This is a site for the eclectic music listener. Explore downtempo, deep house, chillout, glitch hop, dub, world fusion, bass, & more. I am E-ROK - welcome, and stay chilled...
I hadn't heard of Nude before hearing Flashbaxx's downtempo take on some serious drum and bass. I've only heard Flashbaxx's original work, and their remixes of others' music stays true to their "Jack of all Trades" form. I love the way Flashbaxx takes Nude's hard hitting bass hooks and takes it down a notch to the downtempo listeners comfort zone.
I found myself appreciating not only the way Flashbaxx created chilled treats, but Nude's foundation of jungle beats was still stuck in my head. I had to listen to Nude first - and I found myself hooked on Nude for a good while. Click the link above to listen to the remixes, then click this link to listen to Nude's originals. It'll depend on your mood, but I'm lovin both versions.
Check this video of "Dancing" - a random dude named Matt gets sent around the world by his company and decides to do something silly with it. Nearly 11 million people have seen this video and its been sent to me dozens of times in the past months. Everytime I watch it i feel at peace. The music grabs me and helps me find tremendous meaning in this video. The soundtrack nearly brings me to tears - its a wonderful and emotional track by Garry Schyman titled "Praan" (written especially for this video)
Reso and Hektagon remix Mystic Man & Eshamanjaro’s jazzy and rambling breaks and hip-hop hooks in their own respective style. Reso’s drum and bass influence deconstructs “Minds I” to deliver an extroverted electronica remix of what once was a reflective downtempo self-exploration. Meanwhile, Hektagon remixes “The Rambler” – an appropriate track considering Hektagon’s specialty in mixing dub and breakbeats while staying true to the track’s original intent.
Reso has a tendency to deconstruct. Many of his remixes carry only a sliver of semblance of the original track. True to form, Reso’s remix of “Minds I” only takes broken loops of the original “Minds I” vocal hook and adds completely new techno beats. Even listeners who know “Minds I” wouldn’t recognize Reso’s remix. Reso adds a whole new dimension and removes the introspective tone of the original. The electronica spin creates a new wonder and drum and bass amazement. It’s a techno track now, devoid of what once was “Mind’s I.”
Hektagon tends to hold on to the spirit of the original tracks he remixes. On “The Rambler” Vocal Remix, Hektagon masterfully shifts the song’s energy between dub, techno and jazz while keeping the tumbling drums, big band horns and pinball effects. This remix cuts the best vocal slices from Eshamanjaro and remixes Mystic Man’s beats to create a new flow shifts between a trip-hop lounge vibe and hip hop showcase.
A final remix, Hektagon’s “Rambler” Dub Remix, focuses on the beats and removes the track’s vocals. The original version had a rambling vocal flow that was accentuated by Eshamanjaro’s rhymes. This version makes the music ramble with purpose, creating an engaging and fresh take on an already unique sound.
(originally written by Downbeatscape for ProperlyChilled.com)
Downtempo listeners are open to the wonders of the musical world. For those who have not yet stepped into jazz, Global Noize offers a fantastic bridge between a traditional electronica perception of downtempo to the foundation of most contemporary American music (JAZZ!) by creating an album that melds electro-funk, trip-hop, jazz and eclectic world influences. As globalization makes its impact on U.S. culture through technology, the economy and pop culture, artists, such as Global Noize, are increasingly blending sounds to blur the lines of what we know as traditional music genres.
Grammy Award-winning producer and keyboardist Jason Miles joins with veteran jazz turntablist DJ Logic to create Global Noize. Through Global Noize, veteran musicians contribute their unique styles to create a journey through global sounds.Members and contributors include Me’shell Ndegeocello, Billy Martin (Medeski, Martin & Wood), Vernon Reid (Living Colour), John Popper (Blues Traveler) Cyro Baptista (Herbie Hancock), Bernie Worrell (Talking Heads, Parliament Funk), Karl Denson (Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Lenny Kravtiz) and more.
Global Noize’s recent self-titled release recognizes influences from around the world. “A Jam For Joe” and “Bollywood” mix many genres including funk, electronica and jazz and ties it all together with Indian subtleties, beats and vocals from Indian crooner Falu. On “Spice Island,” Caribbean steel drums steal DJ Logic’s thunder as he scratches along with the light twang of steel beats and a smooth, shining jazz keyboard. “Spice Island” is like a Jimmy Buffet concert commandeered by local Caribbean musicians.
