really, really great album. check out the CDM-entry for lots of info and pre-listening: http://createdigitalmusic.com/2011/04/listen-to-amon-tobins-sound-design-magnum-opus-isam-with-pop-up-commentary
it’s only 6 pounds from ninja tune (mp3 - wav files a bit more expensive)! it’s a goddamn steal!
I’ve heard most of the album…it’s amazingly well produced as usual, but I just can’t get into his newer stuff for some reason.
could it have something to do with the ‘fullness’ of sound he’s producing nowadays? i really liked his older work, and i kinda dropped off at The Foley Room, because it was a bit too ambient for my tastes. also, i hear a pervading trend in recent electronic music to fill up the sound as much as possible, or so it seems. listen to stuff like Flying Lotus, Teebs - Ardour, stuff like that and you probably know what i mean. if i put that shit on my headphones, my mind just gets crowded with soundwaves and what seems to be a ‘wall of sound’. i don’t like it one bit, but i hear some artists i used to like venture in that direction as well, which i think sucks ass. this Amon Tobin release is, imo, a lot ‘fuller’ than his older work, but for some reason it’s less full than the albums i mentioned, and for that alone i like it (and the awesome sounddesign of course).
Really great album, don’t know why reviews are not so great, it has really unique sound, incredible sonic textures. I’ll see him live in june, can’t wait.
got a ticket for a concert in june as well. can’t wait. 
I’ve never heard of the “Continuum” instrument. Looks wicked.
Er, not a fan of it. I feel like one of the few people who actually really love Foley Room and think that his stuff post-that feel sorta sloppy and “designer” - not emotional at all. But you have got to give the man credit for his influence on the genre.
i can understand what you mean. when i listened to it, it struck me more for its sounddesign than for its emotional impact. you’re right though, he should be given lots of credit, as he is simply a very skilled artist.
There are a variety of great soundscapes in it, but it sounds more like demo material (as in demo with visuals) than an album i would enjoy on headphones alone.
During the first two listening I didn’t really enjoyed it and it confirmed my disappointment about this new “sound design” direction. I first liked Foley Room but quickly got bored of it because I found it way less emotionally and musically engaging than the firsts ones (especially Bricolage & Permutation).
Yesterday I listened to ISAM once more and maybe actually liked it. I don’t know, I’ll have to listen to it again. But if I really get into it I’m afraid to get bored eventually because I still think that Amon Tobin is way better in the game he used to played with jazzy samples than the new top music-technology one.
BUT, I’d really like to just love it. Why not, after all. It could grow on me
This was my reaction.
I think his music is just getting too “intelligent” for me…the same reason I can’t get into newer stuff from Autechre.
At a certain point it gets so complex that it loses my interest in hearing it more than once.
am discovering this guy since a couple of months so will for shure check this release
pump it.
amazing album
I know what you mean. I think it is just an over use of compression and side chaining. J Dilla is probably the guy who started it. I actually quite like the sound most of the time.
Isam is Amon’s worst album, easily. Like most electronic artists, his technical prowess has replaced good songwriting. Happened to squarepusher
There isn’t a single song on that thing that I want to listen to.
Pretty much agree NER. Would of still liked to see the show though 