Afrobeat

Today's Track: Oscar Jerome – "Sun For Someone"

April 7, 2020 — Leave a comment

The sun has no need to go to study – it has a million degrees! It’s time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Oscar Jerome in a photoshoot for a “The Line Of Best Fit” editorial (2019) (Photo Credit: Joshua Adkins)

Well, the sun certainly is out for everyone today! Good afternoon to you, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog, as it’s my day-to-day pleasure to do so! Oscar Jerome is an emerging neo-soul and jazz fusion singer-songwriter from Norwich. Jerome is a fresh signing for Caroline International, the label which distributes releases from the likes of Kate Tempest and Iggy Pop, who will release Jerome’s yet-to-be-titled debut album when it’s completed later this year. Jerome is perhaps best known as the guitarist of KOKOROKO, an Afrobeat collective formed in London. Jerome began his solo career with a self-titled EP released in 2016, followed by a second EP, “Where Are Your Branches”, which he self-released last year. “Sun For Someone” is his latest release, a new single which handles themes of environmental pollution. Let’s have a listen to “Sun For Someone” in the video below.

Jerome has a love for vintage Jazz greats, namely Miles Davis, Curtis Mayfield and George Benson, an eclectic range of influences that he blends with a streamlined, modernized neo-soul synth production style on his new track. This is enhanced by a Tropicalia, Dub aesthetic that combines lo-fi elements of jittering hip-hop fusion with slight elements of 60’s Rocksteady. Jerome recites, in a soulful delivery: “Someone’s screaming trouble in the paradox/No time to bless your cotton socks/Mind thick with soot/Pulling blessings out your throat with a fishing hook”, a mellow section that Jerome interweaves with a light, acoustic guitar strum and a warm backing vocal, a refrain that he chants: “The sun will always come for someone/But it doesn’t shine for everyone/And it doesn’t come on time”, an elegant yet melancholic hook which feels kaleidoscopic and blunt, but the sadness may not be easily distinguished on a first listen, due to the radiant and bright melodies of the synthesized backing track. An electric guitar solo is later thrown in for good measure, before Jerome continues: “I’ve been working night and day in the paradox/Thanking God for the Goldie Locks/Breath deep, cry long, scream loud/Searching for sanction on a stormy cloud”, a smooth vocal hook which gets underpinned by a rougher pitch and a constant drum machine pattern. The overall sound of the track is diverse and varied, although the sum of all parts are Blues-y and World-inspired qualities that feel befitting of a theme. I appreciate the hidden complexities beneath the sun-dripped guitar-based melodies, as the Reggae elements fuse with the gentle Dub textures to create a comforting emotion to counteract the fairly miserable lyrical content. It’s obviously geared more towards the music lovers crowd, but I feel that’s a good thing as it will really appeal to listeners who began their love affair with 70’s funk or British soul. Thumbs up for this!

  • Pictured: Oscar Jerome performing at the EFG London Jazz Festival in 2019 (Photo Credit: Karolina Wielocha)

Don’t forget to catch up with my WWE WrestleMania 36 Weekend Special if you missed out – Friday’s post, “El Santo: The Silver Masked Avenger” by The Nick Atoms, is here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/04/03/wwe-wrestlemania-36-weekend-special-the-nick-atoms-el-santo-the-silver-masked-avenger/. Saturday’s post on Bruce Springsteen’s “The Wrestler”, is here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/04/04/wwe-wrestlemania-36-weekend-special-bruce-springsteen-the-wrestler/. The weekend’s final post on “The Legend Of Chavo Guerrero” by The Mountain Goats can be perused here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/04/05/wwe-wrestlemania-36-weekend-special-the-mountain-goats-the-legend-of-chavo-guerrero/!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Sun For Someone” (Single) (2020) (via Caroline International)

Thank you for reading this post! Stay safe and healthy! Don’t forget to check up on the blog tomorrow – where I’ll be giving you my in-depth thoughts on a new track which I’ve been loving recently from a 4-piece psychedelic rock group from Los Angeles, California who made their late-night TV debut by performing “Friendship (Is A Small Boat In A Storm)” on Conan in 2017! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Dread Zeppelin – “Your Time Is Gonna Come”

