Talking about a character like Goldie is quite challenging and difficult, especially because of the immense impact his musical experience has had on the evolution of a genre like electronic music, which, throughout the past decade, seems to have reached, in many respects, its definitive completion.
Known for his love story with Bjork, as well as for a rather eccentric personality and look, Goldie developed an interest in music from a very young age: Hip-Hop, Reggae, and Electronic are his daily bread, bread that he eagerly and relentlessly feeds on, and which will serve as the driving force for his professional and artistic growth.
It is indeed 1995 when the schizoid producer debuts, and he does it in the best possible way, immediately placing a masterpiece, a milestone that, even today, is recognized as a true turning point in the history of electronic music (and not only): we are clearly talking about "Timeless", an album that, akin to another gem like "Parallel Universe" by 4 Hero, will mark the definitive transition from "Jungle" to "Drum'n'Bass", giving dignity to a type of music that was, until then, exclusively niche.
The album unfolds in eight superb tracks, in which the consistently excellent quality level is astonishing: in "Timeless", indeed, there is no drop in style, and in its over seventy minutes of duration, the purest and most total perfection is achieved. Once the CD is inserted, the journey begins, and one immediately encounters the true gem of the album and (probably) of the entire Drum'n'Bass genre: the title track, twenty minutes of visionary journey into the unimaginable, perfectly divided into the form of a suite in multiple movements, three to be precise (I. Inner City Life, II. Pressure, III. Jah). A true kaleidoscope of sounds and crazed rhythms, which will remain an unsurpassed peak in the entire evolution of the genre.
The subsequent "Saint Angel" and its continuous and frenetic changes of register add darkness to the whole, while the relaxing funk-soul atmospheres of "State Of Mind" ease the previously accumulated tension, before reaching the magnificent "Sea Of Tears", where the screeches of seagulls and the waves of the sea guide us, lulling us for twelve minutes, between environmental suggestions and soft, never intrusive beats.
The engaging "Angel" introduces us to the second part of the album, anticipating the extended and hypnotic atmospheres of "Sensual" and "Kemistry", to finally reach the end with the concluding and splendid "You & Me", a piece with a very "Early 90's" piano introduction, which then heads in a completely different direction.
It is truly admirable how Goldie succeeds in building ethereal and incisive atmospheres at the same time, accompanied in this case by the magnificent vocals of Lorna Harris and the long instrumental tail that triumphantly closes the album. It seems unnecessary, then, to add more words about a classic like "Timeless", a work of incredible intensity that does not feel dated at all, but rather still sounds excellent today, ten years after its release. Goldie will never reach similar standards again as his career progresses, but it matters little, as his name will continue to be associated with one of the greatest masterpieces ever produced in the history of music. We can be content with that.
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