Instrumentalyst (Octagon Beats)
Encyclopedia
Instrumentalyst is a remix album
by American
emcee
Keith Thornton
, credited under the title Dr. Octagon. Released in 1996, it is the instrumental
version of Dr. Octagonecologyst
. It is Thornton's second album under the Dr. Octagon alias. Instrumentalyst (Octagon Beats) was produced by Dan "The Automator" Nakamura
and featured the work of turntablist
DJ Qbert. KutMasta Kurt
provided additional production work. The artwork was drawn by Brian "Pushead" Schroeder
.
(1993), Ultramagnetic MCs
member Keith Thornton, better known by his stage name
Kool Keith, produced two songs under the alias Dr. Octagon, "Dr. Octagon" and "Technical Difficulties." Thornton mailed the songs to radio stations as well as giving copies to several DJ
s and record producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura
. This led to Dan the Automator's role in producing the album.
Dr. Octagonecologyst has been praised for its original sound, which has often been attributed to Nakamura,, although Thornton states that he was largely involved with the production of the album. Thornton is quoted as saying "Automator and Kurt
are probably receiving more credit than I did, but I was a big musical person behind Octagon." Nakamura has said he wanted Dr. Octagonecologyst to stand out from other hip hop
albums, citing the music of Eric B. & Rakim
, Mantronix
, and Run-D.M.C.
as influences. "Hip-hop was always inventive. Then the '90s hit and everyone wants to be Dr. Dre
; no one wants to be their own thing anymore. Everyone now wants to have the Lexus and deal pounds of drugs. We don't do that. That's not our lifestyle. You don't see us coming out with the fur coat. There's more to music than that," Nakamura said. The album incorporates use of organic instrumentation and features Moog synthesizer
, flute
, and string instrument
s.
Lily Moayeri of Rolling Stone
called the album a "psychedelic
hip-hop concept album
." Allmusic reviewer Steve Huey wrote that the album "shed some light on the burgeoning turntablist revival via the scratching fireworks of DJ Q-Bert" and its "futuristic, horror-soundtrack
production seemed to bridge the gap between hip-hop and the more electronic
-oriented trip-hop
". Steve "Flash" Juon of RapReviews also praised its sound, writing that "Cuts are provided with infinite skill and precision by DJ Q-Bert" and that Nakamura's remix of "Waiting List" is "so good that you could hardly miss the original, if indeed there was one."
's backing tracks are so fresh and original, it's actually nice to just hear the beats minus the rhymes."
According to Zac Crain of the Miami New Times
, Instrumentalyst proved that Dan "the Automator" Nakamura "had as much, if not more, to do with the success of Dr. Octagon as anyone else."
Remix album
A remix album is an album consisting mostly of remixes or re-recorded versions of a music artists' earlier released material.One of the earliest remix albums was 1971's Aerial Pandemonium Ballet by Harry Nilsson, which was released by Nilsson after the successes of Everybody's Talkin and The Point!...
by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
emcee
Rapping
Rapping refers to "spoken or chanted rhyming lyrics". The art form can be broken down into different components, as in the book How to Rap where it is separated into “content”, “flow” , and “delivery”...
Keith Thornton
Kool Keith
Keith Matthew Thornton, better known by his stage name Kool Keith, is an American rapper from The Bronx, New York. A founding member of Ultramagnetic MCs, Kool Keith has recorded prolifically both as a solo artist and in group collaborations. Kool Keith is the self-proclaimed inventor of...
, credited under the title Dr. Octagon. Released in 1996, it is the instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
version of Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagonecologyst
Dr. Octagonecologyst is the debut solo album of American rapper Keith Thornton and the first album he released under the alias Dr. Octagon. It was released May 6, 1996, on Bulk Recordings in the United States and Mo' Wax in the United Kingdom, and re-released in the US on DreamWorks Records in...