March 13, 2020 — Leave a comment

Mentally drained, the time for bedtime has almost come… It’s time for your new post!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Un-Led-Ed” (Released on 24th July, 1990) (via I.R.S. music label)

It’s almost the weekend… The time is gonna come! Good evening to you, I’m Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to do so! For a band which is essentially a novelty tribute band for a 70’s classic rock band, Dread Zeppelin are strangely prolific, having produced and recorded a whopping total of 15 albums between 1990 and 2011. Obviously, Dread Zeppelin are a Dub-plate take on the 1970’s British Heavy metal pioneers Led Zeppelin, having produced each of their tracks as covers of Led Zeppelin tracks, with a Reggae style. The band were formed in California in 1989, which led to an extensive touring schedule as a part of a long tenure with IRS Records – led by an Elvis Presley impersonator named Tortelvis on lead vocals. Dread Zeppelin have also been publically endorsed by Robert Plant, the lead vocalist of Led Zeppelin, who has stated that he prefers Dread Zeppelin’s 1990’s cover of “Your Time Is Gonna Come” to his own band’s original version. Compare for yourself with Dread Zeppelin’s cover below!

Dread Zeppelin’s cover version of “Your Time Is Gonna Come” by Led Zeppelin starts off as you might probably expect, with the recognizable opening lead guitar riffs of the track being replaced by the bouncy sounds of a Sitar, before a fizzled synth-line and a funk-laden groove settles into a constant affair of mid-tempo arrangement, before Tortelvis enters the fray: “Women lie/You’ll be cheated, you’ll be hurtin’/Messing around with every guy in town/Puttin’ me down for thinking of someone new”, with Tortelvis adding a vintage 70’s rock-and-roll edge to the duelling Rastafarian backing vocals. He later continues “Made up my mind to break you this time/Won’t be so fine, it’s my turn to cry/Do what you want, I won’t take your brunt/It’s fading away, I can’t feel you anymore” over an acoustic layer of Cuica riffs and Harpischord sections. The chorus sounds as triumphant as Zeppelin’s classic original, but with a lack of stadium rock sensibilites and a replaced sense of care-free fun, created by a thumping steel drum rhythm and a soft dose of licked bass guitar melodies. On paper, it sounds like a horrific idea which simply shouldn’t work, but it does. I’ve found there’s a dark corner of my mind that tells me I like this song and I can’t help but nod in approval to that. It’s humorous and quirky, with a cheerful quality of light-hearted Dub textures and the anthemic chanting vocals of the chorus have managed to translate to a more pop-driven style with effective results. The joke doesn’t quite ware itself out and the varied instrumentation keeps it melodic enough to hold your interest. The result is an entertaining novelty track which strikes the balance of accessibility and credibility. Your time, to have a boogie to this, has come!

  • Pictured: Ed Zeppelin (Graphic Artist/Writer/Producer), Tortelvis (Lead Guitar), Jah Paul Jo (Lead Guitar), Carl Jah (Rhythmn Guitar/Backing Vocals), Put-Mon (Bass Guitar) and Charlie Haj (Drums/Percussion) (1989) (via WikiWand)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as per usual, with an in-depth look at the final track that I’m going to cover on the blog from “Our Pathetic Age”, the outstanding new double album from American EDM/Trip-Hop icon DJ Shadow, who claims to own a personal collection of over 60,000 records! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when each new post is up and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime

Scuzz Sundays: Less Than Jake – “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads”

January 26, 2020 — Leave a comment

In the case of some of my fellow university students, all of my best friends are… Gobble heads! If you know, you know! It’s time for your weekly Scuzz Sundays post!

  • Pictured: Chris DeMakes (Lead Vocals/Lead Guitar), Roger Lima (Bass Guitar), Buddy “Goldfinger” Schaub (Trombone), Peter “JR” Wasilewski (Tenor/Backing Vocals) and Matt Yonker (Drums) (November 2019) (Photo Credit: Kerrang.com)

Happy Scuzz Sunday and if you’re reading this as a fellow pro wrestling fan, I hope you enjoy the Royal Rumble tonight! I’m Jacob Braybrooke and this week’s throwback emo-pop/punk/rock track from the late 90’s to the early 00’s is the punk, Jamaican ska-inflected track “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads” by Less Than Jake, a track from their third LP, “Hello Rockview”, released in October 1998. It was the Gainesville ska-punk band’s final release as part of Capitol Records and the final album to feature Pete Anna as the trombonist. The album reached #80 on the Billboard US 200 charts, with the lead single “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads” reaching the #51 spot on the UK Singles Chart. Let’s have a listen to the single below.

