Mutt: Changes
Review Summary:
Jazzy Blues male vocals mixed with sensual melodic female vocals. Finely orchestrated string section with snippets of a dubby horn. Drums are heavy on the 2, similar to a jump up drum pattern with dashes of bongos in the background. Overall a great track for someone looking to fill out their Liquid / Intelligent: Jungle / Drum & Bass crate.
The Full Review:
Often the first 8/16/24 bars of a track are rarely heard alone. They are generally mixed in with whatever track was playing before it. I enjoy listening to how a producer uses this space, they either treat it as a great space to introduce you to a mood or just lump all the sounds in and not put to much though into this area.
Mutt takes the first 24 bars of his track to craft a sound scape of enveloping instruments, voices and sound FX, creating a scene of haunting melodics mixed with a chorus of uplifting vocals. The first 8 bars introduce you to the main core of the musical instruments used, while an almost inaudible conversation is taking place behind a veil of ever expanding audio frequencies. The next 8 bars introduce you to the players in this musical sparing match with female and male vocals. These 8 bars would be especially haunting when mixed into another track just as the strings start seeping up and through the EQ's. The next bars raise you up just before dropping you off in a moment of isolation with just the strings and accompanying vocals.
The next 24 bars do as one would expect, they hold the line. The subtle changes in orchestration is a much needed focused repetition for dancers to find their groove.
The following 8 bars is where the break drops, opening with a processed dubby horn and envelops you with swirling strings and that soulful female vocal.
Then no build up, no gentle wooing you back into the track - WHAM, SMACK, BOOM - your tossed right back into the heart of the track. Just like the title and hook would imply - "changes". Here we spend the next 16 bars with a bongo backbeat rhythm, and more dubby horn snippets. Then suddenly it "changes", reintroducing the strings and female vocal.
The last 16 bars are comprised of your standard down shifting of sounds and FXs. The cherry on top is actually its last 8 bars, a beautiful minimalist bongo drums, wooden rhythm stick and bass.
Conclusion:
If your looking for a vocal driven Liquid / Intelligent track. Then, Ding Ding Ding we have a winner. Its not going to be an immediate classic but its strings have a staying power that will loop in your noodle for a few days afterwords. It also has the ability to conger a sense of love and empathy in its strings and vocal sparing. I would say its worth a listen and if not a purchase for any Drum & Bass DJ.
Time: 5:14
Key: 6A / G Minor
Tempo: 86BPM
Energy: 6
Mastered: Ill Omen
Released: 08.18.2014
Catalog Number: FDR00033
BUY IT:
Beatport | Juno.co.uk | Satellite Records
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Mutt: Just My Luck
Review Summary:
This Liquid / Intelligent jungle track contains a somber male vocal, that is riddled with swirling piano riffs, mellow baselines and standard Jungle / Drum & Bass drum patterns. His ability to seep emotions within the frequencies of his productions continues to impress me. I would say its worth a listen and I've personally added it to my record crate.
The Full Summary:
The first 16 bars are drums and a EQ seeping piano riffs that swaggers into the room like a long last lover. This hypnotic state is shattered by a ringing set of chimes, leaving the piano riff alone and naked.
The following 48 bars is where the magic happens. Drums, Bass, Piano and this voice. This male voice is middle aged, weathered and half speaking, half singing to his lover. The words are those of survival, and gentle plea for love and support as he deals with his own inner demons. Those demons are echoed in the stealthful use of whirling piano loops and echoing staccato FXs. This section ends in a break down, leaving you with a mans pleading and that haunting piano riff.
The next 48 bars hold the line, giving us the full range of the drums, bass, piano and vocals. Then slowly pulling back into the darkness.
Conclusion:
This track has a haunting charismatic staying power, especially that piano riff. It is a somber male vocal, that is riddled with swirling piano riffs, mellow baselines and standard Jungle / Drum & Bass drums. This is another solid Liquid / Intelligent track from Mutt, that I've already added to my record crate.
Time: 4:55
Key: 3A - 7A / B-Flat Minor - D Minor
Tempo: 86BPM
Energy: 6
Mastered: Ill Omen
Released: 08.18.2014
Catalog Number: FDR00033
BUY IT:
Beatport | Juno.co.uk | Satellite Records
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Notes from the Librarian:
When I got these tracks in my inbox, I was not expecting the sound I received. Faction Digital Recordings are known for a certain sound. This can be summed up with two keywords: HARD and HEAVY. Currently not my cup of tea but as one who used to be a fan of the dark and heavy sounds of the 2000's I can appreciate them. But this is not your standard FDR fair, this is something bright, smart, insightful and haunting. Hat tip to both Mutt and Faction Digital Recordings.
All BMP and harmonic key information came from Mixed In Key
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