Beatstrumental Review #2: Intergalactic Indian Shootout Soundoff

The second in my probably on-going series of posts showcasing fantastic beat artists across the net. Beastrumentals aims to discover fresh and unique hip-hop, instrumental, and experimental beat tracks from bleeding-edge producers from around the world! This week I have way too many artists to share, I might have to make two posts...

p∆n❍r∆m∆ x slamagotchi :: stir fry by p∆n❍r∆m∆

First up this week is Panaorama, an intergalactic traveler who has taken up residence in Australia. Staying true to image, Panaorama's tracks evoke the quintessential atmosphere of an extraterrestrial experience. His beats are strewn with echoing, vast expanses of jumbled bass punches and claps set to an alien cacophony of beeps, whirs and electronic thingamajigs. If you were planning on staying on earth for a listen through of any of his tracks, I suggest you turn around now -- Panorama's style is for deep space aural cosmonauts only.

Keep an eye on his soundcloud  as a free digital release of his new EP is due at the end of this year!

Sirkri - Hai (The Beat Inn Chop XVII) by Sirkri

Next up is a contender in the Therapy Chop Chop project over at The Beat Inn. Sirkri, a 17-year-old beat welder from France, has been on my watch list for awhile. With high-energy, on-the-edge-of-your-seat productions he has shown exceptional skill in slicing and dicing the source tracks for the last several Therapy Chop Chop.

In Chop 16, Sirkri takes the layed back, meandering Vytas Brenner - Morrocoy and transforms it into a relentless beast exploding with melodic tension between the perfectly timed chops and beats. For the cherry on top, he tunes down the intro on this beast and lets the sound fade out before blasting you with the drop, blowing away all impressions and expectations. Sirkri is a man with a vision, one I will certainly be watching for in the future.


OffBeatKid X LGWBB - Spanish movie by lame grandma with big bag

Taking a break from the intensity of Sirkri, Lame Grandma with big bag(or LGWBB as he abbreviates) is a humble veteren beat producer from Khabarovsk, Russia. Though he claims that he has no musical talent and that "This music is made by my own bear on his own balalayka under control of the Tesla troopers.", LGWBB is a true master of the beat art. Layed-back thundering claps, cinematic elements, and rich, clean instrumental backtracks characterize the master production of LGWBB work. Whether he uses sampes or creates his own music via Tesla troopers is unknown to me, all I know is m head starts bobbing when his tracks spin up.

Often collaborating with other artists on soundcloud, LGWBB has accumulated a diverse and unique collection of sounds in his repertoire. His latest foray in to collaboration involved another Russian native, OffBeatKid, and has provided some incredible sounds as a result. The track featured, Spanish Movie, feels as if it was pulled right out of a spaghetti western, complete with lonely horn solos and epic soaring vocals fit only for an old fashioned-shootout. With rising crescendos trailed by mournful chords accompanied by some dope percussion beats this is a masterpiece of production. Make sure you check out the rest of LGWBB's collaborations and solo projects on his soundcloud .



Last, though clearly not at all least, is the talented Mr. Ollie Finn. Based in Lewes, Britain Mr. Finn has been chop chopping beats for The Beat Inn for some time now and shows no sign of slowing down in his spectacular production. Sourcing the popular traditional indian track Hai Re Hai Tera by Ghungta Mr. Finn has reconstructed an absolutely brilliant grime-filled beatstrumental that is unbelievably unlike the original. Full of chopped strings, harsh drums, and incomprehensible babble set to support the atmosphere of this indian-influenced chop, the only samples coherently taken straight from the original are the short interspersed vocalizations of a male singer. Mr. Finn has thrown this track into a blender and poured out a delicious beat full of gold quality chops and samples, a truly outstanding feat. And to beat, the music video for this track is wonderfully trippy and abstract, a perfect match for the superbly-mangled, warped style of the song. Bravo!

That's it for this post, I still have 4 artists queued up and waiting for a write-up so check back later in the week for more beats rhymes and rhythms!

Tropical and Mountainous Summer Sounds

I know, I know. Half a month of silence. Eh, what can I say? Finals week came around, then the first week of summer was here and all I've wanted to do was relax, see friends, and enjoy a moment of freedom. I know it's no excuse for laziness, but why do I need an excuse? It's my blog, I do what I want :P

Anyways, I have three artists for you today, and many many more in queue. (Seriously, I have two unfinished posts with 3-4 artists each, I just need to get around to writing them!)

Changing seasons change my mood for music. It always happens, regardless of what I'm listening to. This means your in for a sporadic, constantly changing selection of unrelated music, hope you're buckled in!




First is Megafaun, a decidedly unfolky folk band from the Appalachians consisting of the brothers Brad and Phil Cook and Joe Westerlund. Wandering twists and turns dominate the sound of Gather, Form & Fly,  as Megafaun meanders from organic, lo-fi folk instrumentals to traditional country love-song melodies. In a style neither entirely practiced nor improvised, you will find yourself listening to heart-stretching harmonies produced by the trio before being lofted in to noisy droning of violins and broken drums.

Gather, Form & Fly, the self-titled song from the album is what caught my attention my first listen-through. Long pauses broken by sweet and sour harmonies sung by softly conversing banjo and guitar, cymbals and drums quietly interjecting, yet supporting the mysterious melody, and a grand finale composed of peacefully powerful vocal harmonies create such an effect in my mind I can nothing but close my eyes and listen.

Juju Sound + Nü Latin @ Mini-mal 110506 (Audio taken from Makala's Boom Shaka Laka Radio Show) by DJ Andres Leguizamon

Second on the list for today, in a completely different hemisphere of musical talent, is the ceaselessly amazing DJ Andres Leguizamon. Playing at his regular venue at the Mini-Mal, Andres has thrown together a mix of latin groove, nu-latin, and jazzy beats that irresistibly command you to dance.

Look no further if you are seeking out high-quality beats from south of the border, there is none better than Andres. Check out his soundcloud for more.

Spring Mix 2011 (Electronic Latin) by g-funkster

Lastly, recommended to me by Andres, is a cool tropical mix just in time for summer. Though the title suggests spring is the recommended season to listen to this latin-fueled throwdown of hip beats and humid sounds, just about anywhere on Earth with a temperature of 80 F will do this mix justice.

Based in south west England, G-Funk is an afro-driven enthusiast and expert on the dancier side of the southern hemisphere. Though his blog and history of public tracks is short in time, it does not lack quality. Make sure you check out g-funkster's soundcloud and blog for more tropical beats.