A new musical genius has arrived on the scene, his name is DJ Peas and his work is just outstanding. How so? Read on

September 2004's "Chilled" album of the month (it is better late than never)

DJ Peas – Filters (Kanpai Records)

Kanpai records is a new electronic music label, who’s parent company is Domo Records and that has nothing to do with possibly the greatest thing to come out of Japan in recent years, Domo-Kun but I’m getting off track. This album is inspired by a man named Kitaro and for those who don’t know about Kitaro, he is a legend in the music scene and he has inspired more than his fair share of artists but it seems that the media in Europe and North America has not highlighted his contribution to the scene. Now comes a man from Cincinnati, Ohio named Peter “Peas” McEvilley, who has done work with Miramax’s film “Confessions of a Dangerous Mind”. Peas also scored the entire 13 episode Japanese Anime series called Ninja Scoll, also he has produced the album for an all female rock group called “the GEMZ”. So last year, he moved to Los Angeles and his career has flourished since and on this CD, he takes samples of Kitaro’s work and adds them seamlessly into his productions. It is sort of, an updated take on Kitaro’s work.

DJ Peas – Filters (Kanpai Records)

1.Fences
2.Shoes under my bed
3.Looks Like Heaven
4.Beat Break
5.Love Stuck Haze
6.Certifiable
7.Don’t Be Lonely
8.Wrong
9.Spinning
10.Never Stop The Music
11.Many Might try and get ya
12.Low Pass Dub
13.Thirteen
14.Air, Oil

1.Fences

The album starts with this track, which gives you the sense that this album is very different from most things that you have heard in the past. The track begins with some watery ambient sound effects. The beautiful guitar comes in and it backs the track, very effortlessly. A vocal then joins the harmony here, it is pitched near the background and it is hard to hear at times. The vocal is very well done, very well thought out and it is incredibly precise. The track then incorporates some nice elements of bass stabs, then the drums follow and then the fog surrounding the vocal is lifted and you start to hear it more clearly and in all it’s glory. The vocalist starts to talk about fences, yes that’s right and she is joined by another vocalist who just adds that little extra to complete the tune. I’ve always said, you need to start with a bang and to usually go out in style, what’s the point of easing people into things?

2.Shoes Under My Bed

Song number deux, starts with an organ, with a very cute female vocal, who can really sing. I think that most artists these days are not using the vocal effectively and I’m thankful for people like DJ Peas, who know how to effectively use the vocal. The vocal reminds me of Dido at times, with the subtleness of the vocal. Some nice drum taps then are added to the background, it is kind of quirky at times. The track reminds you of the fun loving Lemon Jelly style and that is always a good thing. The vocal is then cut up and it is put back together as a mishmash, it certainly adds a certain flair to the track.

3.Looks Like Heaven

This song is the start of the realization that this album throws in everything but the kitchen sink in terms of genres. “Looks like Heaven” starts off very jazzy, with soft water sound effects in the background. A sultry vocal comes in, singing about how it looks like heaven. The track’s strongpoint is the background riff that is coupled with a piano line, it tends to hook you immediately and it is done so low key that you don’t notice. The track reminds me of the early days of the Thievery Corp, their genius is very similar; innovative and forward thinking. The track tends to push the envelope of jazzy down tempo more than any other genre.

4.Beat Break

One of my favorite combination of words in the English language is Break beat, they switched the words around but it still catches my interest. The track goes into a middle eastern direction, right from the start, you hear chanting and then some instruments that are completely foreign to me are added. It gives the track; a unique flavor and I like the fact that no two songs have been alike so far. The track then suddenly changes gears and it goes into a more simplistic break beat direction. It is not quite pure break beat; it is more of a world music take on breaks but top marks for the innovative sounds. A bass guitar is brought in and it is used to build on what already has been laid down and then the vocal joins in. The vocal is not clear at the very beginning; it is filtered, to where you don’t know what language it is. This continues till the end and at times, you feel as DJ Peas is messing with the EQ’s for fun. A guitar riff enters near the very end and it fades out quickly and so does the song.

