Facebook Slider

The Weekly Froth - 20160708

  • Published in Columns

 

The Weekly Froth! A weekly take on six tracks, most of which have recently popped up somewhere in the blogosphere. Bit of a mixed bag with a slight leaning towards house, disco, and remixes, but generally just anything that for some reason tickled the writer’s fancy.

Track of the Week: ‘Augustine’ by Blood Orange

Blood Orange is back, and we can rejoice. I’ve become a convert ever since seeing him doing an amazing live show at Primavera Sound a while back, and can’t wait to repeat a visit whenever he’s gonna be close by. This track starts slow and like a ballad, but then the quick turn around, the beat and bass combo providing the funk, which then gets the extra flavour from his guitarmanship. Then, after about 1 1/2 minute, the piano and the vocals coming in, first doing the talking, and then, when the chorus comes in, showing off the pretty, higher pitched vocals. Almost choir like here, interspersed with deeper talking. At one point we just get some (ace) vocals, and then the drumpad charges back in to provide us with some rhythm. A real ace track, can’t wait to listen to the entire album.

‘Life is Good’ by Get Down Edits

Get Down Edits start of with the disco sounds, but soon the heavy bass comes in to make it work and to get the whole thing really going on. Then the piano comes in, the little riff, bringing you way back down into that New York scene right there. The heavy bass keeps it modern though, even when the vocals come in for the first time, first doing a Hmmm-hmmm-hm to get acquainted, though slowly but surely they really start coming in with the help of some male vocals there in the background. They make sure you understand that, you know, it’s a Good life, and that Love is shining. And even moreso when you get the jiggy on with this one (As she is doing what you want her to do). At about the four minute mark they dial it down, giving the vocals all the time and all the space to get you on board, and I love that they first bring in the percussion on top of the deeper vocals singing Good life, then the piano, all before they really bring it all back in again. Some tuneage for the dancefloor, bringing the diva vocals, the disco sounds, but also deep bass sound to make sure no one has to miss a beat.

 

‘Oh Honey’ by Delegation (Poolside edit)

This one starts slow and sultry, bringing the warm tones first. Then, just before the minute mark, the slow bass comes in as the synthesizer and horns give you the exotic, really getting that cocktail and Poolside (…) vibe going. Then, the vocals, singing that They know where to go, as she is their Inspiration. It’s got those amazing, old school soul group vocals, those four boys doing that one mic thing. In the mean time the bass keeps the slow-to-mid paced rhythm burning, with the higher key sides giving the holiday vibes. Then, the solo male vocals, making it work for a minute, before bringing it back down with the bass and the group coming in, doing their Ooooooohhhh, honey to great effect. It is a lovely slow burner, ideal for some beach side consumption I reckon.

 

‘Flee’ by Crayon feat. Ann Shirley

You get the irregular beat going, doing that R&B thing over the Ann Shirley vocals, which coincidentally are also doing that R&B thing. So that vibe is set from the get go, for getting up close and dirty around midnight. I love her voice, singing You’re so cold when we are apart, giving it a fitting turn for this kind of track. In the mean time Crayon knows when to dial it down and dial it up, putting in a nice deeper bass sound as well to contrast the harsher ones. It is a nice, three minute piece where Crayon rightfully called in the Ann Shirley help, giving it that little something something that is a good fit for the track.

 

‘Way Back Home’ by Kraak & Smaak feat. Ivar (Tiger & Woods remix)

I love the percussion that comes in at about the ten minute mark, giving it this nice vibe as it contrasts with the more mechanical sounds in the back. Then, more rhythm sounds come in, with at the minute mark the bass barging forward full throttle when it enters the scene. They build it up nicely, always seeming to add one more thing to keep that forward momentum going as they loop the mainstay for a while (like Tiger & Woods always do so masterfully). At the two minute mark the track opens up a bit when the piano sounds come in, taking it away from the more club heavy feel of the rest of the instruments, and the lads make sure that this sound, too, gets some of the rhythm right. At the three minute mark, for the first time, the vocals, nice and soulful, singing that he hopes You understand. And those vocals won’t let up from that point on, even if it sometimes slides back a bit in favor of some of the other instruments. It’s got a real festive tone this one, a track I see doing well in festival sets because it mixes the more club elements with some of the more open, poppy sounds without replacing the former.

 

‘Satin Kimono’ by The Beat Broker

The Beat Broker gets a nice, funky loop going, also courtesy of that guitar sound, adding some disco sounds and the soul vocals even before the clock strikes a minute. In the mean time, in the background, the rhythm keeps rolling on, with some of those drums, a slow bass sound, all culminating in a good canvas for the vocals and that guitar to keep running on. At the two minute mark he dials it down a bit in the loop, letting the vocals do some of the work, but soon the bass comes back in to make sure the rhythm and the funk don’t get completely lost. Against the canvas The Beat Broker starts working some more sounds now, making sure to add some variety as, as far as looping goes, you do have some of that necessary repetition going on, obviously. Next to these new touches, the ongoing vocals (that aren’t repeated in that same vein) make sure you’re never going to find a dull moment. At the 4:20 mark some of that funky business in the solo instrument right there, perhaps providing a perfect summation of what this track is all about.

 

Read more...
Subscribe to this RSS feed