Kyle J-E releases ‘Just Hangin’

When Kyle contacted me requesting a review for his latest release ‘Just Hangin’, it was an honour to say the least, and that was before listening to the album. Kyle currently runs the independent record label ‘Tranquil Road Records’, which is host to some of my favourite artists.

After hitting play, Kyle (aka Kyle J E) quickly entered my TOP 5 with tracks that made me stop what I was doing in order to absorb everything I was hearing.

As the title and artwork suggests, this album presents the listener with an invitation to ‘hang out’, away from the chaos of modern life, whilst you swing in a hammock of soothing melodies and grooves. It is an audible experience that gives you the opportunity to ‘hang back’, and just observe life as if it were music itself (perhaps it is…). So, what does it sound like to be ‘Just Hangin’ with Kyle J E?

Well, Kyle described the overall sound as, “a mesh of jazz hop and chill hop with some neo-soul flavour mixed in.” He said, “The finished project was something that I never could have envisioned when it started to form but is something I am proud of creating.” I think he has every right to be proud, and I would go so far as to say that ‘Just Hangin’ (released through Golfshoe Music) is not just a mixture of genres, but a refreshing re-imagination of what ‘chilled’ beats can be. The tracks are smooth, funky and jazzy thanks to the choice and combination of instruments, which when expressed together created memorable and satisfying auditory moments.

I want to jump straight into one of my favourite tracks, which for me was the second single, ‘Say It’ featuring another Golfshoe Music artist, Gabe Guthrie. Kyle said that Gabe “added some funky guitar to the track, ‘Say It’, as well as for the title track of the album.” I had this song on repeat for days. There are moments in the track when the sound of that funky guitar flitters in quick succession (you’ll know which bit I’m talking about when you hear it) and it sounds sublime.

Obviously, as with all of the tracks, there is a combination of instruments playing harmoniously together, and in the case of ‘Say It’, it was also the neo-soul keys and atmospheric pads which set the tone, and the grand piano towards the end that really just gave me goosebumps… in the best way possible.

Since we’re on the singles, the first single ‘Breezy’ also features another artist and friend of Kyle’s: Breether, who co-produced and contributed relaxing, and at times, spacey guitar riffs. It’s a beautiful example of what I imagine to be musicians and friends playing for fun.

There is a sense of ebb and flow throughout the album. The music moves as it grows and slows, before fading out and becoming something new again. If I was to describe how this album feels in as few words as possible, I would say that it is FULL of LIFE.

Other favourites included ‘Chocolate Hummus’, firstly because I liked the idea and wanted to taste it, and secondly for the tracks playful characteristics. Then, the last track, appropriately named, ‘Closure’… possibly the final chord in a progression that could easily transition back to the first track. I particularly liked the drums on this one with rolling toms and subtle changes in rhythm, which made for an uplifting whilst simultaneously gentle conclusion.

This is Kyle’s first full album, yet these 8 tracks have, at least for me, raised the bar for chillhoppers everywhere, and no wonder… when writing about this release he explained how the last few years for him had been building up to this album through constantly creating, learning, and forging his sound through experimentation, and perhaps most importantly, hours of practice.

I’d recommend listening to this album when it’s early, as the night fades and the morning light of another day begins to enter your world. On one occasion I happened to wake up at 4am, and with not being able to get back to sleep I decided to put this album on repeat. Hanging out at 4am with this album is a magical experience. Afterwards it made me think about how musicians are like drug dealers… hear me out.

We’ve all heard the cliche of music being a drug, but I think it might be one of those times when the cliche is true because sound resonates with our emotions and alters our moods and thoughts, which sounds like a drug to me. The main difference though (and an important one) is that this drug is earned through the commitment and determination of the artists.

Anyway, that might sound like I’ve gone off on a tangent but Kyle J E said himself that he “tried to capture the feeling of just vibing out and enjoying the present moment for this album.”

Music is the drug that has, and will continue to change the world for the better… and ‘Just Hangin’ does it exquisitely.

Dozy Boi releases ‘Here’

Dozy Boi is a lofi hip hop producer from the UK who started making music in the form of orchestral composition for film and media in 2013. It was during the lockdown that he began listening to chillhop and ambient music as a form of escapism and found it to help with relaxing during a period of uncertainty. Not long after diving into the world of chilled lofi, Dozy Boi has produced and released his own thoughtful and mood enhancing debut beat tape called ‘Here’.