With “Hello Rockview”, the album, telling the story of four years in the life of a former drummer who was imprisoned at Rockview State Correctional Institution in a comic book stylised format, “All My Best Friends Are Metalheads” is, quite literally and very musically, a late-night stoner-rock filled party filled with chaotic guitar riffs, frenetic bass guitar lines and bombastically delivered vocal hooks. DeMakes starts: “You will constantly remind yourself that some of my generation judges people by their race” over a fast-paced composition of youthful, decapitalized energy. It’s a story of Punk popularity under the oppression of the local authorities, told from the point of view of a teenager, as DeMakes chants: “You think it’s strange/that there’s a way of how you looked, and how you act, and how you think”, before imploring the listener to: “Pretend they’re not the same as you”, with DeMakes rapping about the importance of dressing your own way and the power of individualism within your bubble of friends. There are trombone-filled horn intersections and chant-led arrangements of quick vocal hooks. It sounds like the theme of a kids’ cartoon from the 1990’s and it isn’t exactly the most polished record that I’ve ever heard, as the pacing is speedy, although abrupt. The overall frivolous style adds a witty element of comedy and the lyrics are sharp, if not preachy. In my views, this is a track which rolls along far too quickly to a point where the lyrics aren’t given any time or space to have an effect. The jazz-based instrumentation adds a nice dynamic, but the overall package is quite rowdy and it doesn’t quite manage to drop the heavy baggage of it’s lyrical subject matter. A weird one to analyse, this is a ska-punk preach that feels like mess on a kid’s bedroom floor, as there’s some fun nostalgia, but it mostly sounds cobbled together.

  • Pictured: Art designs for “Less Than Jake” band T-Shirts & Merchandise (2019) (Photo Credit: edithboucher.com)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with a look at a new track from a British electronic dance duo, mainly known for their 80’s hits, who have just released a new album to a positive critical reception and recently performed the single on an episode of BBC 1’s “The One Show”. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Yirim Seck – “Crush On You”

January 25, 2020 — 1 Comment

Don’t get crushed by the grandeur of these hip hop beats! It’s time for your new post!

  • Pictured: Yirim Seck in a photoshoot for his BandCamp website biography page (2019)

Good afternoon, Jacob Braybrooke here, as per usual, with your daily music musing on the blog! Today, I’m going to introduce you to the sound of Yirim Seck, an underground hip-hop artist from the streets of Seattle, Washington. Seck has been championed by Seattle music organization KEXP, who have now introduced me to the outspoken and bare-knuckled sound of Seck. He made his debut in 2009 with “HEAR ME OUT”, which he’s since released a direct sequel to with “HEAR ME OUT TOO (SEKOND EDITION)” last November, which he describes on his Bandcamp page as “a culmination of tracks which are a reflection of events both personal and social happening in real time”, which gives you an indication of Seck’s very inspired and politically influenced style of writing. “Crush On You” is the lead single from “Synced In”, a five-track EP which was released last April. Take a look at the music video below.