5.Love Stuck Haze

Let’s recap the following genres that the artist has used in the first part of the album. We have had almost ambient at times, we have gone with jazz house, we have gone with a middle Eastern take on breaks and we have gone into down tempo. So now Peas continues his mold of throwing everything in under the sun and he takes us in the direction of chill out. Track five hits you with a guitar riff at the start and shortly thereafter, a vocal comes in and it is placed near the middle, not too hard, not too soft. The song has that sunny beach chill feel. Some wave sound effects are added, as if the song was not chilled enough. It all comes together, quite well and everything seems to be used with surgeon like precision. Near the end, another genre enters, a grungy electro line is added and it does not sound out of place.

6.Certifiable

Another thing that I like is the unique song titles, it gives the album, that extra bit of life. We go into another genre and it is electro. The song is driven and guided by a heavy grungy electro riff that might remind you of The Prodigy at times. A male vocal is used here, which gives the album, even more variety, as if it needed more but I am not complaining. The riff is mean and heavy for the most part, which makes me happy.

7.Don’t Be Lonely

“Don’t Be Lonely” is a landmark of sorts, it means that we are halfway through this unique musical journey. This song reminds me of space movies at times because it would have fit in well in the soundtrack of one. Spacey sound effects come at you, left, right and center. A guitar riff joins but it only seems to add to the spaced out feel of the tune. A piano line with an organ line are then added. I know most people are thinking, does it work? And I’m happy to say it does. Some drums enter and they make up the bassline, which is slow moving. The vocal comes in but it is placed near the very back, so you don’t hear it in all its glory, which is a shame. The vocal then moves forward slightly and you hear the female voice singing “Don’t Be Lonely”, which instantly gives it a jazz feel. So spaced movie soundtrack theme with jazzy vocals, would be the genre, for those at home who are keeping score.

8.Wrong

Here is another favorite word of many people in the English language, Wrong. By this time, I feel that DJ Peas is breaking new ground in terms of genres, if you can even put them in genres. “Wrong” starts with violins and a male vocal joins singing, “Stay away from” and that is all that I can clearly make out. The track then goes into a more chilled jazz feel, which is strengthened by the guitar riff that comes in and out.

9.Spinning

We start with a cut up of what sounds like an 1980’s sample, a filtered instrument then starts to play in the background and moves to the front slowly. You hear some airy sound effects join what has already been thrown in. It gains this keyboard feel and the vocal comes in and out and it is hard to make out the lyrics. The song is more uptempo than the others but still really chilled.

10.Never Stop The Music

A female voice starts with “You are wonderful” and a male vocal comes in “Never ever Stop the Music”. The song is more dub influenced and a drum line is then added, with some weird foreign chants. The song has this hip-hop feel at times, but it is more laidback dub. The female vocal then comes back singing about love and right on cue, the male vocal comes back in, repeating the same line. It is certainly more great innovative work on DJ Peas’ part.

11.Many Might Try to Get Ya

This starts with some subtle drums, it has an addictive feel. A Prince like vocal comes in singing “Many might try to get ya”. The track is really different from the previous ten but you probably already came to that point of view. The drum line then really gets going; it is nice to hear real drums make it up, instead of a drum machine. It adds that a certain flavor to tracks, when you use real instruments. The male vocal comes back and goes back to lyrics; you keep thinking Prince. The song does not stray away from what has already been established but that is a good thing and it employs the old adage, if it is not ain’t broke, then don’t fix it.

12.Low Pass Dub

All you hear for the first twenty seconds is slow moving drums, and then a chant sample is thrown in. It is not the heavy dub that most people are used to; it is more subtle and slow moving. A beautiful instrument comes in and the riff is just gloriously sunny at times and a piano line then follows. This track is well thought out, it seems that with most albums that near the end, artists tend to run out of ideas and the tracks are not as strong but that is not the case here.

13.Thirteen

The second last song is a dark world music track. It makes great use of chants plus a slow moving bassline and it is incredibly dark. This is the easiest way to describe it; you really have to check this track out for yourself

14.Air, Oil

The musical journey is almost complete here. A beautiful piano line, backed by some subtle drum taps, drives this song. It catches you from the very beginning and holds you for the remaining four minutes. It is instrumental here and the songs without the vocals on this album, work as well as the ones with vocals. I love it and it is certainly a great way to end an album

Conclusion:
This is complete and utter genius on DJ Peas’ part. He gives you what you don’t expect, he runs through various genres with relative ease and he uses some genres without names yet but it fits together seamlessly and it is certainly innovative. It is well worth the purchase price because it gives you what you don’t expect and that is what music should be all about.