Kismet (meaning "Destiny"), is the debut studio album by singer-songwriter Jesca Hoop. It was recorded at the Zeitgeist and Barefoot Studios and released in the US in September 2007 on the RED Ink Records label.
Contents
Background
In advance of the launch, Kismet EP was released, featuring tracks "Seed of Wonder", "Enemy" and "Money". "Intelligentactile 101" was also available to download prior to launch.
According to Hoop, many of the songs on the album were "quite old". In one interview, she explained that "Out the Back Door" is a combination of, "Probably early '20s Jazz, or '30s and '40s maybe, and Hip-Hop. I love that combination. Actually, I wrote it years ago, and then the movie, Idlewild, came out and it kind of reinforced my concept in that arena".
When asked if she had an overall sound in mind when writing the album, Hoop replied, "The main criteria were to maintain a true dynamic of small and intimate and then more fantastical. So in order to create more of the fantastic, we tripped the songs to make them a little more rhythm-based. And then we indulged in sound effects and things like that. We wanted it to be really playful".
In a review of Kismet for AllMusic, Jo-Ann Greene wrote, "Santa Monica fell under Jesca Hoop's spell in autumn 2006, making her "Seed of Wonder" the most requested song in its local radio station's history. Hoop re-recorded it for her debut Kismet album, with assistance from Stewart Copeland, whose complex, ever-shifting rhythms enhance the number's uniqueness, sliding it toward hip-hop here, prodding it into a Native American dance there".
Personnel
All personnel credits adapted from Kismet's sleeve notes.
Vocals – Jesca Hoop
Guitars – Jesca Hoop, Blake Mills, Tony Berg, Roddy Cabello, David Baerwald
Bass – Ian Walker, Blake Mills, Sam Farrar, Cedric Lemoyne
Keyboards – Patrick Warren, Tony Berg, David Baerwald
Drums – Matt Chamberlain, Stewart Copeland, Quinn Smith, José Pasillas
Mandolin – David Baerwald
Wind Instruments – Patrick Warren, Frank Lenz.
Vibraphone – Frank Lenz
Harmonium & Zither – Tony Berg
Shamisen - Yoshida Brothers
Piano – Sasha Smith
Accordion – Patrick Warren
Programing – Damian Anthony
Technical personnel
Engineering – Damian Anthony, Shawn Everett, David Baerwald
Additional engineering – Eric Valentine, Gabe Butler, Jake Davies
Mixing – Shawn Everett
Production – Jesca Hoop, Damian Anthony, Tony Berg
Mastering – Brian Gardner