. It is Thornton's second album under the Dr. Octagon alias. Instrumentalyst (Octagon Beats) was produced by Dan "The Automator" Nakamura
Dan the Automator
Daniel M. Nakamura , better known by the stage name Dan the Automator, is a Japanese-American hip hop producer. He founded the record label 75 Ark, which was distributed by Tommy Boy Records during its short existence....
and featured the work of turntablist
Turntablism
Turntablism is the art of manipulating sounds and creating music using phonograph turntables and a DJ mixer.The word 'turntablist' was coined in 1995 by DJ Babu to describe the difference between a DJ who just plays records, and one who performs by touching and moving the records, stylus and mixer...
DJ Qbert. KutMasta Kurt
KutMasta Kurt
Kurt Matlin, professionally known as KutMasta Kurt, is an American hip hop producer, best known for his work with Kool Keith.-Collaborations:*Kool Keith - Sex Style *Dr Dooom - First Come, First Served...
provided additional production work. The artwork was drawn by Brian "Pushead" Schroeder
Pushead
Pushead is an artist, record label owner, and writer within the hardcore punk and heavy metal field. He has created artwork for many bands, artists, and athletes including Metallica, the The Misfits, Dr. Dre, Travis Barker, and Craig Johnson. He has designed many record covers, T-shirts,...
.
Music
Following the release of his group's third album The Four HorsemenThe Four Horsemen (album)
The Four Horsemen is the third studio album by Ultramagnetic MC's. Godfather Don, who produced tracks 2, 4, 5, and 8, helped to incorporate a darker, jazzier sound than the group's previous work. "Checkin' My Style" and "See the Man on the Street" were originally recorded in 1992 during Godfather...
(1993), Ultramagnetic MCs
Ultramagnetic MCs
The Ultramagnetic MC's is an American hip hop group based in Bronx, New York. Originally founded by Kool Keith, the group is composed of Ced Gee, TR Love, and Moe Love. Tim Dog became an unofficial member in 1989. In 1990, DJ Jaycee was added as Roadmanager and backup DJ. A former member, Rooney...
member Keith Thornton, better known by his stage name
Stage name
A stage name, also called a showbiz name or screen name, is a pseudonym used by performers and entertainers such as actors, wrestlers, comedians, and musicians.-Motivation to use a stage name:...
Kool Keith, produced two songs under the alias Dr. Octagon, "Dr. Octagon" and "Technical Difficulties." Thornton mailed the songs to radio stations as well as giving copies to several DJ
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
s and record producer Dan "The Automator" Nakamura
Dan the Automator
Daniel M. Nakamura , better known by the stage name Dan the Automator, is a Japanese-American hip hop producer. He founded the record label 75 Ark, which was distributed by Tommy Boy Records during its short existence....
. This led to Dan the Automator's role in producing the album.
KutMasta Kurt
Kurt Matlin, professionally known as KutMasta Kurt, is an American hip hop producer, best known for his work with Kool Keith.-Collaborations:*Kool Keith - Sex Style *Dr Dooom - First Come, First Served...
are probably receiving more credit than I did, but I was a big musical person behind Octagon." Nakamura has said he wanted Dr. Octagonecologyst to stand out from other hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
albums, citing the music of Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim
Eric B. & Rakim were a hip-hop duo composed of DJ Eric Barrier and MC Rakim .Hailing from Long Island, New York, the pair are generally considered by hip hop enthusiasts to be one of the most influential and innovative groups in the genre...
, Mantronix
Mantronix
Mantronix was an influential 1980s hip hop and electro funk music group founded by DJ Kurtis Mantronik , and rapper MC Tee...
, and Run-D.M.C.
Run-D.M.C.
Run–D.M.C. was an American hip hop group from Hollis, in the Queens borough of New York City. Founded by Joseph "Run" Simmons, Darryl "D.M.C." McDaniels, and Jason "Jam-Master Jay" Mizell, the group is widely acknowledged as one of the most influential acts in the history of hip hop culture.Run–D.M.C...
as influences. "Hip-hop was always inventive. Then the '90s hit and everyone wants to be Dr. Dre
Dr. Dre
Andre Romelle Young , primarily known by his stage name Dr. Dre, is an American record producer, rapper, record executive, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is the founder and current CEO of Aftermath Entertainment and a former co-owner and artist of Death Row Records...
