Customer Reviews
much better than in the mode - By: Nomessingabout, 03 Jun 2007 
I thought the previous album "in the mode" had good ideas going on but it all sound too forced & pressured to me. This however is more calm, controlled & allows the jazzy/bassy style of r.s to show through better, rather than being pasted over by skittish beats which trashed "in the mode" to pieces. Obviously that does get you press attention but also ruins what r.s is best at. But now he has made the album that was trying to creep through previously.
Just go straight ahead & buy this if you have heard & liked brown paper bag which you should because it is one of the best d&b tunes of all time!
Despite new forms not being d&bin the traditional hard, nightclub style, it opened a new door & showed the way forwardin terms of more funky style d&b(think high contrast/london elektricity). Theres a hint of jazz influence behind this album which is refreshing & different. The use off some more realistic sounding bass lines of a real double bass is something that should be used morein d&b.
There some not so good tracks on here hence the 4 stars but there is good variety & imagination aswell as a small handful of classic tracks. Anyone into brown paper bag or those artists mentioned will lap this up. An important albumin any d&b cd collection, large or small.
Patchy, but what wonderful patches - By: robot_tourist, 13 Mar 2007 
As the first track declares: 'Yes, something of a different pace!' I can't say I enjoy all the songs on the album. The chord structure & vocals on 'Share the Fall' & 'Watching Windows' could be stronger, & 'Mad Cat' is two songs: one that is horrible & difficult to listen to overlaid onto a wonderful drum beat. But forget all that, the other songs are inventive & fantastic & 'Destination' is probably one of the greatest songsin any genre. I listen to the Hospital Records podcast & unfortunately modern drum & bass has not been able to surpass this tour de force, moving too far away from the original instruments. Again, as the second line of 'Railing' says: 'Fresh, into 97 make haste'. 1997 was a good year for music.
A legendary album...... - By: Mr. Sam De Lara, 08 Mar 2005 New Forms (Reprazent) is the legendary jungle/drum & bass album released by DJ Roni Size & the full cycle label backin 1997. With the obvious exception of LTJ Bukem & Goldie this was the first official offering of what has become to be known as 'intelligent drum & bass' & what a classic, pioneering album it was. And still is. Nearly ten years on & New Forms still provides deep, intelligent, atmospheric drum & bass listening & from a personal perspective takes me right back to the teenage years of the 1990's. The album begins with the energetic 'Railing', the better known 'Brown Paper Bag' (non vocal mix), the AMAZING 'New Forms' with wicked vocals provided by guest 'Bahamadia', the futuristic sounds of 'Let's Get It On' & 'Digital' before progressing to the euphorically uplifting 'Heroes' & 'Share The Fall' with all tracks retaining that drum & bass element necessary to truly convey this genre of electronic music....The fact that Roni Size recieved the Mercury Music Prize Award that year for ' New Forms' basically sums up the critical acclaim that this CD rightly generated. It really is a classic that will go downin history within the drum & bass / electronic / digital scene.....Furthermore, for all those open minded music lovers who can appreciate music not specifically made by 'real' instruments I would definetely reccommend this for ambient, intelligent beats.....Much respect to the one & only Mr Roni Size.
Still Fresh - By: , 23 Oct 2003 Bought this one the week it was releasedin '97, still listen to it today, how many D&B albums stand the test of time? Still love it!
Choice - By: djrevivalist, 21 Aug 2002 Roni Size took offin a big way after the release of this album. I remmeber hearing "Brown Paper Bag" for the first time & thinking drum & bass shouldn't sound this good. People have over played the jazz element on this album. It is very jazzy,in places & when it needs to be, but it is also soulfull & funky.
To often drum & bass albums go offin one direction. Even other classic records such as Bukem's logical progression have similar a sound to them & as good as the tracks are, they lack variety. What Represents managed to do so well was develope a proper album & not a compilation. The opening onslaught of Railing energetically flows into Brown Paper Bag, Hero's is more soulfull & chilled & tracks like Morse Code follow, Adam F's style, a fuller bassy route. The real stand out track is "Share The fall" it fuzes jazz funk into drum & bassin away no other producer has ever managed, it rumbles & drips out of the speakers. If you ever get a chance to see the live set Roni & co did on Latter with Jules Holland, check the version of Share The Fall. Like many other of the legendary drum & bass producers Roni's recent stuff has been a little disappointing but fear not this album is good enough to last a life time.