In the video, Seck walks through a frozen town, mostly including a derelict, icy construction site which presumably tears down his old estate or flat as he contemplates an intimate infatuation with an old flame from his past, as he recites: “You scratched my back and I scratched yours/like I’m supposed to”, referring to his city as an abandoned land of culture being transformed into a financial playground for the upper class, before he addresses his ex-lover directly: “When we first met/I told my friends/I knocked them loco”, a line which is amusing and witty, but personal and down-to-earth. He carries on: “She hit me with the city game/looked fresher than the north-west rain/We grew up together/I found solace in your back-blocked alleyways and rap spots”, with Seck continuing to tell personal anecdotes to remember the long-lost flame. It’s sad that he no longer knows what she’s up to, as he chimes in the sing-along chorus: “You know I got a crush on you/all I think about is crushing you”, before reciting: “When do I get to touching you/Now it’s time to cut you loose”, with “Change is what we struggled through” being the key hook, as Seck refers to change in a romantic sense and an industrial sense of his town’s infrastructural changes. The bars are recited over a very lush, ethereal synth backdrop and glitched-out EDM lines, which adds a conceptual dynamic of lost connection and impending maturity, as you feel his pain. It’s a well-produced video and the lyrics are very plentiful to talk about, with the second bridge focusing on the in’s-and-out’s of his town’s destruction, balancing it with the destruction of his lust for his lover, who also seemed like a sister-like figure for his lonesome self. Overall, I feel Seck deserves more recognition because this is an absolutely fantastic hip-hop track with a poignant mix of personal storytelling, subtle wit and a gorgeous, sonically-produced bassline which conjoins, in it’s melodic nature, with the drama of Seck’s emotional wellbeing throughout the track. The sound is honest and sincere, yet it’s also drenched with melancholic beauty. I can’t wait to get the chance to hear more of his work, as I have a feeling that it’s going to connect with me on a deep level. It isn’t particularly challenging to listen to, but it’s very easy to understand and relate to. Utter brilliance!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Synced In” (5-track EP Release) (April 2019) (WestAfriCoast Media)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with a new entry in the weekly series that you’ve been waiting all week for.. That’s right, it’s nearly time for a new Scuzz Sundays blog post! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Hi Grade Hi-Fi (feat. Kes D’ Jordan) – “Turn Up The Heat”

January 23, 2020 — Leave a comment

We should turn down the fog and turn up the heat in the UK! Time for your new post!

  • Pictured: Hi-Grade Hi-Fi performing a live set at the Soundsystem Culture Festival (2019) (Credit: Stalingrad O’ Neill)

Jacob Braybrooke here! Here’s an up-tempo Reggae jive that I played on my most recent radio show, which comes courtesy of underground Birmingham dub-plate group High Grade Hi-Fi, a band who describe their sound as a “Reggae Sound System like no other”, as they cohesively incorporate the different elements across old-school Dub-plate production techniques with the raw sound of Jamaican carnival and the beat-driven influences of Ska. I have previously covered “Warrior, a more politically infused hip-hop track, on the blog. Have a listen to “Turn Up The Heat” below, a more breezy and feel-good ska track, which also features the vocal talents of Kes D’ Jordan.

“Turn Up The Heat” is, comparatively, very different to “Warrior” – with a lighter emphasis on the hip-hop and a heavier focus on the influences of Disco and a warmer, more light-hearted tone. Jordan quips: “Turn up the heat/rock to the beat/living in a moment”, over the top of a golden line of sun-dripped synth pad beats and a vintage, dub-tinged kick drum beat. Jordan sings: “got to be ready/for anything that comes your way” as the underlying Ska tone welcomes a new mix of beach-glazed guitar riffs and honeyed two-step bass guitar melodies. Jordan puts the cherry on top of the cake, as: “you’ve been frozen in time” and “free the shackles from your regimented life/it’s a sterile component” ushers in a chorus of trumpets and more jazz-oriented instrumentation which kicks the pacing up to another notch, resulting in a more kinetic and slightly old-school rocksteady-tinged, effect of sequencing. The dub-plate melodies are very rhythmic and the lyrics have a very upbeat and positive message of leaving your worries behind and enjoying yourself, which is very relevant in today’s digitally-connected society. The lyrics encourage you to, for example, enjoy a swift jive to a track at a gig rather than spend the whole 3-4 minutes filming clips of it for your social media accounts. Turn up your stereo to this!

  • Pictured: Still image from the music video for “Doggies Dem (feat. Juggernaut”)” (November 2019)

For the purposes of making a comparison between “Turn Up The Heat” and their brilliant track “Warrior”, why not read my thoughts on “Warrior” down below?: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/11/13/todays-track-hi-grade-hi-fi-feat-richie-culture-warrior/

  • Pictured: Behind-the-scenes image of High Grade Hi-Fi filming the “Warrior” music video (June 2019)

Thank you for reading this post! As usual, I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at a track, released in support of their third LP released in 2016, from an Australian electronic pop duo who are comprised between one member of Pnau and one member of The Sleepy Jackson! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: North Downs – “Nightlife Blues”