First of all, the artwork… I thought it captured the mood and concept of the album beautifully. The idea is imaginative and clear, as we understand the purpose of this album is to transport us to a kind of calm and peaceful paradise. When I asked Dozy Boi what inspired him and how he came up with the idea he said, “The album is called ‘Here’ because I wanted to take myself to another place and I wanted the same result for the listener. ‘Beowulf’ and ‘dryhope’ are just two examples of artists I started looking into and I looked deeper into the community to understand what people like the most about lofi hip hop and why it is the way it is.”

As well as wanting to create an album for himself, he is also paying homage to the genre and to the artists that inspired and helped him find peace amongst the chaos. This is important, as the genre becomes ever more popularised and accessible, we need people to add to the genre rather than simply imitate in the hopes of riding the band wagon.

Tracks like ‘Sleepy City’, which was one of my personal favourites, comes through with a cinematic atmosphere, adding an emotional depth to the chillhop style of drums, which gently carry you though musical oceans of serenity.

However, he also added that, “This isn’t a rigid concept as I’ve put ‘Take Your Time’ (which has more energy than the songs before and after it) near the end of the set list to add variation and change things up, but it’s a rough outline”. I also felt this flexibility in the concept when listening to the Track ‘Power’, which is empowering and in Dozy Boi’s words “A stand alone track with the energy it brings.” As I listened to the simple, yet catchy piano floating alongside the drums, I wondered if the track represented the theme as a whole… with our ‘power’ being the ability to not only create music, but to also be transported by it.

Another track I feel is worth mentioning is ‘Fading Sun’. A track which is very different to the energy of those previously mentioned. This one is like listening to the breeze whilst on holiday. For me it is the track which encapsulates the artwork the most. I could almost feel the sand between my toes. With the vocals acting as the waves washing over the shore, I understood that this concept of being transported wasn’t being used as a gimmick, which it could easily have been, instead it was something Dozy Boi truly felt and wanted to share with the world. Clearly, his background in music has acted as a launchpad for his entrance into the chill hop and lofi genre.

Dozy Boi said that he chose music for a career whist at school and got into a playing for a band, singing for a choir and even composed an orchestral score for a Doctor Who clip – winning a BBC competition, which led him to the Albert hall and being featured on the radio.

This is definitely a varied and thoughtfully composed beat tape. It is a journey worth taking. I think Dozy Boi is going to be an artist which more people listen to in the future, as he continues to utilise his experience and understanding of music, and combines it with the chill hop / lofi genre.

First albums can often be a hit or miss for many new artists. There is often a learning curve that artists must go through in order to discover their own style. However, in the case of ‘Here’, Dozy Boi’s musical background clearly shines through, as each track demonstrates a mature and professional-like quality to it. This is a debut album full of emotional intelligence and attention to detail. ‘Here’ went beyond my own expectations of what a debut album for an artist new to the scene could be.

If you enjoy chillhop, lofi hip hop and ambient music I would highly recommend taking the time to investigate ‘Here’, and to discover where it will take you.

JFilt releases ‘KNODVILLE 3’

Are you ready to take a trip down to ‘Knodville’?

JFilt, otherwise known by his Youtube channel: ‘verysickbeats’, has dropped his third instalment of ‘Knodville’ – a beat tape that is unique to his style and approach to making… very sick beats. I think it’s fair to say that his YouTube channel is where the aspiring, as well as established beatmakers continue to go to for those no-nonsense tutorials – not forgetting the positive energy.

I only knew JFilt as the tutorial guy, so I really didn’t know what to expect when listening to ‘Knodville 3’ … There’s something about the unknown and listening to something which you have no idea about what to expect that I love. I think that’s part of the appeal of crate digging.

Anyway, as soon as I hit play it was a similar feeling, whatever I was expecting, it wasn’t that. After hearing the words on the first track ‘Soultastic’, which is a gentle and inspiring introduction… I was suddenly dropped into ‘Pimpwalk’ with a kind of sullen atmosphere and a heavy bass line that has a strut of its own – the type of beat that makes you scrunch your face up.

Throughout ‘Knodville 3’ I found it to be far more alien than your standard beat tape, and I mean that in the way that a lot of the tracks reflect not only a kind of science fiction vibe from his use of effects, but also from the sounds themselves. The track ‘Synthbump’ being a prime example! I don’t know if that was the vibe he was intending but it definitely works.

