...Another Trip Hop Album? Well...If U Samples Nina Simone & Shirley Horn In Such Talent The Definition Is Irrelevant.

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Frenchman Alif Tree has written film scores, remixed, ran a soundtrack-based radio show and performed live around the globe using a variety of instruments, samples and assorted unusual gear. This album brings in the voices of Shirley Horn, Anna Karina, Nina Simone, David Linx and Ana Carril, and includes an homage to Steve Reich.

Review By Inthemix:

To fully appreciate the work of ‘Alif Tree’, one should always embrace the inconceivable and never take things too literally. As an artist and sound engineer, this french musician firmly believes in fully immersing himself in the science of digital sound and applying it to traditional methods – and vice versa. He holds vast open spaces to be as influential as the urban world in which he resides and he is a fervent defender of the art of living. In a past life (2000) he recorded his debut ‘The Observatory’, where critics deemed his clairvoyant perspective as “the possible future of electronic music”. Come the release of his second works in 2002, ‘Spaced’, and a following began to amass as many took to his classical influenced style of trip-hop.

Alif’s latest effort, ‘French Cuisine’, (which was recently made Worldwide Radio’s album of the week by Gilles Peterson) is a sumptuous affair that indulges in one of his many passions, food. The cover art is as tantalising as any high-end cook book and each track is accompanied by one of Alif’s to-die-for dining suggestions. To the music, and this is one of those rare types that becomes fixed in your mind from the very first listen.

Offering an amalgamation of modern sound and featuring the enigmatic voices of Shirley Horn, Anna Karina, Nina Simone and David Linx, here Alif takes from his past works on independent cinema soundtracks, modern and classical ballet scores, late night parisian radio shows and big city club gigs. The vibe is definitely late night chic with jazz, funk, blues and arabic playing a prime role. Few however can put a stamp so individual on their sound. ‘Deadly Species’ hops between the dreamy and the sublime as chords, strings and digital beats collide with immaculate precision. ‘Forgotten Places’ soars with jazzy double bass licks and funky trip-hop arrangements and ‘I Feel Blue’ is laced with hypnotic piano riffs and electronic treasures to boot. Textured yet vaporous, complex yet straightforward, infinite yet complete, ‘French Cuisine’ is truly an exceptional listen.