Jekyll and Hyde

Summer is a time for recuperation -- for relaxing and re-centering oneself after a long year of school. For me this summer holds even more importance due to the fact that I will be leaving for Sweden in August. This summer represents a time for me to base myself, to find an anchor I can ground my mind in and prepare for the trials ahead. Because of this I find that my musical tastes vary widely in the sizzling, humid Georgia summers -- from abstract new age to bluegrass I touch on all musical styles. Mostly though, I see themes of slower tempos and more relaxed sounds rise to the surface. So this posts strays from the beaten path as I explore some less commonly frequented sounds.

"SILÊNCIO" - Ayahuasca Revisited (SECOND ACT) by M&Ms

Opening today's post is Greenland based M&Ms. A virtuoso with ambient and classical tastes Martim, aka M&Ms, has taken the definition of epic mixes to a whole new level. Weaving together floods of classical, lo-fi, and electronica music Martim effortlessly controls the energy and dynamic flow of his hour long masterpieces creating an ocean of musical emotion that ebbs and flows at the whim of its creator. Beset with achingly beautiful minimalist string pieces and dotted with shamanistic influences that manifest into the whistling of spirits and the call of otherworldly beings, Martim does justice to the psychedelic Ayahuasca potion this mix is named after.

I suggest finding a quiet, isolated space to listen to this track in. Close your eyes and let it take you. 

Breathe on my Contacts by TOKiMONSTA

I can see the road up ahead! Based in Los Angeles Jennifer Lee began her musical career as a young classical pianist before moving forward in to the rich world of digital production where the fusion of all areas of music boosted her into a dazzling career of superb musical production.

Are we back on the beaten path yet though? Not likely, Breathe on my Contacts by the venerable  TOKiMONSTA, is a trip of its own -- taking the fast-paced lo-fi Just Breathe by Telepopmusik and conjuring up a, dare I say, even more chill version that respects the original mood of the song while taking it's ethereal heights to a new altitude. An accentuated bass beat, slower tempo, and plenty of reverb work in unison to send this originally down to earth piece rocketing in to the far reaches of deep space.

HVNRD & LGWBB - Extraterrestrial flowers by lame grandma with big bag

If you remember from my last post I reviewed another track collaborated on my LGWBB. Yes, the same artist two posts in a row, I know, but trust me IT'S WORTH THE LISTEN. I never cease to be amazed by the sheer diversity in the sounds and style LGWBB harnesses in his productions. At this point I'm going to start referring to him as a sound engineer rather than an artist, his mastery of production is truly out of this world.

Working in tandem with another fellow Russian artist hvnrd, the duo have built a aural landscape reminiscent of the old SEGA handheld. I imagine this is what Sonic The Hedgehog 2 would sound like if it was both made of hip-hop and comprised of pure awesome. Old school synth soundbtyes and a grandiose beat backed by electric organ turn this beatrumental in to a strangely arousing(oh god) cross between a 80's porn soundtrack and roots video game overture title. An interesting(and funky!) combination to say the least.

Breath And Run [Lila Negr] by IP(identity problem)

Ok, we're in the high grass now. The IP Group, a musica/visual/theatre art project based in Poland, has created a multimedia music performance dubbed Lila Negr inspired by Alexander Vertinsky, a Soviet singer, poet, and cabaret artist deeply entrenched in traditional Russian art. This track is an excerpt from the whole performance and features only the music part. The dark minimalist elements emphasized in the piece were full of raw emotion and set the atmosphere with clarity through the powerful lack of huge sounds. I'm usually not a fan of abstract pieces but this one was exceptional. Check it out and let me know what you think of it!

Schlachthofbronx-Chambacu (Smutlee Remix) by maddecent

Finally, on a lighter note, is the german based group Schlachthofbronx. A heavy hitter in the Bass genre, they have released a killer EP on Maddecent this year named Nasty Bass EP from which this track is originally from. Infused with copious portions of horns, cumbia style beats, and south american tropical influences this European group brings the latin heat and brings it hot; great for parties, better for beaches, awesome for the car on hot summer days. Make sure you watch Schlachthofbronx for more big drops this summer, there are bound to be more groovy hits like this on the way.

