There’s certainly no doubting that you get your money’s worth with a Joshua Noteboom release. ‘Narrow Path’ comes equipped with not only a bonus DVD but with a bountiful loot of ROM material, mp3s, instrumental versions, videos it also plays host to the entire album in 5.1 Multichannel Surround Sound. That’s in addition to the CD version you get as standard. Even for the majority of major labels, a multi-media release often signals a rather feeble and half-hearted tendering of grainy, low resolution artist galleries (a sleeve shot and a dozen or so variations on some promotional shots – they paid for them, they might as well use ‘em) and if you’re really lucky, a behind the scenes look at the making of the promotional video, which for copyright reasons is not included in the package. So whilst our thumbs are subtly aloft on this front, let’s consider the album…
A couple of years ago Josh One made a bit of splash in the chill-out lounges of clubs everywhere with ‘Contemplation’ – a track not lacking in either dreamy sophistication or bubbling, languorous bass tips. It’s chill, it’s lush, it’s icy-cool and it’s really rather consummate. A little too consummate perhaps. Even the syncopated ebb and flow of MC’er Aloe Blacc fails to lift tracks like ‘Risin’ above the gentle, cruising altitude the songs relentlessly hover at. An exception to this though, are tracks like ‘Day Dreamer’ which sparkle and shine with the helium pitched vocals of Lilli De La Mora and some inspired use of space. The effect is instantly more natural, more accessible and far less scholarly and exacting. Even the learned jazzy doodling succeeds on occasions and riff-cantered ‘Grey Skies’ actually achieves orbit. Best of the bunch though is title track ‘Narrow Path’ – a wistful hotchpotch of baggy loops, weeping strings, and tinkling guitars, sprinkled with copious beats and bloops; the kind thing that Kid Koala plays with and the kind of thing that DJ Shadow hotwires.
If you like dreaming, you’ll like this, just be warned that things don’t get too lucid, or too wet.