LTJ Bukem
Journey Inwards (2000)

review by: Mike Webb
Date: 1/15/01

6:19 PM - A man comes home after a hard days work and decides he wants to just chill out with something on the stereo instead of watching the TV. He slips LTJ Bukem's Journey Inwards into the CD player and heads to the couch.

6:25 - Soon, he hears the soothing sounds of a flute and keyboard. A standup bass says "boom de boomp - boom de bump." It's very cool. He leans back and closes his eyes and enjoys the journey as the drums bounce in with a funky jazz kinda flava.

6:32 - The next tune starts up in a similar way with keys and a funkier, more insistent beat. Now he grabs the newspaper and rides this drum & bass groove out. After the bottom comes in, he can't quite concentrate on the paper cause a sudden urge has come over him. He goes over to his ashtray and pulls out the remnants of a month-old joint.

6:40 - A few tokes, and his head falls back. Trumpet & keys start the next vibe out. Two and half minutes later, the hi-hat pulses as the drums gallop over a synthesized bass. He realizes, like jazz, he would pay good money to sit in a club and watch people play music like this. Long, possibly improvised, jams fall out one after the other. His mind focuses on what it would be like to fly to Mars.

6:49 - Nine minutes later, It's all good. "Our World" comes in with a James Brown like funky beat. The sound of kids talking appears, and he's off in a dream-fantasy land with his girlfriend.

7:12 - As Bukem's Journey Inwards ends, the man's has just begun.