Today’s Track: High Contrast (feat. LOWES) – “Rhythm Is Changing”

December 4, 2020 — Leave a comment

I can play this every night – but the beat don’t feel the same! It is time for a new post!

Pictured: High Contrast (Lincoln Barrett) at Let It Roll Open Air Festival (2015) (via Hospital Records)

Good Morning to you – It’s perhaps a bit early for this one, but that’s the way that my schedule goes! I’m Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for me to get writing up about your daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to get typing away up here about a different piece of music every day! Grammy-nominee High Contrast, the project of Welsh Drum-and-Bass artist Lincoln Barrett, is a name with a long resume – including remixed treatments for the likes of Kanye West, The White Stripes and, even, Adele. He also curated some music for the 2012 Olympic Games Opening Ceremony in London. He is an artist who I have a little deal of familiarity with – I liked the throwback feel of “The Beat Don’t Feel The Same” and the semi-soulful vibe of “Remind Me”, two singles which have added a good share of variety to his back catalogue in recent years, but he is not really a guy who I’ve personally ever sat down and listened to a full-length album, front to back, from. “Rhythm Is Changing” was sent to me by a music plugger, of all sources. “Notes From The Underground” is out today – his ninth studio album release which features guest spots from the likes of Kae Tempest, Anita Blay and Ady Suleiman by the 3Beat Productions record label. He explores 90’s Dance revival, especially on “Rhythm Is Changing”. Let’s stream it below.

Barrett strikes me as a producer who always wants to engage with his instincts, whether that takes him down an experimental or pop-based approach, as he detailed in the making of his new record: “I used to think you could be more prescriptive making an album”, explaining, “I realized you can’t control it all in advance, you’re better off just following your heart and not overthinking it. Music is an escape from linearity and language and from a whole lot else”, per a statement on Primary Talent’s artist biography. “Rhythm Is Changing” takes a spontaneous route, with a series of electronic beats that unpredictably change every time the hook comes in, delivered by Northern Soul 4-piece group, LOWES. It starts off with a 90’s-centric Piano piece, before a sweep of Horn samples lead to a crescendo of Jungle beats and strobe effects that come into play when the vocal loop of “An I feel like the rhythm is changing” builds momentum for the bassline to kick in. There are some robotic, glitched Horn samples that come in at the next vocal intersection, before a Heavier tempo of drum beats and looped male vocals provide the next turn. You end up with a track that unashamedly takes cues from the Big Beat rave era of the late 90’s that housed names like The Chemical Brothers and The Prodigy. The production feels notably subversive however, and it adds a sequenced layer of complexity beneath the surface. This is quite interesting because the music at the time was often dismissed as “cheap” and “disposable” fare to make for a “fun night in the club” and not much else, but it was later being established as an art form of music in it’s own right, and deservedly so. With “Rhythm Is Changing”, you get a cool track which sounds really impressive and appealing because it manages to consistently re-invent itself with it’s instrumentation and production. It’s also a gutsy move to be releasing this style of music when the government have actually closed the settings where you’re supposed to take it in and enjoy it more fully – but Barrett has still created a full-on club banger.

Pictured: Cover Art for “Notes From The Underground” (Album/LP) (Released on December 4th, 2020) (via 3Beat Productions)

Thank you for reading my new post! As always, I’ll be back tomorrow – and we are going to be getting festive again for the Christmas season now that we are officially into Advent! This is an older track from a collection of five EP’s worth of Christmas carols and Festive-themed tracks, all of which were recorded by an established American singer/multi-instrumentalist who has received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song for “Mystery Of Love” from the 2017 film, “Call Me By Your Name”. 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: Lorenzo Senni – “Discipline Of Enthusiasm”

June 23, 2020 — Leave a comment

Will this Italian DJ/Producer pick up an extra life or is it game over? It’s new post time!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Scacco Matto” (Released on April 24th, 2020) (via Warp Records)

Good Morning to you, my name is Jacob Braybrooke and I’m writing about your daily track on the blog because it’s my day-to-day pleasure to write about a different piece of music every day! I’m opting for something a little bit different today, as we’re going to explore some of the latest work from Italian Electronic Dance music producer Lorenzo Senni. Describing himself as a “Tireless investigator of dance music’s mechanisms and working parts” on Resident Advisor and “a sadistic scientist that is ripping the spinal cord out of trance and dangling it in front of our eyes” on his Facebook bio, Senni is best known for dabbling in shapeshifting styles of Heavy Techno and Acid House, with further influences in Breakbeat and Power Electronics that can often make his deeply layered beat-driven style feel brash and abrasive. He is also the founder of Presto?! Records, an indie Techno label which houses the likes of Florian Hecker and Marcus Schmickler, along with DJ Stingray and many other artists. His debut album, “Quantum Jelly” was released to a widespread critical acclaim in 2012 and, thus, he signed up to Warp Records in 2016. His latest album release is “Scacco Matto”, his fifth album, which was released on 26th April by Warp Records, earlier in the year. Let’s have a listen to the anthem “Discipline Of Enthusiasm” below.

