Product Description

Fourth album from London-based breakbeat duo, follow-up to 1999's 'Very Mercenary'. This release sees them playing their own instruments and creating their own samples rather thanusing ones from other records. It also has more of a straight hip-hop flavour than before, with guest spots from rappers Blade, MF Doom, Phi Life Cypher, Wildflower, and Rakaa Iriscience of Dilated Peoples.

Track Listing

1. Something Wicked (feat. Seaming To)
2. Verbal Animé (feat. Rakaa Iriscience)
3. Time 2 Build (feat. Blade)
4. 24 Carat Blag
5. Mr Holmes
6. Good Girl Gone Bad (feat. Wildflower)
7. The Hard Stuff
8. Distinguished Jamaican English (feat. Phi Life Cypher)
9. Worldwide Connected
10. The Turnaround
11. Battle Of Bongo Hill
12. It Ain’t Nuttin’ (feat. MF Doom)
13. Unsungsong

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #11443 in Music
• Released on: 2002-03-18
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
Herbaliser masterminds Jake Wheery and Ollie Teeba consider Something Wicked This Way Comes to be the highlight of their career, and with good reason. The duo has been crafting a blend of jazz laced hip-hop and club grooves since they formed the ever changing and expanding Herbaliser collective in 1995. Now on their fourth album they've combined their formidable studio know-how with the live instrumentation utilised in their electrifying performances.

Collaborators include their homemade horn section the Easy Access Orchestra, Iriscience of west coast underground supremoes Dilated Peoples, Phi Life Cypher and Wildflower the tough, tender newcomer from Harlesden in Northwest London. Each brings a striking individuality to their tracks, ably nurtured by the production duos blend of psychedelic soul, tough funk, deep grooves and strong melodies. Wicked but wonderful. --Gavin Martin

The Independent On Sunday
The tastiest blend of the Herbs yet."

The Times / Play
"The Herbaliser have proved themselves to be one of dance music’s most consistently adventurous beatmasters. Something wicked, indeed."

Customer Reviews

5.5 out of 5...
Judging by some of these reviews, 'Something Wicked...' doesn't appeal to a certain type of Herbaliser fan. In my opinion, the closed-minded ones. This album isn't leaning towards pretentious jazz, it's a mix of seductive downtempo grooves, fresh hip-hop and sleazy funk with some excellent production.

Admittedly, this album is a slight departure from the old Herbaliser sound, being less sample-based and with more emphasis on instrumentation - but the cheeky samples from old movies and public information films are still there, as is the clever scratching, catchy beats and awesome guest rappers. In any case, it's not as much a departure as a logical evolution of their style.

I suppose the only way you could dislike this album having been a fan of their previous work is if you are the sort of person who would dislike Barry Adamson's 'Murky World of...', and hence you probably wouldn't appreciate the cinematic lounge-funk-jazz hybrid that the backing to the Herbaliser beats has become.

I personally think the additional instruments give the album an epic, live feel, and shows that the Herbaliser are much more than just purveyors of high quality ambient hip-hop. Basically if you like quality hip-hop with stoned grooves such as Aim, you'll love this. If you are into bands like Quantic, Bonobo, Kinobe, Blue States - you should love this album too.

Not as good as other Harbaliser albums
Sorry - can't agree with the other reviewers (who gave 5 stars) here! I'm a huge fan of Herbaliser - Very Mercenary and Blow Your Headphones are stunning albums of low down, sampled up hip hop (and Session One is very good as well).

However this one seems to be leaning towards (slightly pretentious) jazz. Basically it is full of random doodlings and very little quality hip hop, and very few "songs" (just lots of ideas). Not a terrible album (there are some highlights - Something Wicked and Good Girl Gone Bad) but those expecting the usual full on Herbaliser (like me!) will be disappointed. Stick to the aforementioned albums unless you're a completist (sadly like me :)).

Something Wicked This Way Comes....Indeed!
I've only just purchased this CD, but already it has become my most highly adored of all time. I'm new to the 'Ninja Tune' label, but this album certainly does it justice. Something Wicked This Way Comes has a little something for everyone.

Whether it be the chilled out and euphoric sound of 'Something Wicked' which features the haunting vocals of 'Seeming To.' or it's incredibly funky 'Turnaround' this CD is simply...Amazing. The Herbalizer do justice to their already distinguished 'jazzy' sound with the enlightening 'Unsung song' and the truly superb 'Battle of Bongo Hill'.

This album also features some of the most talented MC's from both U.K and U.S hip-hop. Phi-life Cypher demonstrate yet again that they have some of the smoothest and fastest mic skills to date in the amazing 'Distinguished Jamaican English' and 'Blade' gives them a good run for their money with his unique lyrical content in 'Time 2 Build'

If hip-hop is your thing, then buy this! If funk is what you like, then buy this! If you feel you need a new, refreshing sound to keep your ears smiling then make sure 'Something Wicked This Way Comes' is soon to be a member of your Cd collection.
Top Class!!!