Monument

• Artist: Blank & Jones
• Rating:
• Release Date: May 18, 2004
• Type: Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Electronica

Review

Unlike most DJs, the German duo of Piet Blank and Jaspa Jones actually write some of their own music. Hence this impressive album, the duo's fourth, which consists almost entirely of original compositions. Would that it also consisted almost entirely of original beats, but alas, most everything thumps along in predictable Euro-dance fashion, with the exception of the wonderfully funky and breakbeat-based title track. What redeems the sameness of the beats, though, is the shifting array of fine vocalists, the lush atmospheres, and the unabashedly sweet melodies that dominate the album. More impressively, the singers even make it possible to overlook the songs' giddily horrible lyrics ("Like a ghost that came from an old beginning/You heated up a freezing destiny," etc.). "Mind of the Wonderful" and "Perfect Silence" are two highlight tracks, but the one that's going to move retail units is the duo's adaptation of the old Cure song "A Forest," on which Robert Smith himself contributes vocals. This one being the centerpiece of the album, it's presented here in three separate mixes. Nice stuff. ~ Rick Anderson, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
Monument	Jaspa Jones, Piet Blank, Andy Kaufhold	Blank & Jones	(0:46)
What You Need	Jaspa Jones, Piet Blank, Andy Kaufhold	Blank & Jones	(3:34)
City of Angels	Jaspa Jones, Piet Blank, Andy Kaufhold	Blank & Jones	(4:48)
Mind of the Wonderful [Album]	Jaspa Jones, Piet Blank, Andy Kaufhold, Adrian Broekhuyse, Raz Nitzan	Blank & Jones	(9:17)
Zero Gravity	Jaspa Jones, Piet Blank, Andy Kaufhold	Blank & Jones	(5:34)
Stars Shine Bright	Jaspa Jones, Piet Blank, Andy Kaufhold	Blank & Jones	(4:42)
Perfect Silence	Jaspa Jones, Piet Blank, Andy Kaufhold	Blank & Jones	(6:14)
Flowtation	Jaspa Jones, Piet Blank, Andy Kaufhold	Blank & Jones	(7:31)
Waiting for the Light	Jaspa Jones, Piet Blank, Andy Kaufhold	Blank & Jones	(6:22)
Urban Hymn	Jaspa Jones, Piet Blank, Andy Kaufhold	Blank & Jones	(5:45)
That's Right	Jaspa Jones, Piet Blank, Andy Kaufhold	Blank & Jones	(2:27)
A Forest [Ron van den Beuken Remix Edit][*]	Simon Gallup, Mathieu Hartley, Robert Smith, Lol Tolhurst	Blank & Jones	(4:35)
A Forest [Ron van den Beuken Remix][*]	Simon Gallup, Mathieu Hartley, Robert Smith, Lol Tolhurst	Blank & Jones	(7:46)
A Forest [Exor Remix][*]	Simon Gallup, Mathieu Hartley, Robert Smith, Lol Tolhurst	Blank & Jones	(8:43)

Credits

Sandy Solomon (Mastering), Dirk Schelpmeier (Cover Photo), Blank & Jones (Main Performer), Marc Schilkowski (Artwork), Marc Schilkowski (Photography), Jaspa Jones (Arranger), Jaspa Jones (Programming), Jaspa Jones (Producer), Jaspa Jones (Mixing), Jaspa Jones (Instrumentation), Piet Blank (Arranger), Piet Blank (Programming), Piet Blank (Producer), Piet Blank (Mixing), Piet Blank (Instrumentation), Andy Kaufhold (Arranger), Andy Kaufhold (Programming), Andy Kaufhold (Producer), Andy Kaufhold (Mixing), Andy Kaufhold (Instrumentation), Brad Pressman (Executive Producer), Adrian Broekhuyse (Vocal Producer), Bunny Lake (Vocal Engineer), Elles DeGraaf (Vocals), Raz Nitzan (Vocal Producer)