I reckon it’s fair to say that he doesn’t take his own music that seriously! On “Discipline Of Enthusiasm”, Lorenzo Senni capitalizes on the freeform sounds of a JP-8000 Supersaw synthesizer arp to create a Techno crescendo that builds nicely to a sound that feels akin to a final boss fight of an arcade platformer video game straight from the 1980s, such as Pac-Man or Galaga. A feeling of tension and anticipation is established through a frenetic, chaotic drum loop that dips in-and-out of Breakbeat-style production and distorted strobe effects. The second third of the track fuses in elements of Techno and Deep House, introducing a soft BPM shift with a calming line of synthesized classical sounds. This develops a melodic break that glues the jigsaw pieces together, before the crescendo starts to glitch and the unrelenting opening takes a hold of the picture again. The third, and final, third provides a fuzzing instrumental section that mixes in a slow pace through a carefully nurtured synthesized guitar riff, but the overall line of electronica is still stuttering to the Techno-dominated beat of Staccato lines and small shards of Breakbeat pacing. The overall result of the three sections create a sound that feels very old-school and retro, seemingly delighting in the lack of a futuristic approach. The genre has a niche appeal and the masses of the mainstream aren’t likely to connect with it very easily, but as a fan of techno artists like Aphex Twin and Squarepusher – the latter of which explored a similar style in his latest album – I dig Senni’s abilities in carefully nurturing an overarching feeling of sensory tension, and constructing the release of his crafted anticipation through the harsh electronic bass drop. I don’t want the masses to get it!

Pictured: Lorenzo Senni producing music in his office recording studio (2020) (Photography by Piotr Niepsuj)

Thank you for reading this post! In regards to #BlackLivesMatter, we endorse the peaceful protests on One Track At A Time. Please go and check your local area for good charity causes that help those directly affected by racism and injustice. I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at another recent track, this time from an English Jazz legend who became known to the world as the original bass player in Public Image Ltd., which preceded a successful and prolific solo career that began in the late 1970s and continues to the present day. He published an autobiography, “Memories Of A Geezer”, in 2009. 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

Today’s Track: Gary Clail (On-U Sound System) (feat. Bim Sherman) – “Beef (Future Mix)”

February 10, 2020 — 1 Comment

I’ve got no issue with this beef! A new week, a new set of posts, starting with this one!

Pictured: A still image featuring Gary Clail in the official music video for “Another Hard Man” (1995)

I would usually be cooking a meatless meal in aid of the Meat Free Mondays campaign tonight, but since I’m covering a track with the title of “Beef”, it’s hard to know whether that’s necessarily gone out of the window this week! I’m Jacob Braybrooke, covering your daily track on the blog, as always. I’ve noticed that I’ve been covering a lot of new tracks on the blog lately and so I thought it would make a nice change to share a little 90’s house track which I’ve recently found out about, which comes courtesy of Gary Clail, An English DJ and recording producer who made a name for himself from the Bristol music scene in the 1990’s, a little before the late 1990’s IDM movement featuring the likes of Aphex Twin, Plaid and Boards Of Canada. The founder of On-U Sound Records and the producer of early 90’s club hits like “Human Nature” and “These Things Are Worth Fighting For”, Clail established himself as an important fixture of the underground electronic music side of the 90’s dance craze. “Beef” is an interesting old record which is taken from his second LP, “End Of The Century Party”, which he released as Gary Clail On-U Sound System in 1989. There was no music video, but the future mix audio of “Beef” is available on YouTube below.

