Reviews for Evidence:
MP3.com Review for Evidence:
"Masterpiece"
Although Massive Attack and Portishead were very succesful once in the 90s, trip-hop is an underappreciated genre. Not that anyone really hates trip-hop, but there're so many labels that don't want to risk with a trip-hop band.
Karmacoda is one of those bands which deserve more success than they have. Their second album is even better than their debut album, with lots of excellent songs like 'Firefly' (which reminds me of Teardrop) or the rather ambient tune 'Transitory'.
The excellent value of this album is proved by the fact that Kamacoda made a remix album based on it, called 'Altered Evidence: Late Night Remixes'. Concluding, it's a truely outstanding album that makes you think once again about the value of the trip-hop genre.
Splendid Music Review for Evidence:
If you're going to do "trip hop", you'd better have a Class-A female vocalist to step up and satisfy your listeners expectations of the genre. Unless you're Tricky, in which case a gruff and incomprehensible drawl is fine. This San Francisco-based four-piece seem committed to exploring a sound that parallels the very best of that genre, but they still make a populist push in terms of the relaxed atmospheres and lush arrangements on display. Karmacoda's ace in the hole is Heather Pierce, whose voice is so gorgeous that it's impossible not to get wrapped up in its sexy cool -- think Mimi from Low without the guilt.
South of Mainstream Review for Evidence:
Karmcoda puts out a straight up, cool vibe. Heather Pierce has a beautiful voice which she uses to compliment Brett "B." Crockett's haunting vocals. She takes the lead, and quite skillfully on songs like "Tragic" and "Awaken". There is also one instrumental on the album. If you're looking for some hot indie beats to bounce down the strip with, then Karmacoda is for you. I think these guys would sound great in an acoustic setting. Great sound, I can't wait to see them play live someday. Favorites: (4) Front of My Room, (8) WhatWithAll.
Music Dish Review for Evidence:
Remember electro clash, the mini-hyped "New New Wave" of three years ago? That fertile potential was barely realized, as punk metal guitars and hip hop continue to rule the airwaves. Outside of New York, Germany, Paris and London, this movement barely existed. Now, however, from San Francisco, America's capital of cultural revolution, comes Karmacoda. The group brings to mechanical electro clash and terminally dark trip hop a cloudy/sunny California cool, at once laid back and romantic, earthy and glamorous. Like the city, their songs have a breezy airiness and Boho funkiness. Musically they blend early Mazzy Starr style trippy beat music with Orchestral Maneuvers in a dark styled goth-tinged, grimy club sound. On Evidence, Karmacoda creates love songs that are the modern, electro pop versions of Marvin Gaye and Tammy Terrell's soul duets from the great, sixty's Motown era. On Evidence the mellow trip hop beats glide like a cruise down Highway #1. Karmacoda creates a lush groove, that like love and loving moments, can go on forever. On songs like "Where you Sleep" they reinvent electro lounge pop and tone down the electronics to do what they do best - add atmosphere. Here the vocals are at their most soulful, with emotion that supersedes electro and trip hop which eschews any feelings, save for melancholy and paralysis.
EOMMusic.com Review for Awaken from Evidence on the DL Compilation:
Destination Lounge San Fancisco is an exciting 2 CD compilation of the Bay Area's Chillout, Downtempo, and Nu Jazz scenes. CD1 is called "Relax" and covers the essence of the individual tracking of chillout and downtempo classics such as Karsh Kale's "Milan", Romanowski's "North South East West", Mystery School Ensemble's "Tansition", and Karmacoda's "Awaken".
Reviews of Karmacoda's EP on Miasmah.com (with tracks from Evidence):
Miasmah #37 and #38
Deep, deep house grooves and mindrelaxing psychedelic sounds from hungarian artist mephizto... while Karmacoda, the San Fransico located triphopband, whippes up some really lushious downbeats. Fresh!