Pole - Pole
  • Band Name: Pole
  • Record Label: Mute
  • Release Date: Jul 15, 2003
Pole Image
Metascore
66 out of 100

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critics What's this?

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  • Summary: Following a series of three glitchy, minimalist electronica albums entitled "1," "2," and "3," respectively, producer Stefan Betke (aka Pole) changes course and heads into experimental hip-hop and dub on this latest LP, even enlisting Ohio-based rapper Fat Jon for vocals on several tracks.

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 8 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 8 out of 17
  3. Negative: 1 out of 17
  1. Splendid
    90
    Pole is the sound of a restless musical talent and intellect seeking out like-minded collaborators, expanding their horizons, and producing an otherwise impossible synthesis.
  2. Dot Music
    80
    'Pole' is so minimal it's almost naked. But, by only including the things that matter, it's deceptively atmospheric.
  3. Uncut
    60
    Perhaps creative stasis might have proved more rewarding. [Aug 2003, p.99]
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  4. The A.V. Club
    30
    A stylistic side-step that trips and falls without making much of the tumble.

See all 17 Critic Reviews

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Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 1 out of 1
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 1
  3. Negative: 0 out of 1
  1. TimeCode
    10
    I was blown away by Fat John's flow and lyrics in this album. In the track Slow Motion Fat John exemplifies the realness of the beats and thus proves the reality of the lyrical thesis. His time-code theory coupled to the glitchy beats is so cool that it sends chills down your spine. Everything we do in this life has a time code attached to it; and so as the time-code serializes, Fat John's stylistic signature represents!....the future. So we wait to see the future and vibe more with this master of time. … Expand

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