Clail repeats: “Beef, how low would you go?” over a fluctuating snare line as he reminds me of the Limbo games that I used to play at the end-of-term party at Primary School. It’s an upbeat, groove-driven synth hook which is used to anchor the diverse arrangement of the track. The instrumental disco sound is heavily infused with light elements of nu-disco and dark-wave synthpop, with an overall Dub-plate format. The pacing is noticeably inflected with Reggae and Clail adds a sense of ambient techno vibes to proceedings with his gradually building layout of BPM rises and synthetic funk-tinged vibrations. The vocals float above a layer of politicized themes and minor-key drum-and-bass sensibilities which provide a catalyst for the propelling drum waves and the building tempo of the vibraphone riffs. I’ve heard a story that Clail nicked the lyrical refrain from an old Public Enemy classic, “Bring The Noize”, released in 1988. He reworks the phrase: “Bass, how low can you go” and he replaces the line of “Death row, what a brother knows” with the intercepting vocals of “Hear the cry/Cattle row”, led by a chant-based question of “Would you kill it yourself?”, a not-so subtle comment which supports the ideas of Vegetarianism. Overall, I believe it’s a cohesive house anthem which brings the best out of the different elements which it musically pulls it’s influences from, as the track sounds uniformly structured and it effectively pulls a wide array of talent together. Constructively, I find the vocal hooks to sound a little under-cooked, if you pardon the pun, as the slow build doesn’t necessarily lead to a fast payoff, but it sounds like Clail has some fascinating political views to express – which I’m inclined to explore further.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “End Of The Century Party” (1989/On-U Sound Records) (Photo from eBay.com)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow with a look at the new track from the leading man of REM – I was in a curry shop when I heard the band had split up and I fell in the Korma! 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: DJ Seinfeld – “Electrician”

January 28, 2020 — 1 Comment

There are a couple of dodgy lightbulbs dotted around my house, so I think that I might be needing an “Electrician” in my house soon! It’s time for your new blog post!

Pictured: DJ Seinfeld (Armand Jakobsson) producing his own “After Party Playlist” mix for BBC Radio 1 (April 2018)

Jokes aside, I played this little trance gem on my show just a few hours ago. Jacob Braybrooke here, as always, with your daily track on the blog. This track comes from Swedish disc jockey and electronic music producer Armand Jakobsson, who goes under the alias of DJ Seinfeld. He’s also been creating EDM tunes under the aliases of Rimbaudian and Birds Of Sweden over the years, having become known for his emotive cuts and sweeping ambient breaks as part of his own Lobster Fury label. Seinfeld’s made a definitive career for himself in the American house scene, also taking influence from Acid Techno pioneers and vintage Jungle artists of the 1990’s. “Electrician” is taken from his recent “Galazy” EP, a four-track EP release which sees DJ Seinfeld explore a mellow Acid Techno sound. Let’s check out “Electrician” below!

A DJ who has received a bit of flack from working in the lo-fi house scene, a controversial genre in the music industry at times, Seinfeld learns to craft a haze-dipped, maturely earnest pop house sound for his first release on the Young Ethics label. A repeated “I love you” line repeats and swirls on the top of a sonically identifiable line of ocassionally placed cowbells and a swollen build of atmospherically introspective moods and a low-key bassline. The vocals are later replaced by the digital sound of bird calls, which chirp in the background, adding an important layer of comfort and warmth to the textured sound. Running at just under seven minutes in length, the constant spiral of pop-heavy treble inflictions and soft, Aphex-influenced drill ‘n’ bass sections are given a breather by the propelling Breakbeat snares, which are used in a quality-over-quantity manner, along with a slight Jungle sound. It may not be Seinfeld’s most experimental work to date, with a lack of noisy Techno percussion or off-kilter snare stabs, but “Electrician” is a well-paced, gradually building layer of slow-dance sounds which end up being more interesting than they may seem when taking from an analytical point of view. A lush, spacious synth backdrop is the highlight of a track which is safe, but nicely produced.

Pictured: DJ Seinfeld (Armand Jakobsson) at an undisclosed rave (March 2019)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with a look at another track from an Australian singer-songwriter who’s returned from a six-year hiatus who gained over a million plays on Soundcloud for one of his earliest tracks and he’s often been likened to Morrisey, Lana Del Rey and Gotye! (remember him?) 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: Squarepusher – “Vortrack” (Fracture Remix)

January 11, 2020 — Leave a comment

As seen below, your Saturday post is finally up! So – you better be there or be Square!

