herbert has mixed up his post big band style of "Goodbye Swingtime" with the "bodily functions" era sample cut ups and Dani Siciliano vocals, to fairly groovesome effect. Sadly there's a sense of drift and the album doesn't really chart much of a leap forward. Dani S's vocals are sweet but like the music are more texture than stand out. Despite Herbert's cute-formalist sampling techniques and policies he's not really good with melodies or lyrics per se, and the lushness does little to hide this.… Expand

Probably the worst album of the year beside the I´m from Barcelona one...Matt, is that electronic?..C´mon!!! This is cheap and awful.There was a time when u used to be cool and good enough, but now u´re terrible. Forget the critics, this is bad and predictable music, created with the worst taste on earth. Please!! Do the critics listen to the music the review?, Do they know anything about electronic?.. Check The Knife or Junior Boys new releases...Matt and the critics, you all just pull people´s leg... Don´t buy this album, just ignore it.… Expand

I saw Herbert perform this album at the ICA and it was the most disappointing gig I've ever witnessed. Dani Siciliano was substituted by a session singer and the whole thing just sounded like naff soul-funk. I've now heard the album a few times and it certainly sounds far more interesting with Dani's vocals. The intricacies of the music are also more noticeable on CD but I'm still not convinced it's a patch on Bodily Functions or Plat Du Jour. Overall, it's still a Herbert album and despite some songs venturing into sterile soul-pop territory, it's still worth parting with your money.… Expand

this vocalist is so annoying. who is this music for? glitch - dico? yuck.

On Scale, Herbert delivers an incredibly rich sound, coating each layer with its own deep texture. A pleasure to listen to, which is convenient because I can't stop playing it.

I danced to it all day when I had the time to play it all day. If it makes you want to dance without thinking about what you are doing it has to be a good dance album. Right?

I can see the technical merit points, but overall I thought this CD was pretty dull. I was excited for a dance music album with such great reviews, but instead got what might be a Dance Music album played on NPR, or Dance music for the above 40 crowd. The vocals were very irritating.

An absolute masterpiece! Herbert's best album yet!

Smashing!

Initially boring but after a few listens the vocals make you want to tear the stars down from the sky and crush them.

more listenable than any of his previous releases, Scale is the quintessential blip on the radar indicating the approach of an ominous force.

great and creative masterpiece, one of the best of 06. definitely deserves more listens in 07. I agree with Javier on the Knife and Junior Boys but I'm From Barcelona is by far one of the best new bands and has one of the best new releases.

Best Album of the year; I wasn't expecting a album that overshadows 'bodily functions'. If this was Radiohead---it would be thier 'OK Computer'.

What makes Herbert a constant engagment is his love of sound and inability to make a sequel: this is not "Around the House part II". Totally a lush and inventive album from a very progressive artist.

Album of the year. Hands down. Listening to this in the car or on the train or bus or whatever in the middle of a bustling city is orgasmic.

I get chills listening to this album. It's as jazzy and soulful as ever despite the glitchy sampling.

The sheer uniqueness of Herbert's methods in Scale is reason enough to praise this avantgarde effort, but it's the fact that such a bold concept ended up sounding so wonderful that makes this album shine and shine and shine. This is easily the best album of the year.

Yes, some of the elements here are familiar, but anyone calling this abum predictable doesn't listen to anything but the most surface elements. It's a deceptively accessible and glitzy album with an increible amount of depth of arrangement and composition. Very close to being an absolute classic, but kind of loses steam in the second half.