I hope you pick these up because they're worth it!
The Songs We Sing: Best of 2002-2012
Beatservice Records
Cat. No. BS136CD
If you are not familiar with Flunk, this would be a nice introduction to their music. If you are a chillwaver, this is a great album for nostalgia, love and longing. If you are a trip-hopper, downtempo head - then this is a must. If you just like great music, this is an album for you.
I was first introduced to Flunk about 6 years too late, in my opinion. I first heard "Morning Star" back in 2008, maybe 2007, and Anja's voice mixed with sweet, melodic programing and instrumentation made me a fan. My wife and I both thoroughly enjoy the tune "Six, Seven Times" and I find it a treat when I hear their rendition of Blue Monday.
If you are a fan of Flunk already, then the second CD is worth it to pick up this release. You get a taste of the original, then you get great remixes ranging from laid back dub, to some pretty bouncy house tunes takes.
This is a great album to get acquainted, become reacquainted, and be taken away with new takes on old tunes.
Bitter Sweet
DubSoul Records
Venturing off the beaten path ain't necessarily a bad thing. There have been bands which will take an immediate left turn and then over time come back to the norm. Our Lady Peace took a concept direction for a while and Metallica had the mid-90s to prove this.
Then there is something to be said of artists who show a natural progression from one album to another. I don't know if you could classify the band Cake like this, because they just sound like... well... CAKE. I've read of Portishead's Third that it was basically album that would have been in the band's natural progression if they hadn't taken such a long time off. If you want an immediate progression from sound to sound, I would say Natalie Walker would be a good example. Even though her second album had a different feel, it sounded like it should have been her second album.
My first foray into the sounds of Von Daler and Low Pressure came from the Morningsteppa's show on kfm out of New Zealand, "Breakfast of Champions." Holy Cow, that tune was, just, wow! When I first heard VD and LP's first single off of their new album, I knew who it was. And it also felt new. "Bye Bye" is a bitter sweet tune. Sweet in the nature of Stine Kinck's vocals and the dubby nature of the song. Bitter in the sense of the lyrical content. It's a power tune! One of power gained through pain and lessons that have been learned. The rest of the album runs along the same course taking elements from different styles of music and adding it into the Von Daler and Low Pressure style. Definitely worth it!*
Correction made 7 November 2012 - I gave wrong attribution in the posting.
Tash Wax / Super Freak
GobStopper
Cat No. GOB006
When I first heard the tune "Tash Wax", I knew I was going to buy this album. It is a mover!
THEN! Then I heard "Super Freak" and that tune was like a salesman still trying to sell the product after the person is going to buy it. I don't mean that as a slight, I mean that as a compliment! Maybe that was a roundabout way of saying, "You had me at hello". The bass on Super Freak, the chopped up Rick James vocals, the bass on Super Freak - I could go on like this for about 5 or six lines.
These two tunes are terrific! The one frustration I have is that I can't grow a mustache to add wax to it while I listen to "Tash Wax". That's genetics. That's something I can't help. This is music, This is something you can buy. This is something you can blare on your stereo. This album is just that massive!
My Fate
Bacon Dubs
Cat. No. PORK008
Sparxy is a mad genius. He's the head of Bacon Dubs and is signing quite a few good acts to the label. I came in contact with Deafblind I believe earlier this year and love his style. When I found out Deafblind, Sparxy and Format (whom I'm getting more into) teamed up...
I thought, "Well, shut the front door!"
This album was an instabag! The previews, team up tunes, single ventures, and a remix by Reamz is a four fisted, fur flying, fantastic feat of fearsome fugues. Yeah, I probably stretched with fugue to get in the alliteration - yet if you see a master organist play a mean fugue, you know that's takes some skill. These tunes show the skill of a mad organist and the control of a hi-tech plate slinger.
Decibel EP
Tectonic
Cat. No. TEC063
Just like Mr. Mitch above, dubstepforum.com is where I learned about Decibel.
When I first heard the preview of these tunes I was hooked., Decibel took some a capellas, mixed his tunes in and created an intriguing mini mix which I played over and over again.
Then I got the album and I started blaring it in my little car with blown speakers. This is such a fantastic mix of styles and sounds that each song takes on a life of its own. You have heavy bass, fantastic percussion work, and a mad mix of step styles - from dub to two to footwork to trap.
This album is rich and savory! This sticks to your bones. The melodies get stuck in your head, the drum lines cause your spine to sway and the bass keeps you going and you get 400 calories of all day lasting greatness.
I do like tunes which take a light and delicate twist. You need light and delicate in your music diet. There are ambient tunes, 130-140+ steppers, and more, which give you a spark and the flavor sticks in your memory and you keep pressing play over and over.
This isn't light and delicate. It's not sit at the bottom of your stomach heavy. It is rich, flavorful, complex and savory.
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