Crunkzilla
Sound&Recording, 05-2009
www.soundandrecording.de


(...) 2 GB Samples splitted into 40 Construction-Kit which can be triggered via Ueberschalls Elastik-Player. The Menu of the kits is only seperated into Kits and single drums.
(...)
Crunk shows a direct connection to HipHop: Groove and aggression are very gangsta-like, the sawtooth-hooklines sound a little epic and „Yomanwhatareyoulookin‘at“??
(...)
Not very inventive but real and groovy.

Translated by Wenzel Mehnert / Ueberschall

Crunkzilla
amazona.de, 12/2008
www.amazona.de


Since the extravagant american producer Lil Jon brought the singer Usher on top of the worldwide charts in 2004 (...) we can hardly imagine the Billboardcharts without Dirty South and its „Crunk-Style“.

The typical elements of Crunk are simple but good working synth-melodies with a heavy and punchy sound and modified 808-Drums that shake every dancefloor. Last but not least it‘s due to the individual sound of the genre that the producers gain such a high success.
(...)
Despite the appearently necessary individuality of the sound the german based sample producers „Ueberschall“ had the heart to release a sample DVD in summer 2008 that aims on enthusiasts of crunk music. In Hip Hop Ueberschall already set a new standard with „Urbanic Producer Pack“ but can they also do with Crunkzilla?

The answer is strict and simple: yes.

For almost 100 Euro the customer becomes almost two gigabyste samples that sound as if they were coming straight from the south of the USA. If you are listening to the latest HipHop Charts you‘ll recognize that Ueberschall hit the bull‘s-eye.
(...)
No other competitor produces so well produced construction kits within this genre. Even the melodies and beats are very versatile so that you can produce club hip hop as well as minimalistic RnB without any difficulties. Between the range of 67 to 145 BPM there should be something for everybody.
(...)
Especially the quality of the single sounds knows how to convince and can keep up with every professional production. Producer and friends of american HipHop can grab that thing - despite the relatively high price.

Author:
Philipp Cluse

Translated by Wenzel Mehnert / Ueberschall

Crunkzilla
Music Tech Mag, 11/2008
www.musictechmag.co.uk


As musical styles converge and mutate, there’s seemingly no name too daft for the latest hybrid of two genres. And so it is that we have ‘crunk’, a sort of hyper-produced love child of electro and hip hop but without, in this reviewer’s opinion, the redeeming qualities of either… If you need to know what it sounds like, sit down and watch The Fast and The Furious or something similar in which lots of big, tattooed guys in fast cars square off against one another in the California sunshine.

This is a 2GB sample set wrapped in the Elastik Player and features, according to the box, ‘genuine flavour and trends from actual crunk music’ (in case you were concerned that you were getting some sort of pseudo-crunk sounds, heaven forbid). The samples are well-produced and highly polished, consisting mainly of beats, synths, basses and effects. These are provided in mixes and as single drum kits, which you can mix and match.

This library comprises mostly double-time hi-hats, synthetic beats, stammering synth orchestra hits and staccato acid synth arpeggios. Devoid of the repeated, aggressive shouting that usually accompanies crunk tracks, t sounds almost musical in places, but ultimately it’s a heavy, insistent and blatantly unforgiving style tht you’ve probably heard blaring out of a mobile phone on the top deck of a bus – especially if you live in London.

There’s nothing wrong with this sample set at all. If you’re a crunk fan you will love it to bits as it is a perfect sample set for building tracks in this style. But if you’re not, it’s pretty hard to swallow.

Verdict
A well-produced and authentic crunk sample set, but probably reserved for fans of the genre only.

Rating: 7/10

Crunkzilla
Computer Music, 11/2008
www.computermusic.co.uk


If you’re into crunk and similar forms of hip-hop, you’re sure to love some of the huge sounds packed on to this sound bank. You’ll find all the ghetto synths and lazy claps you could want, with deep bass grooves and a few exotic live sounds for good measure. There are 40 construction kits, each containing a selection basic loop elements and a single-hit drum kit. Every kit is well labelled with the root of the key and the sample tempo. Be aware, though, that you can only access the sounds through the included Elastik player, as is the case with numerous other Ueberschall products.

Rating: 8/10

Are Hip Hop fans still listening to Lil’ Jon-style crunk? YEAH!!! I’m pretty sure we’re all on hyphy now. WHAT?!!! That’s over too, apparently. OKAY!!! Now it’s all about  Lil’ Wayne’s futuristic snap or something. LET’S GO!!! Either way, the 40 Elastik-format construction kits on this 2GB disc will have you sounding like Atlanta circa 2002 in no time at all with their 808 kicks and claps, pimp cup-rattling basslines and skittering synths reminiscent of the sorrowful clatter of a platinum grill dropping from the slack jaw of a misogynistic rapper onto the tear-stained floor of an empty Georgia strip club. I think you’re getting the idea now.