; no one wants to be their own thing anymore. Everyone now wants to have the Lexus and deal pounds of drugs. We don't do that. That's not our lifestyle. You don't see us coming out with the fur coat. There's more to music than that," Nakamura said. The album incorporates use of organic instrumentation and features Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer
Moog synthesizer may refer to any number of analog synthesizers designed by Dr. Robert Moog or manufactured by Moog Music, and is commonly used as a generic term for older-generation analog music synthesizers. The Moog company pioneered the commercial manufacture of modular voltage-controlled...
, flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
, and string instrument
String instrument
A string instrument is a musical instrument that produces sound by means of vibrating strings. In the Hornbostel-Sachs scheme of musical instrument classification, used in organology, they are called chordophones...
s.
Lily Moayeri of Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
called the album a "psychedelic
Psychedelic music
Psychedelic music covers a range of popular music styles and genres, which are inspired by or influenced by psychedelic culture and which attempt to replicate and enhance the mind-altering experiences of psychedelic drugs. It emerged during the mid 1960s among folk rock and blues-rock bands in the...
hip-hop concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
." Allmusic reviewer Steve Huey wrote that the album "shed some light on the burgeoning turntablist revival via the scratching fireworks of DJ Q-Bert" and its "futuristic, horror-soundtrack
Horror film score
A horror film score is music used and often specially written for films in the horror genre.-Beginning of the Sound Era:While the breakthrough Universal horror films of 1931, Dracula and Frankenstein used little or no music apart from for title sequences, Franz Waxman's score for The Bride of...
production seemed to bridge the gap between hip-hop and the more electronic
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
-oriented trip-hop
Trip hop
Trip hop is a music genre consisting of downtempo electronic music which originated in the early 1990s in England, especially Bristol. Deriving from "post"-acid house, the term was first used by the British music media and press as a way to describe the more experimental variant of breakbeat which...
". Steve "Flash" Juon of RapReviews also praised its sound, writing that "Cuts are provided with infinite skill and precision by DJ Q-Bert" and that Nakamura's remix of "Waiting List" is "so good that you could hardly miss the original, if indeed there was one."
Reception
Allmusic reviewer Kembrew McLeod wrote that "If any other artist released an album such as this, it would be considered throwaway trash—something for the hardcore fans. But Dan the AutomatorDan the Automator
Daniel M. Nakamura , better known by the stage name Dan the Automator, is a Japanese-American hip hop producer. He founded the record label 75 Ark, which was distributed by Tommy Boy Records during its short existence....
's backing tracks are so fresh and original, it's actually nice to just hear the beats minus the rhymes."
According to Zac Crain of the Miami New Times
Miami New Times
The Miami New Times is a free weekly newspaper published in Miami and distributed every Thursday. It primarily serves the Miami area and is headquartered near Miami's Design District.-Overview:...
, Instrumentalyst proved that Dan "the Automator" Nakamura "had as much, if not more, to do with the success of Dr. Octagon as anyone else."
Track listing
Musicians
- Andy Boy — guitar
- Phil Bright — bass, guitar
- C-Note — vox organ
- DJ Q-Bert — scratching, DJ
- Whoolio E. Glacias — vox organ
- Sweet-P — vox organ
Additional personnel
- Dan the AutomatorDan the AutomatorDaniel M. Nakamura , better known by the stage name Dan the Automator, is a Japanese-American hip hop producer. He founded the record label 75 Ark, which was distributed by Tommy Boy Records during its short existence....
— producer, mixing, mastering - Gordon Chumway — second engineer
- PusheadPusheadPushead is an artist, record label owner, and writer within the hardcore punk and heavy metal field. He has created artwork for many bands, artists, and athletes including Metallica, the The Misfits, Dr. Dre, Travis Barker, and Craig Johnson. He has designed many record covers, T-shirts,...
— illustrations - Mark Senasac — mastering