As usual, Jacob Braybrooke here! Fancy a rave? I’m just asking that because a HUGE bombshell dropped over the last few weeks of December 2019… as Squarepusher, Warp Records-affiliated heavy techno genuis, is back! Tom Jenkinson, otherwise known as Squarepusher, is an Electronic Dance DJ known for crafting landmark releases in the genres of IDM, Drum-and-Bass, Drill-and-Bass and Electroacoustic Rock. Also known for his very industrial sound and mischief when it comes to behind-the-scenes interviews for his craft, Squarepusher also has a signature live set-up, which features a mix of electronic sound outsourcing, live instrumental playout and digital signall processing. He’s back with “Vortrack”, with the Fracture Remix paving the way as the lead single for his upcoming album, “Be Up A Hello”, due for it’s release on January 31st. Did you know that Jenkinson also provided the ambient music soundtrack for the Olivia Colman-narrated CBeebies 60-minute wind-down programme “Daydreams”? I guess that you do learn something new each day! Although that’s an interesting little tidbit, I don’t think you’ll be hearing “Vortrack” on children’s TV… For reasons that will become incredibly obvious from the video below!

A gifted ambient technician and a master of his musical craft, Jenkinson has conjured up a storm of buzz amongst motivated EDM/IDM fans for the new release from his return to the scene on “Vortrack”. The Fracture Remix is an undeniably traditional Heavy Drum-and-Bass anthem which certainly isn’t lending itself all that freely to the faint-hearted crowds of mainstream pop. However, on “Vortrack”, I feel the old-school sensibilities of the remix may be it’s biggest strength. According to publicity materials, the new record will bring a return to a “bewildering array of vintage analogue and digital hardware”, which implies, to me that Squarepusher is developing a product of nostalgia and DIY culture, which are the joyous elements which gave the way for his big breakthrough in the early 90’s. The crowd-pleasing, heavy techno jolts on the “Vortrack” remix have a discernibly murky quality to them, which brings an implication of political influence, in it’s eclectic mixing of it’s sonic palette. The tension, as a result, is very dramatic and the effect of the heavy tone is marginalized to a very solid and effective level. At the 2-minute mark, Jenkinson adds a swelling of computer-controlled bass melodies and pushes (if you mind the pun) the feeling of tension at the front seat of the track. An unabashedly retro sound, with an appealing stab of nauseous intensity, results in a solid and effective comeback from a master of his craft, who clearly knows exactly where he’s going to push his signature IDM sound.

Pictured: Squarepusher (Tom Jenkinson) performing a live DJ set at Donaufestival in Austria (2012)

Thank you for reading this post and… if you are going out raving tonight – have fun and stay safe! Also, make sure you’re ready for tomorrow’s Scuzz Sunday post, as I’ll be looking at a throwback emo tune from a band who have sold over 40 million records worldwide! 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/

Christmas Eve Special: Aphex Twin – “XMAS EVET_10 (Thanaton3 Mix)”

December 24, 2019 — 1 Comment

Merry XMAS EVE T_10 to you too! I know you’re a bit shy, Richard! I hope your card came! For everybody else, it’s finally time for a truly special Christmas Eve blog post!

Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Syro” (2014)

Only the most hardcore of Aphex fans will get the Druqks reference above! I have already expressed just how much love, admiration and respect that I have for Richard D. James, otherwise known under his main pseudonym of Aphex Twin, SO many times on the blog and on social media. So, I’m not going to hammer over you with the details again. But, if you’re new to the blog – just to give you a hint, I spent a whopping total of over 95 hours listening to his material over the year of 2019. That’s not even half of it, as it doesn’t count his releases under many other pseudonyms like AFX, Polygon Window, GAK, The Tuss and others. I’m Jacob Braybrooke, I’m a nerd for Aphex Twin and this Christmas Eve on the blog, I’m covering “XMAS_EVET10 [120] (thanaton3 mix)” from Syro. I think it’s as much of a Christmas song as Die Hard is a Christmas film. I mean, it does have ‘XMAS-EVE’ in the title, so I think that’ll do for me!

