ALBUM REVIEW: Neckbreakers Beat Tape: The Expert

         Well before the month passes, I'd just like to get a post up, maybe for the sake of a post getting up. I'd like to put something up before October, and I finally went back to one of my requests, if you can call it one of those. A couple months back, the Expert sent me his tape through e-mail, and I wasn't sure what to do at first. However, through all the corny twitter rappers that follow me, countless video shares of the "hottest" underground rapper, and other artists that e-mail me, this and a few others have surprised me. Not only because this guy actually knows what I like, I of course only assuming that because of the enjoyment I got from this tape, but because it is really the first good submission I have ever gotten. I have gotten some others submissions that might be good, but those haven't been revisited yet. This is the one I have come to revisit and have had in my library for a few weeks now.

       The actual beat tape? Yes it is great. 7 seven solid instrumental tracks, with a consistent sound that makes the album a pleasant listen. Drums have that light shaky feel to it, which is always a good area in hip-hop. Through the samples, the Expert shows you he knows what to do funk and soul. A lot of that good down-to-earth soul feel. Unlike most of my instrumental albums, most being of the hip-hop genre, this one doesn't feel too chopped. Where as listening to artists such as 9th Wonder, Foner, Ta-ku, you know everything has been rearranged. Don't quote me on that ha ha, but when listening to, "another journey" there is no pause, no nothing. Very easy to zone out to.

And of course some blurbs for the beats!

1. Apollo - Starting off with that big band sound. Then oooh it slips right into that late night lurk vibe. With that chop in the background adding a nice touch, you become immersed into the night. And then that elegant night club kinda piano slips in there to take things up another notch. You can tell the beats from here on out are going to have many surprises and change ups.

2. What's Going On Today - Very familiar tune at the start. Then picks right up with that dirty boom-bap, of a fast pace. I really like the vocals on this one, nice to sing along to as you bob your head. Just-- just-- just-- don't understand. Ooh very easy to roll to. Then that ba ba ba takes you out with the sax, a successful jam concluded.

3. Alan Alda - This one is killer. Perhaps the heaviest beat on here. Then a nice melody is constructed with the strings and that slippery feel of the keys. The bass line in the back is just so damn good too. Really one of those beats that works so well at night time, when passing the streets under the yellow street lights. Paints an eery feel that would gladly join other late night instrumentals.

4. Dynamite - Solid loop right off the bat. The little vocal and the change ups of the guitar are quite nice. A pretty simple song working well with just a few different patterns.

5. Another Journey- Swear I have heard that guitar tune somewhere before, in fact I have, but I can't place it. This one is quite relaxing despite the stress I have of not placing the sample. And with some pretty keys attached he throws in some soulful oohs. And I believe that cut is from Common, but I can't be a 100% sure. Another favorite bit is right in the middle when it breaks down for a split second, man that part had me like, oh wow!

6. Buttery Gold - Same start as Apollo. Big band sound again! However, leading in a new direction to give us something powerful and boastful. The brass arrangement samples is very nicely used.

7. Acting the Maggot - Yet another tune I can't place. I have almost definitely heard this. This one is probably my favorite beat off the album though, it is so good. The cutoffs are so hip-hop, and I imagine off an MPC, and are just so great! The tune from Frankie on the guitar is just amazing, as well as Moschops on the cuts. Everything is fused so perfectly and the multiple breakdowns has me looking for something every second on this beat! In the back with the Twiddler you hear that slick bass. OOOH and that end breakdown is so good. Man I just feel every note so much. Woo I absolutely am in love with the whole piece. While at first the cuts seemed to break things too much, I came to absolutely love them. Then the Mr. Pollard just carries you on the home-coming stretch.

I absolutely have come to love this beat tape since taking the time to listen to it. In fact when he sent that e-mail he told me how big a fan he was of the page, I owe it to the guy. And as avid listeners of music that my followers are, you owe it to yourself to try out this tape.

Here is the link!
http://theexpert.bandcamp.com/album/the-expert-neckbreakers-beat-tape

He tells me he has worked with R2 although I am not sure on what, I'll be hitting up Kid Abstrakt about that, I am sure he could tell me. I am now really excited to see what other projects he has coming for me!

