Artist: Fila Brazillia Album: The Life and Times of Phoebus Brumal

Year: 2004
Duration: 59:29

Fila Brazillia's The Life and Times of Phoebus Brumal: A Critical Review

If you're a fan of electronic music, chances are you've heard of Fila Brazillia. The duo of Steve Cobby and David McSherry has been making innovative and genre-bending beats since the early 90s, and their 2002 album The Life and Times of Phoebus Brumal is a standout in their discography. In this blog post, we'll be taking a closer look at the album, including a brief history of Fila Brazillia, the music genre of the album, the best songs of the album, the most innovative parts, and a critical review of the album as a whole.

Fila Brazillia has been making music together since 1990, blending elements of funk, jazz, and downtempo electronica to create a sound that's uniquely their own. The Life and Times of Phoebus Brumal was released in 2002 and continued to build on their signature sound. The album takes its name from a character McSherry created in a short story, and the music feels like a journey into a strange and surreal world.

The genre of the album is hard to pin down, as Fila Brazillia expertly blends elements from a variety of genres. There are hints of jazz and funk throughout, but the beats are definitely electronic. The duo also incorporates plenty of samples, including snippets from movies and TV shows, which gives the music a playful and cinematic feel.

One of the standout tracks on the album is Mother Nature's Spies, which features a haunting vocal sample and a driving beat. The song builds and builds, adding layer upon layer until it feels like it's about to burst. We Build Arks is another standout, with its bouncy bassline and playful melody. The track is an ode to the power of love and the importance of humanity working together in the face of adversity.

The most innovative part of the album is the way that Fila Brazillia incorporates so many different sounds and influences. The duo is able to seamlessly blend together elements that, on paper, wouldn't seem to work. For example, on Weasel Out the Muck, they layer together a funky bassline, a jazzy saxophone, and a repeated vocal sample of someone saying weasel. The end result is a track that's impossible to categorize, but undeniably catchy.

While The Life and Times of Phoebus Brumal is an impressive album, it's not perfect. Some of the tracks can feel a bit meandering or unfocused, and at times the album can feel a bit too dense or overwhelming. However, these are minor quibbles in the grand scheme of things, and overall the album is a triumph of genre-bending electronic music.

Fila Brazillia's The Life and Times of Phoebus Brumal is a true gem in the world of electronic music. The album's unique blend of jazz, funk, and electronica creates a sound that's wholly original and endlessly fascinating. Standout tracks like Mother Nature's Spies and We Build Arks showcase the duo's impressive ability to build complex, layered songs, while the innovative use of samples keeps the music playful and unexpected. While the album isn't perfect, it's certainly worth a listen for anyone interested in exploring the far reaches of electronic music.

Fila Brazillia's The Life and Times of Phoebus Brumal is a true gem in the world of electronic music. The album's unique blend of jazz, funk, and electronica creates a sound that's wholly original and endlessly fascinating. Standout tracks like Mother Nature's Spies and We Build Arks showcase the duo's impressive ability to build complex, layered songs, while the innovative use of samples keeps the music playful and unexpected. While the album isn't perfect, it's certainly worth a listen for anyone interested in exploring the far reaches of electronic music.