简介：“U.N.K.L.E”不是一支固定的乐队，而是英国著名Abstract Hip Hop／Experimental Hip Hop厂牌Mo'Wax的老板James Lavelle策划的一支结集诸多大牌明星（不是小甜甜和麦当娜之类的明星）的玩票乐队。于1998年发表这张专辑《Psyence Fiction》参与专辑制作的人物全都不是小人物，其中包括“Radiohead”的主唱Thom Yorke、Verve的主唱Richard Ashcroft）、“金属”乐队的Jason Newstead、Badly Drawn Boy、Dj Shadow等人。毫无疑问，他们的第二张专辑《Never，Never Land》或许是在2002年最令人惊喜的一张专辑了。无论是从编曲还是从旋律 上，UNKLE已经走在了英国流行音乐最顶尖的浪潮之中，而James Lavelle作为UNKLE的主脑人物则开始了他对于UNKLE的另一轮音乐体系重建。在2002年后，James Lavelle将其对音乐的关注度完全放在了电子舞曲的角度之上，并在英国著名厂牌Global Underground之中发表了罗马尼亚和巴塞罗那的两次演出现场专辑，以其对音乐的独特品味和精湛的DJ技术征服了舞曲音乐界众多评论家的耳朵。2006年，UNKLE在Global Underground厂牌下发表了一套四张的混音作品合辑，这4CD的作品同样也在商业和艺术上均取得了广大舞曲音乐爱好者的一致好评，无论从风格还是从制作上来说，都让人感觉UNKLE已经是一支非常成熟的电子乐队。但07年发行的专辑《War Stories》又让人无法将之归类于一张电子风格的专辑。 by Sean Cooper Experimental hip-hop outfit UNKLE was one of the original artists releasing material through noted U.K. label Mo Wax, which helped launch the instrumental mid-90s downtempo breakbeat revival eventually termed trip-hop. Though hardly the labels highest-profile group (at least until the long-delayed release of their debut LP in 1998), UNKLE numbered among its members label head James Lavelle, who formed Mo Wax while still in his teens as an antidote to the increasingly stale acid jazz/Northern soul scene. Stripping the music down to its barest of essentials — bass, percussion, minimal samples, and heavy effects — the Mo Wax sound (best exemplified by the second Mo Wax label comp, Headz, as well as its sequel, the two-part Headz II) quickly gained respectability and a large audience. Although not as prolific as other Mo Wax artists such as DJs Shadow and Krush, Lavelles group nonetheless played a crucial role in cementing Mo Waxs early sound though their Time Has Come double EP, the latter of which featured remixes of the title track by Plaid, Portishead, and U2 producer Howie B. The group comprised the trio of Lavelle, Tim Goldsworthy — a mate of Lavelles since childhood — and producer Kudo, of seminal Japanese label Major Force (and a member of the on-again, off-again psychedelic beat crew Skylab). Previous to his entry into production, Lavelle, along with Goldsworthy, was deep into New York hip-hop and electro, the emerging late-80s Sheffield bleep scene, the English acid jazz scene (which he covered as a columnist for Straight No Chaser magazine), and of course the acid house and techno explosions that were redefining the English counterculture at the time. The pair hooked up with third member Kudo through the growing rep of the latters Love T.K.O. project, whose outbound interpretations of breakbeat and acid jazz drew Lavelles ear. While Goldsworthy and Kudo remained more heavily involved in nuts n bolts production (especially given the success of Mo Wax, with the penning on an expansive partial ownership deal with A&M Records in 1996), Lavelle is heavily involved in the conceptual and organizational end, crafting beats and laying out vague sketches his partners then expand into full-blown tracks. Despite the scarcity of released material, UNKLE grew to wider acclaim during 1996 through remix projects for Jon Spencer Blues Explosion and Tortoise. After Goldsworthy and Kudo were effectively replaced by Mo Wax bill-payer DJ Shadow, the all-star LP Psyence Fiction finally appeared in 1998. It was a disappointment considering the advance hype, and DJ Shadow distanced himself from the collective. Lavelle, amid much work as a DJ, recruited singer/songwriter Richard File for the second UNKLE full-length, 2003s Never, Never, Land. Four years later, Lavelle and File returned with War Stories, with past collaborators (Josh Homme) and new associates (Ian Astbury, Chris Goss) contributing to the heaviest-sounding UNKLE release to date.