{{Infobox album | name = Meiso | type = studio | artist = DJ Krush | cover = Meiso DJ Krush.jpg | alt = | released = {{start date|1995|07|21}} | recorded = | studio = {{hlist|Show-On (Tokyo)|Platinum Island (New York, New York)}} | genre = {{hlist|Trip hop|hip hop}} | length = {{duration|m=48|s=53}} | label = Sony | producer = DJ Krush | prev_title = Strictly Turntablized | prev_year = 1994 | next_title = Ki-Oku | next_year = 1996 | misc = {{Singles | name = Meiso | type = studio | single1 = Meiso | single1date = 1996<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sus81.jp/djkrush/en/disco/disco.html|title=-DJ KRUSH- Works|publisher=sus81.jp|access-date=June 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080406150050/http://www.sus81.jp/djkrush/en/disco/disco.html|archive-date=April 6, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> | single2 = Only the Strong Survive | single2date = September 30, 1996<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-09-28.pdf|title=New Releases: Singles|magazine=Music Week|date=September 28, 1996|access-date=May 20, 2021|page=57}}</ref> }} }}
{{Nihongo|'''''Meiso'''''|迷走|Meisō}} is the third studio album by Japanese hip hop producer DJ Krush. It was released on July 21, 1995 in Japan by Sony Music Entertainment.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/DJKRUSH/discography/SRCS-7752|title=ディスコグラフィ | Sony Music|publisher=Sony Music Entertainment Japan|access-date=May 16, 2017|language=ja}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/5054/products/234758/1/|title=迷走 | DJ KRUSH|publisher=Oricon|access-date=May 20, 2021|language=ja}}</ref>
''Meiso'' was issued in the United Kingdom on October 30, 1995 by the label Mo' Wax,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=DJ Krush: Meiso|magazine=NME|date=November 4, 1995|page=20}}</ref> peaking at number 64 on the UK Albums Chart.<ref name="UK"/> It was released in the United States on April 9, 1996 by Mo' Wax and FFRR Records.<ref>{{cite news|title=New CDs coming from Hootie, others|newspaper=The News & Observer|first=Jonathan|last=Takiff|date=April 3, 1996}}</ref> The album produced the singles "Meiso" and "Only the Strong Survive", which reached numbers 52 and 71 respectively on the UK Singles Chart.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/32577/dj-krush/|title=DJ Krush|publisher=Official Charts Company|access-date=May 20, 2021}}</ref>
==Composition== ''Fact'' described ''Meiso'' as an album of sample-based trip hop music.<ref name="Twells">{{cite web|url=https://www.factmag.com/2015/07/30/50-best-trip-hop-albums/|title=The 50 best trip-hop albums of all time|website=Fact|first1=John|last1=Twells|author1-link=Xela (musician)|first2=Laurent|last2=Fintoni|date=July 30, 2015|access-date=May 12, 2017}}</ref> AllMusic critic Ned Raggett said that the music continued in the vein of DJ Krush's past work, incorporating "mid- to slow-tempo grooves and breaks" and exploring "everything from jazz and funk to experimental ambient production."<ref name="Raggett"/> The album features guest performances from several American rappers: CL Smooth on "Only the Strong Survive", Roots members Black Thought and Malik B. on "Meiso", Deflon Sallahr on "Ground", and Guru and Big Shug on "Most Wanted Man".<ref name="Notes"/> "Make no mistake", ''Muzik''{{'}}s Will Ashon wrote of ''Meiso'', "this is a hip hop album".<ref name="Ashon"/>
==Critical reception== {{Album ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Raggett">{{cite web|url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/meiso-mw0000181608|title=Meiso – DJ Krush|publisher=AllMusic|first=Ned|last=Raggett|access-date=May 12, 2017}}</ref> | rev2 = ''The Guardian'' | rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Glaister">{{cite news|title=DJ Krush: Meiso (Mo' Wax)|newspaper=The Guardian|first=Dan|last=Glaister|date=November 3, 1995}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Muzik'' | rev3score = 4.5/5<ref name="Ashon">{{cite magazine|title=DJ Krush: Meiso|magazine=Muzik|first=Will|last=Ashon|author-link=Will Ashon|issue=5|date=October 1995|page=76}}</ref> | rev4 = ''The Source'' | rev4score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine|title=DJ Krush: Meiso|magazine=The Source|first=Paul|last=Miller|author-link=DJ Spooky|issue=78|date=March 1996|pages=102, 110}}</ref> }}
