Great Skies – Fall in London [shhht_12]

Downbeat & Downtempo, Hip Hop // By: SimonVBcloseAuthor: SimonVB Email: simon.vanbockstal@gmail.com
More Authors Posts (23) // 06/10/2011 // 2 Comments

Just as I’m boarding a plane to about as far away from home as I’ve ever been, I was given the opportunity to take a small part of home with me, in the form of this new release by the Belgian ‘Silenced’ netlabel: Great Skies. Actually, it’s not even been released yet, Silenced will drop this bomb on October 25th.

This release features 4 tracks that each represent a slightly different flavour of downtempo, with the second, ‘Breath in the Air’ being my absolute favourite.
All in all, the composition itself is nothing too daring, it stays well within defined boundaries of downtempo melodies carried by lush pads and soothing synth sounds. Stylistic variation is achieved through different types of drum beats. Not reinventing the wheel doesn’t have to be a bad thing though, as this downtempo formula has proven to be successful. I instantly liked the songs.

The production does have that typical netlabel feel, which is typically most audible in the drum track. Though I personally don’t mind my mids being just slightly muddy, and a drum track getting its charm from the actual rhythm instead of a sound that’s been produced to perfection, this isn’t true for everybody. In fact, now might be a good time to investigate the ‘netlabel sound’, something very audible in downtempo, trip hop or abstract hip hop released on creative commons licenses. In a few recent reviews production issues have popped up, and one could pose the question as to whether this ‘netlabel sound’ is a deliberate choice, reminiscent of 80′s and 90′s mixtape culture, or the result of many netlabel artists’ inexperience with high-end mixing and mastering. If it is the latter, that might pose a problem to netlabel culture being taken more seriously by the traditional musical establishment. Whatever the origin of the ‘netlabel sound’, it should only matter if you include intention in the definition of art. Many definitions of art do just that, but personally, I don’t think that should be the only definition.

If you like downtempo spiced with some nice beats, you should definitely check this release out. [SVB]

Great Skies – Breath in the Air

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Deep link to the release page.

Cuefx – Whale (feat. Doministry)

Audio, Downbeat & Downtempo, Hip Hop // By: SimonVBcloseAuthor: SimonVB Email: simon.vanbockstal@gmail.com
More Authors Posts (23) // 07/09/2011 // 1 Comment

Netlabel culture can (and should) function as a perfect breeding ground for alternative formats that challenge our traditional concepts of what an album is supposed to be. Here then, is ‘Whale’ by Cuefx, a release which is up to the task. You download a package with a square cover, exactly what CD covers look like, but the pasted letters in the artwork provide a glimpse of its true identity. ‘Whale’ is a Do-It-Yourself remix kit. It features a song lazily swimming from downtempo to abstract hip-hop, the instrumental and vocal tracks for that song and four remixes by invited guests. To top it off, there’s a bonus track included.

I couldn’t wait to to unpack my kit, and popped this baby on the speakers. I was particularly looking forward to Crookram’s and Printempo’s remixes, as both of those artists were also featured on Export Label’s stellar ‘Break Assymetry’ compilation we reviewed a few months ago. Sample wizard Crookram described his own music as “cinematic, sample-based, downtempo soul music” in a recent interview for the Dutch 3VOOR12, and those are exactly the qualities he instilled in his reinterpretation of the original song. Printempo’s remix upgrades Whale’s drum track considerably, and the resulting groove is a real treat. Both Deam’s extremely laidback downtempo and Blossom’s version are excellent. Whoever decided what artists to invite made exactly the right calls.

There is just one problem with this release, and that’s with the one part that absolutely cannot afford it, namely the original track. To be even more specific, it’s not even a problem with the original instrumental which, though nothing special, isn’t half bad. The problem lies with the vocals in the song. There is simply no excuse for those. And since they are repeated throughout all of the mixes, this severely hampers the potential of this release. If the original track had been better, this release would have been an absolute bomb, and might even have spawned many similar releases. In fact, I hope it still does, as providing both the instrumental and A Capella versions gives this release a mode of interaction with its audience rarely found in other releases. It’s a practice which fits both the Creative Commons nature and the genre of the release like a glove.

This release is a manifesto of what could have been. As the foundation is shaky at best, the release built upon that foundation can’t aspire to great heights. If you’re either a die hard fan of abstract hip-hop, trip-hop or downtempo, or a musician looking to let loose on the DIY remix challenge that is Whale, you will definitely find something worthwhile here. If, however, you’re neither of those two, you’ll probably end up slightly disappointed. [SVB]

Cuefx – Whale (Blossom rmx)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Deep link to the release page

Bryn Thomas – Feel For Bumps EP

Broken Beat, Dubstep & Garage, Hip Hop // By: MarkuscloseAuthor: Markus Email: markus@netlabelism.com
More Authors Posts (76) // 11/07/2011 // No Comments

Another instant classic from Cut, this time by the hand of Bryn Thomas. It also happens to be our release of the month for July 2011. The “Feel For Bumps EP” presents a wide spectrum of moods and grooves. The beats are always broken, rich and colorful. Bryn Thomas creates a mixture of pushing tunes, like the first one which I also selected for the preview, and more laid back material like “Chatter”.  I imagine listening to these tunes during a train ride shortly before the sun goes down, destination unknown. I also dig the excellent usage of the different sampled vocal parts, fitting each track’s atmosphere. So take a train – or your preferred mode of transport – and give Bryn Thomas a spin. As always, Cut’s latest release makes me look forward to even more fresh material from this netlabel. [MS]

Bryn Thomas – Feel For Bumps Then Grind

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Deep Link To: The Release Page