January 17, 2020 — Leave a comment

Meanwhile, I’m from Down the East Anglia! Good evening, it’s time for your new post!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Dad’s Old Tapes” (EP Release) (December 5th, 2019) (Dana Dama Records)

Jacob Braybrooke here! I’m wishing you a lovely Friday and a great… erm… January! Yeah it’s very cold and windy outside, isn’t it? In any case, here’s a brand new track for you to sink your teeth into! “Nightlife Blues” comes from the very mysterious British electronic dance trio North Downs, who I first came across through their collaboration on Maribou State’s “Kingdom” for the latter’s most recent album, “Kingdoms In Colour”. However, the trio of North Downs, who haven’t published much information at all about their members or backstories, have just produced their own release, a four-track EP titled “Dad’s Old Tapes”. An experimental little record which spotlights a knack for creative sounds, the single “Nightlife Blues” has been championed by BBC Radio 6Music presenter Mary Anne Hobbs, of whom I really look up to. This track can currently be found on the A-list of the John Peel-inspired station.

Although it remains a rock record, “Nightlife Blues” dabbles through a lot of different electronic production work and vibrant synthesized pop melodies, which adds discordant effects to the vocal harmonies and a slight ambience, adding a Walkman tape recorder dynamic to the overall sound of the track. “Nighlife Blues” has a very euphonious guitar riff, which creates the feeling of an avant-garde punk record being edited to a contemporary pop format, which reminds me of world-inspired artists like Khruangbin, The Comet Is Coming and Maritoba. The vocals chime in: “Born in the day/born to survive/faking away/chasing the night”, over a collage of synthetic bass riffs and thunderous jazz-fusion influences. This establishes a singular groove of indie rock elements, combined with small elements of funk and nu-disco. A psychedelic pop vibe is also created through the somber chord progression and the lightly tapping drum beat. This also reminds me a little bit of The Avalanches, due to the light funk beat and the repetitive vocal chorus. However, the Plunderphonics influences aren’t as virtuosic and meticulous. It’s a well-curated package of different genres which sounds primed for the daytime or early evening slots at festivals in the summer – with an overall quality of an old-school indie dance-rock outfit like LCD Soundsystem mixed with the makeshift ambience of Bonobo or Caribou. Overall, I think it’s a decent and original mix of different genres, with a soulful quality that seems ripe for evolution and development on full-length LP releases. Warm and solid!

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Nightlife Blues” (Single Release) (December 5th, 2019)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as per usual, with a look at yet another new track – this time, it’s a collaboration between a DJ who is the first artist to be nominated as both a musician and producer for his album, alongside a Northampton-based hip-hop artist whose debut LP was nominated for last year’s Mercury Prize award! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Hi-Grade Hi-Fi (feat. Richie Culture) – “Warrior”

November 13, 2019 — 1 Comment

Peaceful vibes across the whole nation! It’s time to liven up your day with a new post!

  • Pictured: Still Image from the “Warrior” music video (2019)

“Born as a warrior”, “grow as a warrior” and “raised as a warrior” are some very catchy lines indeed, from the single “Warrior” by Hi-Grade Hi-Fi, a UK Reggae group who are gaining a lot of traction in their local music scene of Birmingham. According to his own Facebook page, the aim is to be “a Reggae Sound System like no other” as “Hi Grade Hi-Fi bring the raw elements of Jamaican carnival and Sound System culture alongside live musicians to deliver ‘A class’ High Grade Reggae music”. “Warrior” features guest vocals from Richie Culture and it was released, alongside a black-and-white music video directed by Vafa Motamedi, by Reggaeville Records on July 2. It’s the follow-up to “Dreads”, which has amassed over 9.9k views on YouTube.