Dan Glaister of ''The Guardian'' found ''Meiso'' more accessible than DJ Krush's previous releases, attributing this partly to the more prominent rapping on the album.<ref name="Glaister"/> Glaister praised the record as an effective "blend of the upbeat with contemplative and downright mysterious instrumentals".<ref name="Glaister"/> Writing for ''Trouser Press'', Mark Kemp said that it pointed toward "further fascinating intercultural exploration of the space between foursquare hip-hop and floating ambient techno."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://trouserpress.com/reviews/dj-krush|title=DJ Krush|website=Trouser Press|first=Mark|last=Kemp|author-link=Mark Kemp|access-date=July 3, 2020}}</ref> In 2015, ''Fact'' ranked ''Meiso'' at number 12 on its list of the best trip hop albums of all time.<ref name="Twells"/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_music = DJ Krush, except where noted | title1 = Only the Strong Survive | note1 = with CL Smooth | lyrics1 = Smooth | length1 = 4:14 | title2 = Anticipation | length2 = 4:44 | title3 = What's Behind Darkness | length3 = 3:05 | title4 = Meiso | note4 = with Black Thought and Malik B. | lyrics4 = {{hlist|Black Thought|Malik B.}} | length4 = 4:02 | title5 = Bypath 1 | length5 = 0:37 | title6 = Blank | length6 = 2:19 | title7 = Ground | note7 = with Deflon Sallahr | lyrics7 = Sallahr | length7 = 5:57 | title8 = Bypath 2 | length8 = 0:45 | title9 = Most Wanted Man | note9 = with Guru and Big Shug | lyrics9 = Big Shug | music9 = {{hlist|DJ Krush|Guru}} | length9 = 4:00 | title10 = Bypath 3 | length10 = 1:13 | title11 = 3rd Eye | length11 = 4:46 | title12 = Oce 9504 | length12 = 3:35 | title13 = Duality | note13 = with DJ Shadow | music13 = {{hlist|DJ Krush|DJ Shadow}} | length13 = 8:48 | title14 = Bypath – Would You Take It? | length14 = 0:48 | total_length = 48:53 }}
==Personnel== Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.<ref name="Notes">{{cite AV media notes|title=Meiso|others=DJ Krush|publisher=Sony Music Entertainment Japan|year=1995|id=SRCS 7752|type=liner notes}}</ref>
{{columns-start}} '''Musicians''' * DJ Krush – beats, scratching, drum programming on "Duality", abstract programming on "Bypath – Would You Take It?" * Big Shug – vocals on "Most Wanted Man" * Black Thought – vocals on "Meiso" * DJ Hide – scratching on "Anticipation" * DJ Shadow – beats, scratching, and drum programming on "Duality" * Guru – vocals on "Most Wanted Man" * Malik B. – vocals on "Meiso" * Deflon Sallahr – vocals on "Ground" * CL Smooth – vocals on "Only the Strong Survive"
{{column}} '''Production''' * DJ Krush – production, mixing * Noriko Asano – executive production * Toshiya Horiuchi – mastering * Ken Duro Ifill – recording * Tetsuo Kato – executive production * Koichi "Oppenheimer" Matsuki – recording * Yoko Yamanaka – recording (assistant)
'''Design''' * Mami Ikeda – translation * Sachiko Kishi – translation * Masato Nakamura – photography * Sakaguchi Ken Factory – art direction, design {{columns-end}}
==Charts== {|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1" !scope="col"| Chart (1995) !scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{Album chart|UK2|64|date=19951105|access-date=May 12, 2017|rowheader=true|refname="UK"}} |- !scope="row"| UK Dance Albums (OCC)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-11-11.pdf|title=Dance Albums|magazine=Music Week|date=November 11, 1995|access-date=May 28, 2021|page=21}}</ref> | 4 |- !scope="row"| UK Independent Albums (OCC)<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1995/Music-Week-1995-11-18-I.pdf|title=Independent Albums|magazine=Music Week|date=November 18, 1995|access-date=May 28, 2021|page=28}}</ref> | 7 |- {{Album chart|UKR&B|8|date=19951105|access-date=June 9, 2021|rowheader=true}} |}
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs master|45613|Meiso}}
{{DJ Krush}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:1995 albums Category:DJ Krush albums Category:Sony Music Entertainment Japan albums Category:FFRR Records albums Category:Mo' Wax albums