even as it rolls out the sharp-edged studio craft that has built Dear's reputation as a producer. Songs like "Pom Pom" are fractured new wave flashbacks while short and seemingly simple songs like "Death to Feelers" get deeply ambient, revealing new layers with repeated listens. Another trick that helps soften the record is the work done on Dear's droning baritone. An acquired taste at best, he wisely chose to give it a sharper electro edge, mixing it up in a Nick-Cave-meets-Gary Numan way as his lyrics bounce between nonsensical and sarcastic. Stripped down and largely acoustic songs like "Midnight Lovers" and "Vine to Vine" only add minimal effects, letting Dear's weird words drive the music forward. While some fans hoping for a proper DJ record might be disappointed, Asa Breed is clearly the work of a man who wants little or nothing to do with what's expected. --Matthew Cooke
Customer Reviews
Average Rating: 
Rating:  - An interesting new direction weakened by sub-par vocals on every track.
I'm a big Matthew Dear fan - he's making some of the most interesting minimal techno coming out of the states right now. Unfortunately, vocals are not his strong point. He's said as much himself. So that leaves the question: why do an album full of vocal tracks? The lyrics are fine - nothing amazing, but not stupid. I think the reason that Ellen Allien can do so many vocal tracks is that she has a very distinctive approach that doesn't involve a lot of straight-up "singing" - it's kind of like 3D ... Read More
Rating: - Unexpected.
Matthew Dear is an interesting and creative fellow. I own three Dear CDs and an Audion disc. He presents quite an array of musical tapestries and provides some delightful listening. I'd judge him to be one of the best "instrumental" musicians in the techno/electronica field, but I don't particularly care for his vocals. Unfortunately, his new Asa Breed disc features him as a vocalist on every track.
On the Asa Breed disc, Matthew Dear presents music that is softer, mellower and slower. ... Read More
Rating: - I recommend this CD
I really liked this cd, nice mellow tempo with good innovative sounds; although I really love the straight ahead minimal beats of Audion, his other venture in music. This CD feels much warmer than other minimal stuff I've been listening to lately such as Ellen Allien or some of the Kompakt label artists. I don't hate his vocal but I do think "TV on the Radio" does it much better with harmonies and general enthusiasm. This is really a nice bridge between minimal tech and new folk, perhaps predicting ... Read More
Rating: - Don't listen to the other review
I love this album. The music is great, I think the lyrics are quite good. They are not ground breaking but at the same time I think that they are good. Really with this album are we listening for the lyrics? No at least I am not so I do not expect ground breaking originality. However the lyrics match the general feel of the track and I think improve it.
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