Er, this is a tough one to review, but here goes:

    Kaleidoscope starts off strong, with Full Bleed, which has a really big sound, and goes from ominous to very jazzy. The jazzy feel continues into Cookin', which ambles along, and reminds me of Coldcut when DJF starts stratchin' it up a bit :). When I say 'jazzy', I don't mean laid back or anything like that, I mean with a trebly, fast jazz beat with lots of hihats. I can't think of any other word to describe it.

    "Break" is a staccato, cut-up track, as DJ Food has some fun with a narration of somebody's pool game. This is perhaps the weakest track on the CD, but not bad. Again, fans of Coldcut might like this.

    "The Riff" is a fast-paced tune, balanced between a sinister baseline and fun brass, and sounds like it should be playing during a car chase in a detective movie. I'd say it has sort of a big-band style, and (along with Full Bleed) is similiar to what I've heard by Amon Tobin.

    Chicago radio guy Ken Nordine joins DJF for vocals on The Ageing Young Rebel. His voice is quite fun to listen to, and has a low and harsh, but smooth, with a sound that suits the lyrics well. Ken's vocals are the main point of the song, but the rest is good too.

    Starting with "The Crow", the CD starts getting slower, more dramatic, and often have an ominous feeling. The Crow is a good example of this, with a low sound (double bass?), that DJF mixes up enough to remind that he's still a DJ, and then gradually works in half an orchestra. This is a nice track.

    "Nocture (Sleep Dyad 1)" has the neat loop that plays on the DJF website as the focus of the song, but in my opinion, time is wasted working up to it, only to have it disappear halfway through, and need 'working up to' again. However, this track is still ok.

    "Nevermore" begins with a spooky sound, and maybe wouldn't feel out of place in a horror film. (Wait, not one of those stupid 'Scream' clones, I mean, something really suspenseful here). DJF adds a beat that suddenly turns fast and intense, not to mention a brass section, but the spookiness returns for the ending (which is somewhat of a cliffhanger).

    "The Sky at Night" is dramatic, with a mystic sort of feel. It's quiet, and could almost put you to sleep, a really nice track.

    "...You" is a slow song, with somebody playing a relaxing tune on the vibes, and a slow, held back, sorta beat and some very nice vocals. This one /will/ put you to sleep, but it's not boring. One of my favourite tracks.

    Ah, Minitoka. This one is light, with some harp and flute stuff, slow latin beat, and a very nice, warm, string section. About 3 minutes in, it sounds like it's winding down, but DJF changes the tune, while keeping the feeling of the song. All 9 minutes and 24 seconds are perfect, and show off DJF's musical sense and talent. It's awesome.

    The last track, "Reprise (A splash of debussy)" is a little 1:00 string tune, that sounds nice, but being so short, doesn't have time for much.

Phew, well, anyway, this disc is another great thing from the halls of Ninja Tune (a label I highly recommend, BTW). If you like other NT artists, or if you just enjoy really excellent music, you have to pick this up. There's no other word for it but beautiful.

DJ Food is a collaboration between the founders of the down-tempo groovers Coldcut and this definately marks a change in their musical evolution. Whilst Coldcut's music is Jazzy and uptempo, 'Kaleidoscope' represents a distinctly more dramatic and experimental turn. The main style of the album is that of an aural landscape which succeeds in letting the imagination soar amongst the synths and whispered beats of the album. The only tracks which differ from this style are 'aging young rebel' which sounds like something a stoned Morricone would write, and is no less good for that, and Nocturne which is a fantastic tune, rising xylophone beats and breaks. If you want challenging original and provocative music then buy this, it's definately worth your while.

This is yet another Ninja Tune artist that I've checked out for the heck of it. It's well worth your money to get this disc. Sure, "Full Bleed" might not grab your attention immediately, but "Cookin'" will. And while "Break" and "The Riff" are slight head-nodders, "The Ageing Young Rebel" slows it down while featuring Ken Nordine's cool poetry. However, from "The Crow..." on, you're going on a journey to a world you've only dreamed of. It should hit you by the end of "Nocturne (Sleep Dyad 1)" that reality isn't what it seems. Only Amon Tobin and Boards Of Canada manage to do it this excellently already. Add DJ Food to the list of "Artists who defy reality and take you to another world."

This album creates a beautiful soundscape, especially starting with Ageing Young Rebel (track 5). This track has a mysterious film-noir feel, coupled with a 1950's beat sensibility. It's sly and clever, and talks about how as we live our lives out, we lose touch with ourselves and just get 'normalized' by the society we live in. After track 5, the album delves more deeply into a kind of classical feel. It's very moody, velvety, and puts you into a kind of trance. Overall, this is just an excellent album!

this is the first album ive picked up from food and i was impressed. i felt the whole album from beginning to end but i couldnt help also feel that he was holdin back quite a bit. however, it is a good buy worthy of your dollars in my opinion. its still original and unique and thats the reason i listen to and love music. thank you. enjoy