I’ve been planning to write about this exact track for XMAS_EVE for about 4 months now. It’s very difficult to really explain which genre it is and how it sounds as the track is over 10 minutes long and there is just SO much to it. I should probably start by telling you that it’s been taken from Richard’s big comeback LP record following 2011’s “Druqks”, “Syro”, which was released in September 2014. On the record, Richard explores a more sonic direction and a deep-house style of production. It sounds very futuristic and complex, which is very different to his iconic 90’s releases. It’s lost it’s experimental value, as gone are the wacky melodies and the jabs at the music industry, which are instead replaced by a style of production where every single beat has been mechanically engineered to such a perfected degree. It’s entirely Meticulous and you’re going to have to give it a lot of time and work before you properly start to take different pieces from it. However, that’s a great compliment, as it is just such a fantastic record that will reward you in heaps and it’s going to stay in your Psyche for a long time, as it continues to unfold while you keep persevering with it. “XMAS_EVET10” is an ambient track, although it does have modulated vocals from Richard’s children. It’s still a little bit festive in the first few minutes, as it evokes a feeling of warmth and comfort. The childhood excitement of Christmas Day morning. As the track progresses, the Vaporwave-influenced bassline stutters and keeps replacing elements with alternating synth riffs and several hand-programmed, analogue mutations. There’s a quiet melodic energy and a 00’s IDM feel to the funky acid house rhythm. It’s deep techno done best by the legendary electronic maverick, with a sound that replaces a fading sense of familiarity with a strange sense of discovery. It’s very lush and it’s been layered very intelligently, with Richard tinkering away at the different computer-controlled beats to a near-endless level. The result is a gorgeous track that manages to justify a 10 minute long duration. How many other tracks can you think of that manage such a feat? Part of why Richard is such a hero to me is that even though the musical landscape around him changed unrecognisably in the years that he decided to seemingly retire the Aphex Twin moniker, he made his comeback with interwoven soundscapes that still manage to absolutely enthrall and captivate. I wholeheartedly feel that, as a student, I should be raving to more of this rather than the accepted dose of generic S Club 7 and One Direction that I’m being offered at my university events and I wish that more of my peers would understand where I’m coming from with that strong opinion. Now, that is my true Christmas wish!

Pictured: Richard D. James in a photshoot for a rare interview with MTV (October 1996)

You can also read my in-depth thoughts on 2001’s “Vordhosbn” here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/09/24/todays-track-aphex-twin-vordhosbn/

Pictured: Richard D. James on a poster for a live performance at Hallum University, Sheffield, England (1993)

Thank you very much for reading this post! I’ll be back in the proper festive spirit tomorrow, of course, for a Quick post (It’s my Christmas as well, you know!) on a legendary Christmas classic from a former Beatle bassist who is currently scheduled to be headlining The Main Stage on the Saturday night at Glastonbury in June 2020! 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: Mark Arber – “Rasta Lion”

December 5, 2019 — Leave a comment

Rounding off your Thursday with a heavy techno track as underground as they come!

Pictured: Promotional Logo for the “Vegas Dirt Recordings” indie dance record label (2019)

Mark Arber is a heavy techno/IDM disc jockey who is currently signed to the Vegas Dirt Recordings label, a small underground electronic imprint dance label, which is currently based in London. Arber is a techno producer who is one of the original class of 88′ ravers. Arber has a very distinctive acid-house style to his techno beats. “Rasta Lion” is his second release and it will be available in February 2020! A massive shout-out goes to my friend and Vegan Voodoo, Eddie Bammeke, who provided me a copy of the track in early access! Make sure you stay tuned to Vegas Dirt Recordings on Facebook to find out more heavy-techno artists to appease your earbuds and for the latest information on live DJ sets and their latest music releases from the local scene.

“Rasta Lion” is a relentless assault on the earbuds on it’s first listen. This is a track which seems to have developed it’s roots in the influences of 90’s acid techno pioneers like The Future Sound Of London and Board Of Canada, as well as the modern electro scene. With very little background information on Arber and the label up on the internet, this is music that has to speak for itself and it does so fully, taking all of the stride in the world as it does so. It has several different break-beat sections, such as a distorted female vocal, which has a slight-pop vibe to it as it echoes under a fading synthesizer. It also has several bassline breaks, which creates the effect of a spotlight being rotated on a stage with several performers. Almost a strobe lighting effect, it propels the club-anthem feel of the rave-heavy bassline forward. The track also has a psychedelic, stoner-like male vocal, which implores the raver to “let the music carry you to infinity and space” under a heavy bed of ambient Jungle-based production and freakish electronic snares which distance themselves from the listener with fading techniques, transporting the listener to an African club aesthetic. Overall, it’s a shame the track’s not officially out yet, but I hope you’re looking forward to the release of the new track. It has a very exciting and club-like aesthetic which is primed to get you up and raving on a night-out with minimal work required!

Pictured: Alternate Promotional Logo for “Vegas Dirt Recordings” (March 2018)

Thank you for reading this post! I’ll be back tomorrow, as usual, with a look at the new track from La Roux, which is getting released, with the premiere of a new music video, today! It’s called “Gullible Fool” and it’s taken from her upcoming third LP record, “Supervision”, which drops on February 7, 2020 via her own new label, Supercolour Records! 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/