Sound Mirrors
by Coldcut
Metascore
73

Generally favorable reviews - based on 20 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 20
  2. Mixed: 6 out of 20
  3. Negative: 0 out of 20
  1. Entertainment Weekly
    67
    Eclectic concoctions of dub, house, and ambient grooves are always interesting... but not necessarily deserving of repeat spins. [24 Feb 2006, p.65]
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  2. New Musical Express (NME)
    80
    Truly a master-class in beat-science from start to finish. [28 Jan 2006, p.34]
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  3. Dot Music
    70
    Such a ratio of misses to hits was not expected but, all things considered, this is still one of the best electronic-based albums you're going to hear this year.
  5. Mojo
    80
    One of the most vital and imaginative records that [Coldcut has] ever made. [Jan 2006, p.120]
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  6. musicOMH.com
    80
    A fun, varied and defiantly old-school record which is pure Coldcut.
  7. Playlouder
    80
    Any number of tracks here could easily catapult them back into the consciousness of so much more than the cognoscenti.
  8. PopMatters
    80
    It hops genres like a frog does lily pads, it changes the palette of sounds from song to song, and it makes perfect use of every single guest that dares make a contribution.
  9. Stylus Magazine
    67
    Its lack of focus often mutes its attempts to strike hard.
  10. The Guardian
    80
    [An] assured, wildly varied, endlessly enjoyable album that finds Coldcut in a position even more unlikely than the podium at the Brits: dance producers at the top of their game, 19 years into their career.
  11. Tiny Mix Tapes
    80
    This is probably the best album we've seen in the new millennium from a mid-'90s techno producer.
  12. Pitchfork
    65
    Coldcut acquit themselves well, in the sense that they pull off all of their various generic sleights of hand. But, as per usual, whatever off-hand virtuosity Sound Mirrors displays, there's no center here.
  13. Urb
    90
    An astonishingly relevant album. [Mar 2006, p.112]
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  14. Magnet
    80
    Some of the most progressive tracks of its 20-year career. [#71, p.93]
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  15. AllMusic
    70
    By pulling back on the "wow" factor and demanding less from the listener, Coldcut have delivered their first album that will be listened to twice as much as it's talked about.

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
6.8

Generally favorable reviews- based on 5 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 2 out of 5
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 5
  3. Negative: 0 out of 5
  1. JC
    Mar 6, 2006
    4
    A truly great disappointment. They have tried to innovate by moving to a more song oriented structure, but most of these songs simply do not A truly great disappointment. They have tried to innovate by moving to a more song oriented structure, but most of these songs simply do not work. The album lacks any kind of coherence, and a couple of good tracks fail to save the album from mediocrity.… Full Review »
  2. zeel
    Mar 2, 2006
    6
    first track good. second track great. rest tracks, bad. don't buy whole CD, just a few individual tracks. other acts do accessible first track good. second track great. rest tracks, bad. don't buy whole CD, just a few individual tracks. other acts do accessible electro-diversity better: Shinjuku Zulu, Beck, RJD2...… Full Review »
  3. AlanR
    Feb 28, 2006
    10
    Oh, there are those the requisite prosaic liberal coldcut politics! I wish you could get a lyric-only mix. Soooo cool-y.
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