“Warrior” is a hip-hop track with a very distinct Jamaican ska vibe, which echoes throughout the rhythm of the track, as Bongo Drums and Clavinet melodies can be heard in the background of the fast-paced vocals, adding a layer of traditional Jamaican culture to the track, which is surprising and infectious for an indie record of it’s style. The vocals aren’t overly political, but they address a wide range of contemporary topics and subjects which affect the youth of today’s society, with a slight skew of appeal to the black youth ethnicity, although it can be heard and enjoyed by anybody. It ranges from educating the youth in poverty, to the knife threats on the streets and the messages of universal love and peace across different subcultures and counter-cultures, which is delivered as a verbal message of “togetherness in unity” at the end of the track. These issues are important and controversial, but the track never seems overly judgmental or preaches a way of teaching or speaking that feels biased or directed at a certain political party or any powerful individuals in a way that feels too in-your-face or defamatory. It’s instead replaced by a taste of here-and-now, aided by a sound based on the original fundamentals of Jamaican ska! Props to the dancing man at the end of the video too!

  • Pictured: Promotional Artwork for “Dreada” (2018) (Available via Bandcamp)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at a new track from a British female solo artist who once worked as a teacher in a nursery in full-time for 4 years, before making the lifelong decision to commit to producing and recording her own music! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Jurassic 5 – “What’s Golden”

October 10, 2019 — Leave a comment

Jurassic 5 may be What’s Golden! You know what else is: A blanket and a warm mug of cocoa! I hope you’re having a lovely week, it’s time for your Thursday blog post!

  • Pictured: Cover Art For “Power In Numbers” (2002)

I thought it would spice things up a little bit to have a look at an old gem from the wide discography of Jurassic 5, an alternative hip hop group from Los Angeles, California that were very well-acclaimed in the 1990’s and early 00’s, although they have actually been producing records until 2006, which isn’t terribly far ago, where the band split up, citing creative difficulties in the group, until they re-formed on-stage in 2014, later releasing a new single, “Customèr Service”, in 2016. An interesting fact about the group is how their material was reportedly burnt, along with a load of other records from the Universal Music group of labels, in 2008! “What’s Golden” is a track from their third LP record, “Power In Numbers”, which was released in 2003. It’s a more electronically composed endeavour than their second LP, 2000’s “Quality Control”, but it literally picks up from where that record left off, as the first track on the third album, “This Is”, opening with the exact same guitar riff and a sample from “Swing Set”, the final track on the previous album, “Quality Control”. “What’s Golden” was built from samples of a track by Public Enemy, “Prophets Of Rage” and, Clive Hick’s track, “Look Hear”. Needless to say, the LP record is highly sample-oriented and it has become one of the group’s most influential and iconic works to date!

“What’s Golden” has a very immediate start, as it quickly establishes a fast rhythm with the sound of a crowd chanting and a huge bass drop. The underlayer is a subtle jazz melody aided by the Clive Hicks sample and the lyrics of the chorus have an old-school vibe: “”We’re not ballin’ or shot callin’/ We take it back to the day of yes y’allin'”, which makes it feel a bit too much like a product of it’s time, but the uptempo production on the track does a good job of not over-exploiting the themes of nostalgia. The use of the brass instrumentation, such as the saxophone cords and the electronic bleeps borrowed from the Public Enemy sample create a vibrating beat that really swells around your ears and creates an atmosphere that is weirdly calming. The chorus is crowd-pleasing and soothing, but a few funky guitar lines would have beefed up the experience a little bit more. Overall, it’s a strong track that really showcases the clever sampling tactics and the variation of styles that have made the group very loved and respected by their fans over the years. It feels like the most obvious choice for a lead single and it’s difficult for me to say that I have much of an emotional attachment to it, as it does not transcend it’s time very much, but it’s still a fun, funky blast and it’s a classic from its genre!

  • Pictured: Jurassic 5 – Charli 2na, Akil, Marc 7, Zaakir, DJ Nu-Mark, Cut Chemist (Vocalists)

As a side note, Charli 2na recently started a new superhero-themed project with DJ Krafty Kuts, which I have also quite recently covered on the blog! You can read my thoughts on “Guard The Fort” here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/09/20/todays-track-charli-2na-krafty-kuts-guard-the-fort/

  • Pictured: Still from the “What’s Golden” video

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with a look at another track from Metronomy’s new electro pop LP, “Metronomy Forever”, which was released on September 13th by the Because Music label! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Battles (feat. Sal Principato) – “Titanium 2 Step”

October 4, 2019 — Leave a comment

Here are 2 steps for you: Like the blog and follow the blog! Happy Friday!

