Rossz Csillag Alatt Született (Hungarian: [ˈross ˈt͡ʃillɒɡ ˈɒlɒtt ˈsylɛtɛtt]) is a 2005 album by breakcore artist Venetian Snares, released on the Planet Mu label. Inspired by a visit to Hungary, the album title and all of the track names are in Hungarian; Rossz Csillag Alatt Született translates to "Born Under a Bad Star",[1] a Hungarian expression which means "cursed from birth". Stylistically, the album consists of classical strings and brass combined with breakbeats.
Overview
The concept of the album came when Aaron Funk imagined himself as a pigeon on Budapest's Királyi Palota (Royal Palace).[2] Its third track, "Öngyilkos Vasárnap" is a cover of the song "Szomorú Vasárnap" ("Gloomy Sunday") by Hungarian composer Rezső Seress, which has been referred to as the Hungarian suicide song. According to urban legend, Seress's song has inspired the suicide of multiple people, including his fiancée. The song was reportedly banned in Hungary.[3] It has also been covered by many artists. Billie Holiday's vocals are sampled in this track.[1]
The album also samples various pieces of classical music:
- The first movement of Béla Bartók's fourth string quartet, in track two.
- The second of Igor Stravinsky's "3 Pieces for Clarinet", in track five.
- The first movement of Gustav Mahler's 3rd Symphony (trombone solo), in track five.
- Measures 121-128 (14), 134 (15) and 144 (16) of Bartók's first string quartet (third movement), in track five.
- Niccolò Paganini's 7th Caprice in A minor, in track five.
- The beginning of the solo part of Franz Waxman's Carmen Fantasie in track five.
- The first and third measure of the fourth movement of Bartók's sixth string quartet, in track six.
- Sir Edward Elgar's "Cello Concerto in E Minor, Op. 85", in track eight.
- The second movement of Sergei Prokofiev's Quintet in G Minor in track eight.
- The Siciliana of Fantasia No. 9 from Georg Philipp Telemann's Twelve Fantasias, in track ten.
While there were no official music videos released with the album, artist David O'Reilly produced an unofficial computer generated video for Szamár Madár.[4]
Critical Reception
William Tilland of Allmusic commented on Rossz Csillag Alatt Született, "This particular offering from Funk is typically uncompromising and unsettling, although it is certainly constructed with great technical skill and maintains an abrasive beauty throughout."[5] A positive review by Sputnikmusic called the album "absolutely amazing" stating that it "truly excels in how it shifts paradigms in unexpected ways".[8] In a primarily positive review Cameron MacDonald of Pitchfork wrote, "While Funk's percussive palate could have ventured beyond the standard-issued "Amen" breakbeats, Rossz's totality still possesses nerves that can cast shadows that never dissipate away from the mind."[6] Giving the project a five star review, Alan Ranta of Tiny Mix Tapes described the album as Funk's "most accomplished album to date" and praised it as "of uncouth beauty that is at once sublime, timeless, cinematic, sporadic, and moving from start to finish."[3]
The album ranked at #25 on the Tiny Mix Tapes' Top 25 Albums of 2005,[9] as well as ranking #31 on Tiny Mix Tapes' Favorite 100 Albums of 2000-2009.[10]
Track listing
CD release
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| 1. | "Sikertelenség" ([ˈʃikɛrtɛlɛnʃeːɡ], lit. "Failure") | 0:41 |
| 2. | "Szerencsétlen" ([ˈsɛrɛnt͡ʃeːtlɛn], lit. "Unlucky" or as noun, "Poor soul") | 4:55 |
| 3. | "Öngyilkos Vasárnap" ([ˈøɲɟilkoʃ ˈvɒʃaːrnɒp], lit. "Suicidal Sunday") | 3:26 |
| 4. | "Felbomlasztott Mentőkocsi" ([ˈfɛlbomlɒstotː ˈmɛntøːkot͡ʃi], lit. "Disintegrated Ambulance") | 3:44 |
| 5. | "Hajnal" ([ˈhɒjnɒl], female name, lit. "Dawn") | 7:46 |
| 6. | "Galamb Egyedül" ([ˈɡɒlɒmb ˈɛɟɛdyl], lit. "Pigeon, Alone") | 1:36 |
| 7. | "Második Galamb" ([ˈmaːʃodik ˈɡɒlɒmb], lit. "Second Pigeon") | 6:01 |
| 8. | "Szamár Madár" ([ˈsɒmaːr ˈmɒdaːr], lit. "Donkey Bird", but translates to "Stupid Bird") | 5:49 |
| 9. | "Hiszékeny" ([ˈhiseːkɛɲ], lit. "Gullible") | 1:39 |
| 10. | "Kétsarkú Mozgalom" ([ˈkeːtʃɒrkuː ˈmozɡɒlom], lit. "Bipolar Movement") | 8:50 |
| 11. | "Senki Dala" ([ˈʃɛŋki ˈdɒlɒ], lit. "Nobody's Song") | 2:16 |
2×12″ release
|
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| 1. | "Sikertelenség" | 0:40 |
| 2. | "Szerencsétlen" | 4:55 |
| 3. | "Öngyilkos Vasárnap" | 3:26 |
|
|
| 1. | "Felbomlasztott Mentőkocsi" | 3:44 |
| 2. | "Hajnal" | 7:46 |
|
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| 1. | "Galamb Egyedül" | 1:36 |
| 2. | "Második Galamb" | 6:01 |
| 3. | "Szamár Madár" | 5:49 |
|
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| 1. | "Hiszékeny" | 1:39 |
| 2. | "Kétsarkú Mozgalom" | 8:50 |
| 3. | "Senki Dala" | 2:16 |
External links
Further reading
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| Studio albums | |
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| EPs and singles | |
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| Other albums | |
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| Related articles | |
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