Woah, Wait What?

I think it's been two weeks since my last post. Sad, I know, but it feels like I'm more busy at my summer job than I was in school! In fact, I am. 8 hour workdays Monday through Friday, and then friends after work. I've barely had time to splash the top of my Soundcloud backlog, it's bad.

So, unfortunately, no new artists for this post. I promise next one I'll have some tasty treats for you.
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However...I do have something to show you...
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Pictures.

I recently purchased a Canon EOS T3 in preparation for my journey to Sweden this fall for study abroad, and I'll tell you right now there is nothing like having a nice camera. I've always had an appreciate for photography and now I finally get a chance to explore that passion. It's been an interesting experience so far, almost addicting! Anyway I don't want to ramble so let me get to the pics.

These are just a few of the many I have been taking, let me know what you think and if you have any advice I am willing and eager to learn.













You can visit my full flickr page at http://www.flickr.com/photos/justasignal/

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.

Beatstrumental Review #1: Blazin Beats, Rich Rhythms, and Soulful Samples

I have entered the realm of instrumental hip-hop, and judging from the mad outflow of absolutely brilliant tracks I see everyday on soundcloud, I'm going to be stuck here for awhile. If you have been following my other posts you've probably noticed by now they are all chalk full of outstanding beats. Now though, I've decided to dedicated full posts to the amazing beat artists filling my ears with sound everyday. 

Este tango habla por mi by Kerusalén Beatz

Opening this post is a Venezuelan artist by the name of Kerusalen Beatz. A 22-year-old raised in the heart of Caracas, his self-described call to music arose from a need to develop a unique sound in his home country, and he has certainly achieved his goal. With his first track uploaded only 3 months ago, Kersualen Beatz is a newcomer to Soundcloud. However, upon listening to any of his tracks it is immediately apparent he lacks no experience in production. The high energy atmosphere of his sound is enhanced by hard-hitting basslines and perfectly sampled string, guitar, and other orchestral instruments that command you to feel the beat, the rhythm of his tracks.

"Este tango habla por mi", his first uploaded track on soundcloud, intros with a mournful accordian and strings followed by the title of the song spoken in a thick south american accent. With controlled immediacy the beat changes to sampled loop of a quite badass accordion accompanied by a powerful bassline and minimal hip-hop beat which, in my opinion, demands head bobbing. Though the track is short, its power is evident.

Check out more of Kerusalen Beatz tracks on his soundcloud.


Belly Beast by ELECTRIC SEA SPIDER

Next up is wonky producer from down under, Electric Sea Spider. Based in Melbourne, Australia, this 20-year-old beat forger throws tradition to the wind in his productions as he melds all sorts of sounds together, ranging from table tennis field recordings to eerie child's chorus samples. Full of lazy, sporadic beats and frequent juxtaposing samples each track by this talented artist is guaranteed to introduce you to a sound unlike anything you've heard before.

In "Belly Beast", a cacophony of pots and pans, humming children, and rolling basslines meshes together to create a strangely mellow atmosphere that I wish would only last longer! Truly unlike any other instrumental I've heard, I could hear the likes of MF Doom or Common laying down some profound lyrics on top of this grade A track.

Crayons by ELECTRIC SEA SPIDER

As a bonus, here is Crayons, a mashup of familiar ambient/analogue synths and tones layered below softly shaking percussion instruments and melodious bass beats. The chopped samples of a youth along with the ringing of bells and clustered drums completes this track and creates an musical image of rolling green fields and lazily passing clouds in my mind. This track is going on a cd for the car for sure.

Dreamy Nods-Therapy Chop Chop XIII by Messenjahmusicproductions

A rare treat, Phillip J Morris (Philey J) is a musician, rapper, and producer from the heart of Britain. Owner of Messenjah Music Productions, Philey J has been honing his skills as a hip-hop artist over the past 10 years, and he definitely has the skills to prove it. A master of hip-hop compositions influenced by jazz, soul, and blues his tracks tell tales of clear summer nights, smoky jazz clubs, and longs nights in front of the piano. Masterfully styled instrumental pieces dominate his sound, and the smooth flavor of hip-hop rhythms only help to enhance the classy, crisp sound of tracks.