The Arab nations even get a nod on “The Souk,” a lounging track build around a deep bass beat and downtempo keyboard sequence. Falu brings Indian vocals to the mix and though her influence tips this towards India, the Arab influence cannot be missed, most literally, by the meaning of the word “souk” – a commercial section of cities that were originally created by roaming gypsies and Arab traders.“Quero Dancer” is a jazzy dance track that could steady the pulse of any Ibiza dance clubber. It helps that “Quero Dancer” is sung in Spanish (or Portuguese? as one reviewer notes). This is a true lounge track with dreamy keyboards and jazz guitar that complete the Southwestern European vibe.
And of course, we cannot forget the influence of the U.S. of A. Very often, when music is described, you never hear about its American vibe. World music often gets the most attention through written word. Perhaps rightfully so. Though we must remember the U.S. root of Global Noize: it’s Jazz. Every track is built on this foundation, though “Planetary Beats” and “Spin Cycle” are two of the jazziest tracks at their core, with nearly all instruments (drums, horns, guitar, keyboard) kicking a funk or jazz beat. Both tracks also highlight DJ Logic’s turnablist maneuvers.
Global Noize is a successful collaboration of musicians birthed from various world influences. At its core, it remains true to its jazz “raison d’etre.” The musicians set the stage, and listeners can identify all the global noise they want.
(Review written by Downbeatscape for ProperlyChilled.com)
So when I'm not listening to downtempo, i'm outside enjoying life. And sometimes I do silly stuff like try to find complete strangers in Boston. This is unrelated to downtempo, but its a really interesting experiment that I had no idea was circulating online. So the premise of this video is a friend of mine is a videographer and wanted to do a little experiment. What if two sets of complete strangers were given the task of having to find each other in a major city? How would they do it and how long would it take? Here's the result:
Cosmic Rocker has proven his talent as a mix artist – easily handling dancers and loungers night after night in New York’ premier clubs and Europe’s smoky discos. DJ Sasha Crnobrnja is Cosmic Rocker, and he likes to party. Cosmic Rocker produces simple samples that are meant to be layered and mixed and mashed and danced to. His latest Action Breaks EP siphons his live aesthetic into a downtempo display that aims to entertain but works best as background groove.
As a DJ in Switzerland’s Go-Global outfit, he brought musicians and DJs together in music battles at local clubs. This idea morphed into the Organic Grooves project in New York, of which Cosmic Rocker is a founding member. For more than a decade, Organic Grooves has introduced world artists and DJs to each other to collaborate and mash global sounds and styles.
On Action Breaks, Cosmic Rocker removes himself from the experimentation of Go-Global or Organic Grooves and delivers stripped downtempo tracks.
I saddle up to Action Breaks and order a drink. I want a mixed one with a solid foundation and a sweet kick that rolls to an even different aftertaste. Give me an experience. What I get from Action Breaks is tonic. I get the foundation, but not the nuance that would set this album apart. One of the first tracks, literally called “Tonic,” begins with a fast jazzy drum rhythm, then adds a bass beat that never wavers from its foundation. Think of Kruder & Dorfmeister and Chemical Brothers tracks, and then remove the quirks that set them apart. And that’s what you get – a “Tonic” on the rocks, but not the G&T you ordered.
Cosmic Rocker does produce some grooves we know he can deliver. “Fred on Drums” takes listeners back to Cosmic Rocker’s formative years. He started with the drums and he’ll end with the drums. “Fred” kicks in with a head bobbing snare beat and adds layers of interesting samples. Every so often we get a jolt of something new and we want to keep listening. “Electric Hair Dub” gives us dark synth samples and a dubbed drum beat – it’s like listening to Bob Marley while dancing to muted house music.
Action Breaks is good for a crowded party or trendy bar where people aren’t paying attention to the music. When listening is an integral part of the experience, Action Breaks can’t always manipulate the vibe. Listen to Action Breaks as a foundation for mixes if you’re a DJ. Or listen to “Fred on Drums” and “Electric Hair Dub” for leisure. Action Breaks isn’t for straight consumption or on the rocks. Cosmic Rocker is a drink best served shaken, stirred, mixed and muddled.
DJ Logic is active in jazz and trip-hop projects such as Medeski, Martin and Wood, and most recently Global Noize, the jazzy duo comprised of DJ Logic and Jason Miles (i'm reviewing Global Noize's latest release for ProperlyChilled.com and it will be posted here as well...)
DJ Logic's "Hope Road" brings flight to those pesky pidgeons and makes them a successful standin for the hope-inspired dove. This track is an electronic trip-hop mix from Logic - his turntables stand out on this one.
I hadn't heard of Nude before hearing Flashbaxx's downtempo take on some serious drum and bass. I've only heard Flashbaxx's original work, and their remixes of others' music stays true to their "Jack of all Trades" form. I love the way Flashbaxx takes Nude's hard hitting bass hooks and takes it down a notch to the downtempo listeners comfort zone.