EML Update: Summer Absence

            Alright, I have been missing this page far too much. Busy with a lot of summer myself. But that is not to say I haven't had many musical experiences. I guess this could count for July as well, maybe Summer as a whole. But I will be back as I start school again, as ridiculous as that sounds. I hope that I can update a couple times a week. But let me just evaluate where I have gotten musically.

            Right around the start of summer I had gotten really comfortable with the swing of the underground. For a long time now I have been finding so many artists using the outlets that I have listed on this page. Downloading albums regularly maybe 1 a week on average. But I made sure I would make some serious advances in music this summer. I guess I'll list some goals/achievements I made whilst enduring my summer fun.

• There was that trip I took early in July where I bought a ton of records. First time digging through the crates, it was very exciting.
• Several times this summer I hung out with one of my good friends, who has basically taken on the role to tutor me. He has helped me a lot with the fundamentals of making music electronically. Each time I learn a lot and there is always fun had between us. Then usually by the end of the evening, we'll show each other a bunch of dope tunes, which I guess is where we stand equal. We love each others music! 
• I myself have had a lot of fun working to make music. Between the purchase of a DAW and MPD early this year I had learned a lot all by myself. Through my hours of practice I get slightly better and better each time. Whether practicing patterns with drums, messing around with samples, or watching, "hella youtube videos" I always find myself motivated the next time. As frustrating and mind boggling it is to just step into the world of producing with nothing but my passion and love for the art, I have done a good job not giving up. Just this summer I have learned so much! I am grateful for all those who have helped me, supported me, no matter how direct or indirect. 
• I went out to another record store when camping with my family in Vermont, and I was a bit smarter that time and I found the soul section and really made sure I knew I'd be buying some promising stuff. A lot of nice rhythms are now sitting in my box of records, box will become plural as the years go on! 
• I made a purchase of headphones early august. Some Sennheiser 380s. Which has just made my experience with music more incredible. Hearing things I have never heard in songs before, everything is just more beautiful. Especially when I go out at night, looking over the lights is just even better.
• My tumblr is now where I regularly upload music, just about everyday so if you wanna skip to just the raw music that is fine. If you like the music I post here, then you should have an even better time over there, link provided in contacts!
• And of course I have gotten tons of new updates with my library. Plenty of new and interesting sounds, now that I am comfortable with the underground, I have looked at other genres, even more diverse stuff when it comes to hip-hop and hip-hop instrumentals. I just love expanding everything. Much like the Catacombkid and Neat Beats I have, that really helped me build a grip on ambient music. So really the only gap in my music life has been my longest self project, EML.

Here is to another good summer, and hopefully things go into another good swing and I start posting regularly. Although this absence doesn't come as a shock, as I discovered last year I really wasn't hear much during the summer despite the abundance of time I had. I might just take Summers off and never  have the expectation to post, and perhaps resume things as regular life picks up. So if you tl:dr then just know I'll have some stuff up once September rolls in tomorrow! Peace and much love to you all out there, hope summer was great for all of you. I know I made many improvements to myself which in turn has done much for those around me.

ALBUM REVIEW: Synth You've Been Gone - Ta-ku & Roughsoul: Love Child

            When first getting this album I didn't think it was my style. But I always gotta ask myself, 'what is your style?' Well it consists of many: genres, sounds, vibes, and talents. If all the music I listen to is good, then I should like this album! After all, I already knew who Ta-ku was at the time so I knew there would be some definite talent flooding my speakers. Getting comfortable with the idea of this album, I soon embarked upon something epic.
            As the album's title fully suggests, we are hear to enjoy synthesizers!

Every track on hear does something magical, having a library neglect of synthesizers I knew this work would be special to me. The experience would be that much more powerful.

1. We Are - This one starts it off slow and starts that sparking. Then you get that dancing sound of the keys. More elements are slowly introduced, which is an absolute blessing for instrumental music. You get to see how all the pieces blend themselves together, almost as if watching the two producers making it in front of you. An elegant soundscape that pulled me in to the rest of the album!

