I Kamanchi - Krust

Bristol's Full Cycle label drew a veil over their dalliances with major labels following the release of their ill-fated In the Møde as Roni Size & Reprazent, which received both a critical and commercial response far from the rapturous reception of their debut album, New Forms. Having split to pursue solo interests via their own imprint, Die and Krust further embellish the domination of the drum and bass movement, following Roni Size's coagulation of dancefloor runners on Touching Down, with the debut album from their much-vaunted collaborative project I Kamanchi. Initially unleashed to some fervor with their epic "Stay," which was featured on the Planet V LP back in 1999, the mixture of Krust's penchant for terrifyingly bleak, bass-driven pieces mixed with the dancefloor fluency of Die amounts to something of a formidable formula. From the opening sci-fi broadcast through to the worldly thrash of "What is Kamanchi," the pair continually turn up the jungle beat pressure, interrupted only by the occasional downbeat vocal aside, and a competent hip-hop piece featuring Rodney P, "Sounds of the Culture," rounding out an accomplished LP. ~ Kingsley Marshall, All Music Guide