Doctor Rockit – The Music Of Sound

This record has aged very well. Pretty timeless. More words.

I bought this back in the year it was released and listened to it a few times. Its gathered dust until I played it on a long drive recently. I agree with both reviews below. It simply doesn't work as an album. You have the momentum of Wishmountain-like tracks contrasting with quite decent deep house tropes but even more awkwardly the try hard 'sample-an-apple-being eaten and put it through the fx system' experimentation. Okay its interesting but I find it a bi self induglent in tat experimentation cannot be the work in and of itself; its a process used to arrive at the final product. I find Herbert least likeable when he privaleges this wonky 'style' as an end in itself at the expense of good music. At his worst he produces a kind of intellectual freeze-dried micro house that fails to move. And then theres the opening (????) Cafe Beograd which really is just pure kitsch. Looking past this.....don't be perturbed...there are a few tracks that are good on this and will prick the ears of discerning listeners. If you see it for a few bucks pick it up.

Doctor Rockit, Matthew Herbert’s downtempo alter ego, brings his first album, The Music of Sound on the sadly defunct Clear label (Herbert, however, has grievances with the label -- but that’s a different story). The album skips willy-nilly across the globe, stopping by the Middle East for “Café Beograd” to “Hong Kong.” There are moments of absolute beauty, such as “Song Without Words,” and moments that are funkily askew, like “Music Box.” He also seems to be wrestling with his other guises: “Babykiss” and “Theeeee Ennnnnd” aren’t far removed from his work as Wishmountain. But “Male James Bonding” is pure Doctor Rockit, with its nimble spy funk, while “A Quiet Week in the House” is a subdued house track. Although the album as a whole is uneven, it’s still worthy every penny.