2. Go! - More boom bip than the last track. This track you can really appreciate the work on the drums! Just a lot of elements that blend together!

4. Here - This one has a slow start much like "We Are". Then it just explodes, crazy fan fare! A real banger on the album.

5. Dip Lower - Carries this incredibly dark vibe in the beginning. Then dropping into a nice tasty jam.

6. Waves - This is another track that holds a dark and creepy tone. The reason I love this one definitely has to be that feel of the rain and those creepy chimes, going perfectly with that dark tone of the piano. Quite the smash!

7. Digital Spit - Titled perfectly, this track picks the album back up and lets us roll on a fast soundscape, that is so flavorful. Packed with various tunes, the main segment has two perfectly working synths, complementing another oh so nicely.

8. Robin Fly - I really like this song that other synth comes in around midway. So perfect, I absolutely love that track, turns so beautiful after starting out to sound like another dark track.

9. Faster - All about going faster, different pieces come back and forth through the song. The segment of keys midway add such a light touch to the song, and their is so much going on. The stuff is quite magical.

12. Ladies - An amazing song to go out on, the synths carry that boastful brass sound, and that bass is way down low and funky. Woo, what a ride this was.

Money for Belly - Flow Patrol

Someone it just takes a special touch to create that crate-digging sound

Off the wax, and then burning candles on the tracks

Flow Patrol Rawdrafts

Introduced excellently...

            A perfect track for Summer. This one has us soaked in the vibes of summer, easy living, and of course that delicious rhythm of classy subject matter. Flow Patrol once again has a top notch beat from one of the many producers he has worked with. The beat is quite simple, an exchange of piano loops that sounds so damn good, laced with some drums and you are ready for Flow Patrol.
           Another killer set of bars. He definitely keeps it classy on this one, using words and rhymes of a true gentleman. Some of my favorite rhymes on this track immerse you in the world of summer, putting me at ease.

And the love birds movin to the suburbs

Smother one another with Southern summers

In search of runnin (butter?) with the (cover?)

Have (recover/her cover?) in the hummer 

Updated as of 7/27/12 it is actually, "head for cover in the hummer". 
Did I stutter?

This is a fabulous piece of rap right here. Now, as is usual with Flow Patrol, not all can be deciphered. I have tried my best. This really sets the stage for the rest of his content on this track. When we think love birds, obviously a young couple, married perhaps. If they are young and moving to the suburbs they are most likely quite a successful couple. A typical upper middle class family. When he mentions the hummer that is another hint at wealth. And yet there is some tragedy behind the recover/her cover line. If recover, then perhaps there is too much stress in the characters life, perhaps this marriage, life, situation in the suburbs isn't what he wanted. If it is her cover, perhaps he protects his daughter/wife through wealth, another thought. So not everything is perfect, but that question at the end is put so confidently and has such power behind that. 

12 shots its a rock and drop to the curb

It ain't soft when its served

That line is quite clever. 

But the reservations gracious 

and the conversations spacious

the lobster's superb

Those lines put you into that classy summer feel, thoughts of fancy restaurants, elegance encompasses all attending, and the sophistication can be seen heard, and just felt. 

Righteous, you might just entice us with your license

to kill beats and cheap thrills.

Phony entertainment is all I can think of on this one. The fact that someone can just scam so many people, and when Flow uses the term license, he paints the idea that this person is allowed to entertain regardless of their skill. Hence he mentions cheap thrills. Could be wrong about all this, but these are just the thoughts that flow.
           Also it should not go unmentioned to Rawdrafts for producing this beautiful melody. Another classic feel good beat for my collection.

You & Me - Potatohead People

           A nice jam for some more relaxing today. Really love how this one came together, covered Snow Problem some months back and this was also another 5 star track. A nice light tune with an easy sing-a-long quality. A strong boom-bip going into it. Then some not so decipherable vocals, but they sound so nice. Then that great touch of keys, and synths for a little more flavor. Through some more background noise and a little more variety you got a perfect little tune. Just a short post, hoping you could use some more instrumentals.