Product Description

Tosca is the recording name for electronica duo Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber. Fans of Kruder & Dorfmeister (Richard Dorfmeister's better known main project) will already be familiar with Tosca's down-tempo, groove-oriented vibe, and J.A.C., the duo's fourth release, delivers more of the same, with impressive attention to creating lush, relaxing cushions of sound. Live instrumentation fleshes out the programming here, and Dorfmeister and Huber's artful work at the boards keeps the synthesis smooth and sophisticated, with enough contemporary production flourishes to keep things varied and high-minded.
The retro lounge feel of "Heidi Bruhl", for example, is offset by the smoothly rolling groove of "John Lee Huber", and whereas most of J.A.C. spins out jazzy, laid-back atmospheres, there are a few scattered moments, likethe electro-funk of "Damentag", where the energy receives awelcome boost. A host of guest vocalists lend their talentsto the outing, making J.A.C. a fun, fine stereo selection for mellow, elegant socialising or a solo headphone experience.

Track Listing

1. Rondo Acaprico
2. Heidi Bruhl
3. Superrob
4. John Lee Huber
5. Pyjama
6. Big Sleep
7. Damentag
8. Naschkatze
9. Zuri
10. Sala
11. Forte
12. No More Olives

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #27292 in Music
• Released on: 2005-06-06
• Number of discs: 1

Customer Reviews

Smoke in the slow-dance-floor!!!,
The exquisite sound of Tosca return, with tracks full of intelligent beats, from jazzy downbeat, cinematic blues and mellow house sound styles. The work of Richard Dorfmeister and Rupert Huber is so deep that creates a cold and warm atmosphere at same time. Featuring the most beautiful vocal performances from Earl Zinger and Valerie Etienne, Samia Farah, Chris Eckman and Diana Lueger, Stefan Graf Hadik Wildner and the greatest "Anna Clementi" and Farda P. This album is the most consistent formulation of both the carefree and the melancholic aspects of Tosca. The melodies quicken, the grooves are both fun loving and laidback. Huber and Dorfmeister have found both a fresh understanding of the art of understatement and a newly reformulated, breathtaking musical authenticity. Like the new life around them, J.A.C. similarly breathes new life into the characteristic sound of Tosca. Besides the ever-present and celebrated Tosca mood, this new sound resonates with the vibrations of live instruments translated with a liveliness that captures the immediacy of creation and improvisation at its peak. It's this live, real instrumentation that marks the sound of the new Tosca album the most significantly. Everything in a beautiful Digi-Pack CD with printed faux black leather sleeve.

Disappointing...
From its "warm leatherette" CD cover through to its last track there is something distinctly odd about Tosca's latest offering. It should be really good, certainly going by Richard Dorfmeister's enviable track record and his excellent last two outings - the brilliant "A Different Drummer Selection" and Tosca's "Dehli 9" - but it's not up there and quite why is difficult to pinpoint. Its production is again of the highest order, a lot of its tracks are driven along by genuinely "funky" back-beats and it's layered with the catchy melodic hooks that the best downtempo electronica/jazz should be. All good stuff, but what's missing is that creative edge that pushes it out of the boringly lush waters of "lounge" music that a lot of downtempo albums fall into. And, where it does keep its head above water it either sounds like a languid retread of "Suzuki" & "Dehli 9" or, as in the first track "Ronda Acapricio", it's all a bit too clever to work.

A hard assessment on an album that's perfectly pleasant to listen to but then the problem with being "the best" is that a great deal is expected. Unlike Thievery Corporation's latest release, "The Cosmic Game", which pushes this style of music forward, "J.A.C." is a disappointing and probably deliberate step into the middle of the road from an artist who can and does deliver ground-breakingly good music... it'll probably sell huge amounts as a result.

Tosca's Inner Child grows up!
Have been patiently (!) waiting for the lastest Tosca album, and the wait was worth it!

If you're a Tosca/G-Stone fan you can recognise how the sound has evolved over the past three albums, very much like the evolution of Thievery Corp (See: Cosmic Game), where the songs are both easy to listen to, but also take you deeper into the grooves with each listen.

It is great to come across a production that sounds like they put some thought and creativity into every part of the production, as well as pioneering new depths in beat/percussion. So, there are some benefits to maturity, after all!!! ;-)

In a nutshell, JAC is both familiar territory as well as being utterly fresh!