Rating: NN
His questionable concept records aside, one of the major reasons why Dan the Automator Nakamura can’t get a second look in the hiphop world is that he lacks skills behind the decks. His cartoon beats for Gorillaz might have made him a mint, but as the dreary Wanna Buy A Monkey? demonstrates, Nakamura doesn’t understand how to rock a mixed tape. The songs here are fine, but as any DJ will tell you, the success of a proper mix hangs on the presentation. Nakamura pieces together a handful of disparate songs by Zero 7, Jigmasters and Air without doing much to tie the tracks together, occasionally scratching lamely but rarely raising the excitement level beyond a dull thump. The prevalence of Automator-produced cuts by Gorillaz, Deltron 3030 and others makes this more like a cheap promotional tool than a genuine house rocker.