Therapy Chop Chop, a series of minimal and chilled-out instrumentals produced by Philey J Dreamy Nods, the track I am showcasing today by Philey J, is a contribution to the Therapy Chop Chop project -- a collaborative effort by beat welders across the globe to share in their creative process, hone their skills, and engage with like-minded individuals in musical "wrestling" ;) Dreamy Nods combine hypnotic drum loops with fleeting piano progressions and basslines in to a mouthful of tasty sounds I wouldn't mind having on my palette every day of the week. Check out Therapy Chop Chop Victory Battle if you enjoy Dreamy Nods.

Etcetera by mndsgn

Last, but not least, is "Land O Lakes" native mndsgn. With only 3 tracks listed on Soundcloud he's an elusive artist for sure, but his jumpy, airy beats tell a story of a budding talent who(hint hint) is just waiting to burst forth.

Etcetera is a whimsical, fun instrumental strewn with watery sound effects and buzzing basslines that get me thinking more about Yoshi's Island than a backtrack to a rap album. However the impact of mndsgn's style in this track is no less powerful than the cream of the crop on any major record label. If you like what you hear in Etcetera, make sure you listen to Birches , a 26 minute mix of some excellent tunes labelled as "glimpsehop" by mndsgn. It's a doozy, I'll tell you that.

Hurry Up and Wait

Research paper due next week, feature article in the works, and at east three finals ahead of me. How I am finding time for new artists is beyond me! However I do have a few interesting tracks for you this week, along with an album just released! The title of the blog this week feels like it's mirroring my life, and this music, right now. Hurry up and do all my work for classes, then wait a few days for a new load of impossible goals to be doled out. Sigh. Almost there though!


Easy by Malefique

As you may very well know by now, I have a soft spot for funky beatsrumentals. Perhaps no artist I have discovered in the past few weeks embodies the spirit of a classic, soulful hip-hop instrumental than Malefique. A beatmaster from the heart of Russia, Malefiques signature sound prescribes an "atmosphere for each, the tracks under which one might think, laugh, mourn."

Easy, which opens with a up-pitched and energetic sample of Linonel Richie's Easy Like Sunday Morning  holds the crackling, looped, catchy characteristics of a perfect beatstrumental. Malefique's excellently time chops and superb production provide a grade A example of a quality hip-hop instrumental. One that I will be using as my alarm in the morning for quite awhile! 

ramachandran #japan -bugseed's sequel- (Fancy Mike - Sigma Chi Primavera) by bugseed.

Following in the same vein as Malefique, though quite in another direction, is bugseed. More experimental in his technique, Bugseed's sound is imbued with qualities more akin to yahn look picard's lazy beats from my post 2 weeks ago. Making frequent use of dirty signals, such as distorted beats, and compression along with a pleasing array of percussion instruments and modulating synths, Bugseed throws digital paint across his soundscape like it's playtime.

Check out his soundcloud for more smoky sounds and bodacious beats. 

Take Care, Take Care, Take Care by Constant Artists

Next up, with a change of scenery, is the new post-rock album by Texas-based band Explosions In The Sky. Traveling back to their roots after a short departure in to multi-instrumental experiments on their last album, So Long, Lonesome, Take Care is a return to the simpler, and earlier, style of Explosions sound. Composed with a few guitars, a drum kit, and a bass guitar, the dynamic crescendo and decrescendos so familiar to Explosions style is fortified on this album and, as always, writes a story of emotion evident from the first track. If you have never heard of post-rock before this post, this is a perfect starting album as it exhibits all the classic, and well-performed, aspects of the genre. Long, drawn-out movements of sonic ether that heave and sigh in perfect unison. Whether you're listening to this album as you fall asleep on a rainy night, or conquering a mountain at daybreak the emotion of this album will lend itself to you.

That's all for this week! I had a few more artists lined up but have decided to wait until next week to showcase them. Quality over quantity, right? Until next time!

In The Nick of Time

Less than 3 weeks less of school, the pressure is on! Despite the tremendous amount of work I have to do I was able to find these gems at the last second(read: this weekend) and put together a semi-decent post. Check back in the week for a special weekday post of some of my favorite hip-hop performances as well!