  • Pictured: Cover Art For “Titanium 2 Step” (2019)

Battles, an electronic experimental art rock 2-piece band from New York City, have just announced the release date of October 18, 2019 for “Juice B Crypts”, their fourth LP on Warp Records. As soon as they dropped the new single from the LP, “Titanium 2 Step”, the LP has become very highly anticipated and the single has quickly become one of the hottest tracks on the BBC Radio 6Music playlist of the year. The track features Sal Principato, of post-punk rock legends Liquid Liquid fame, on vocals. It’s also been accompanied with a vivid and frentic music video, with colours that look like a substance reminiscent of an old-fashioned Rubik’s cube of the 1980’s.

It’s very difficult to describe the overall sound of the record, but it’s one that’s more than good enough to stimulate my listening habits. As with the waves and lines in the music video, the track is wild and chaotic, with a vocal style from Principato that can only be described as glaring and shrieking. However, the track manages to excel as it delivers consistently unexpected melodies and funky synthesized lines which contort with a real sense of urgency at a tidy pace. It feels meticulously engineered to no fault and it sounds well-realized in the concept department, as the track adds a lot of layers in it’s breakbeat sections and the traditional drumming harmonies. It might be a little bit abrasive for the masses and it’s a bit nauseous in it’s first listen, but the single never feels as though it lacks focus, calling back to the “Drill n’ Bass” tones of AFX’s 1995 “Hangable Auto Bulb” record, but it’s not heavy-handed in it’s acid house tempo. The quality of the record is pretty admirable considering the strobe-flickering 3D-like composition of the record, which is evoked by the glitched-out guitar riffs and the melodic breakdowns which dip in and out of niche genres such as Afrobeat and Shoegaze. It’s a massive re-invention for the band as the follow-up to 2015’s “La Di Di” LP, but it retains the fundamental elements and the wacky ambient textures which help the track to execute it’s dynamically shifting harmonies, without losing cohesion.

  • Pictured: Ian Williams (Keyboard, Guitar, Synths) and John Stanier (Drummer, Producer)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with an in-depth look at a track from 2001 from a French electronic DJ and composer who has released material under several different monikers in the past, such as Superdiscount, EDC and Main Basse! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog and like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

Today’s Track: Sampa The Great – “Freedom”

September 25, 2019 — Leave a comment

It’s a good job that I have the freedom to write about a different jam for you on the blog every day! It’s something that I’m very grateful for! It’s time for your Wednesday post!

“Freedom” is the new single from Zambian hip hop songwriter Sampa The Great from her debut LP, “The Return” which came out on September 13 via the Ninja Tune label. I have previously covered another track, “Final Form”, on the blog and you can still read my thoughts on that via this link: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/08/28/todays-track-sampa-the-great-final-form/

“Freedom” is a track that sounds very different track to “Final Form” in terms of it’s pacing, layout, tone and the influences of genres of which it derives from. “Final Form” is a track which mixes funk and soul elements, but “Freedom” seems to dip into the chillwave genre. It’s a slow jam that gradually builds up to an evocatively composed sound. The underlayer is filled with chilled-out snares and the writing has a more R&B-oriented approach compared to some of her other tracks, but the tone is soulful and relaxed, which fits the overall theme of the rest of her LP. The message is reminiscent of Joe Smooth’s “Promised Land” from ’82 and the gospel vocals in the background complement the string-based dynamic created by the funky bass section. Upon her exclamation of the track, Sampa has told the press: “Freedom is about one of the most important talks you will ever have as an artist in this industry”, “It’s likely you’ll reach a point in your career where you’ll be given a choice to compromise your artistic expression”. It’s a sentiment that’s clear when you listen to the hopeful lyricism on the track and the haze-drenched delivery of both the organic and electronic instrumentation on the track. Overall, it’s a very lovely track with a bold message of embracing diversity and it feels relevant to the political events we are facing. However, the track has an overall optimistic style when each of the layers get combined. It’s a track that further cements Sampa The Great as a premier international hip-hop talent and a potential cultural icon in the making.

  • Pictured: Cover Art For “The Return” (2019)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with a track that is a collaboration between a female artist who sometimes likes to sit and think, but sometimes just sits. She is joined by a male solo artist who is the leading band member of The War On Drugs! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/