Pazes - Evaporar (Aether Remix) by Aether

Based out of San Antonio, Texas, Diego Chavez is a multi-talented artist, painter, producer, and professional daydreamer with a knack for innovation. Whether on the canvas or through speakers Chavez has been creating works of art aurally and visually for several years and shows no signs of stopping. I was excited this weekend to finally discover Aether after several months of inactivity from his other moniker, A.M. Architect, and, honestly, have been having a hard time trying to find just a few songs to show off his talent.

In a style all his own Chavez wields his songs like fine-crafted weapons of aural bliss. Complex, rolling beats that thrum and waver in a perfectly choreographed dance with the floating, wild melodies of synths, vocal samples, and subtle chord progressions only begin to characterize the musical landscape Chavez paints. With a good pair of headphones and several minutes of closed-eye listening it's nearly impossible not to fall in to the mysterious, broiling ocean of sound Chavez manages to churn together in each new track.

The first track brought to you today is a remix of  Evaporar by Pazes, an incredible acoustic performer that meshes post-rock, folk, and latin influences in to his sound. A listen to Aether's remix will have you wondering if it's even the same song at all, with fast-paced maraca rhythms, deep bass beats, and a out-of-tune music box sound that transform the track in to a creation of jerking melodies and sampled vocals far from the original.

Leavin' On Your Mind by Aether

This second track embodies a sound more akin to A.M. Architect, complete with a deftly sampled piano loop and the unique, rolling beats signature to Aether's sound. To me, the sound Aether so perfectly emulates in his rhythms and tracks is a feeling of "falling" over the beats continuously, almost as if he is urging his listener to press forward in to the story the song is unfolding. With perfectly tuned, aching chords and a dreamscape of sound unraveling as the song progresses Leavin' On Your Mind is one you won't want to be have missing from your collection.



Following suite is ETHEREA, a relatively new and unknown electronica producer from New York. Despite having released an absolutely brilliant free album aptly named FREE ETHEREA, not much is known about the artist behind the name.

With a style that draws from influences like Animal Collective and other noise-pop bands, Etherea exhibits a strong use of repetition, sampling, and electronica elements. However, his sound is not generic: with melodies that hang in the air sounding like they are ready to explode and 8-bit components accompanied by hip-hop influenced beat progressions his style is a commendable mix of modern genres with a new twist.

Etherea - WAVVES vs. DOOM by vanilla_face

In this second song Etherea creates a mashup of lo-fi band Wavves and MF DOOM, a rapper and producer, to create a pleasing, chilled out throw down of clashing genres that fit together like puzzle pieces. This track reveals the true talent of Etherea and leaves me wondering who this mystery artist is and when I can hear more of him...

Na Na Ni by Fredrik (the band)

Switching gears to a more organic theme, Fredrik is on the top of my list for this week. An ensemble band from Sweden, Fredrik combines rich acoustic guitar, natural percussion, and smoky vocals in to a medley of haunting, folk-influenced sounds that emanate across their first album, Na-Na-Ni. Building on layers of sound, this experimental band from up north has been conjuring achingly beautiful compositions across the folk and indie genre since 2008.

Na Na Ni, the track, is a ghostly, trance-inducing instrumental creation that speaks only of musical feeling, as if the repetition throughout the song is more a mantra that the musicians use to bring out the true meaning of the song than just a compositional device. This song will have you hooked by the first regression back to the simple, hypnotic voice of the guitar.



On a final note, I bring you an even more hypnotic piece. Composed by model, songwriter, and composer superstar, Eric Whitacre, Sleep is an original(and somewhat older) choral piece for SATB choirs. With its melancholy, slowly moving, powerful chords and poetic lyrics Sleep is a massive favorite among traditional choirs. As a former chorus student myself having sung Whitacre pieces and seen Sleep live, I have to say it is a deeply moving and powerful piece of music. This rendition, however, is unlike any other as it contains over 1700 performers from 58 countries performing "virtually" through youtube. Though the dynamics of the piece are not as strong as you might find in a "real" choir, the end result is still magnificent.

NOTE: You may have to visit the youtube channel in order to listen.