When asked about his sound choice he said, “Knodville 3 is a project where I’m not using samples just like the previous 2 before it. It’s a combination of playing keys and sampling myself since I design many of my own sample packs anyway.”

The time and effort JFilt has put into his music really makes the finished projects stand out as uniquely his. If I hadn’t known who the artist was before listening I think I would’ve been able to guess just from watching his tutorials, which by the way, helped me a lot when I was first getting started and still to this day when I hit a block and need to learn more. 

JFilt has clearly put a lot of years into his craft. He said, “I’ve been producing since the 90’s. My plans and goals are to continue putting out content through my YouTube channel where I share beat making tutorials and tips and of course release more music.”

JFilt’s drums and sound design is ultimately what makes it unique. You can hear the warmth of the SP’s and MPC fused with what I felt was futuristic melodies and bass lines. Overall, it made for a really interesting listening experience as I was drawn into this other worldly dimension of beat making.

From watching his videos I think it’s fair to say that along with his positive energy, the MPC 2KXL is a big feature. I asked him what equipment he used for ‘Knodville 3’ to which he said, “I used my SP404sx, SP303, MPC2KXL and midi keyboard going into garage band. My method usually involves me playing everything live and looping or keeping the best parts I recorded.”

JFilt’s influences stem from the greats, such as Herbie Hancock for his fusion and funk sound, Stevie Wonder for his melodies and various combos of synth/analog instruments and Q-Tip for his drum programming. With such a variety of artists influencing him and some serious experience behind him, Knodville 1-3 will keep you knodding all day.

Check it out below: 

Dust Collectors Records presents — ‘Wave Theory’

WARNING: Listening to ‘Wave Theory’ may cause feelings of appreciation and relaxation.

‘Wave Theory’ is an extensive compilation album awash with atmospheric tones and mind altering rhythms. It consists of 44 tracks carefully handpicked over the last 6 months by Bret and Jeff, who manage Dust Collectors Records. 

The team at DCR listened to almost 300 tracks before choosing the ones they felt best suited the ‘vibe’ for which ‘Wave Theory’ would ultimately represent. 

When reading through DCR’s blog about the process of selecting tracks, I began to get a sense of how the creation of a compilation album, particularly one of this size and quality, takes a level of time and dedication that for most of us regular beings is hard to comprehend. 

The title for the compilation was something they spent a long time deciding on before landing on ‘Wave Theory’. Bret said, “We decided to go with Wave Theory because of how it symbolised the flow between one song to another to create a whole project. It also sounded cool.” I like the idea that this compilation is the audible hypothesis of sound waves flowing together — it’s a theory which can be directly experienced by the listener as soon as they hit play. 

‘Wave Theory’ is a concept compilation; an idea brought to life through the various instrumentals that in DCR’s words ‘come together like a jigsaw puzzle.’ The beats were the seeds, which DCR planted and coaxed into the birth of a forest; an interconnected ecosystem of sound. 

However, whether you like it or not — books, before they’re read, are often judged by their covers. The first thing I notice before I hit play on an album, or single, is the artwork which accompanies it. I think it’s fair to say the artwork on ‘Wave Theory’ is simultaneously stunning, intriguing and hypnotising. Bret described it as having a different feel from most cover art with a more dark and mysterious tone to it. 

Created by the freelance visual artist MadKobra, this piece of surrealistic art combined with the 80’s retro wave title font, captured my interest and imagination in a way that only a few album covers have managed previously. It seems Bret and Jeff had a similar experience when they said they kept finding new things in the illustration the more they looked. So, in the words of Nas… MadKobra’s artwork “Made you look!” 

Having dope beats and sick cover art is obviously mandatory for any release but what really separates ‘Wave Theory’ from the sea of ‘Lo Fi’ compilations out there today, and why should you listen to it? 

Well, I think Bret was spot on when he said that it’s the palette of diverse sounds on ‘Wave Theory’  that really makes it stand out — that, and the length of it, which allowed him to build, as he puts it, “A pyramid of vibes.” 

Bret went on to describe how their choice of beats delved into this idea from the opening track. ‘We can live here’ by the artist ‘another silent night’ is a great example of a Lo Fi ambient instrumental. Then there’s tracks by Tedd Boyd and Alistair, which are heavily influenced by Trap and that old school Boom Bap era. Overall, this is a compilation filled with classic Lo Fi ambience. 

DCR have collected and compiled branches of the genre which compliment each other under the low fidelity umbrella, and organised them into sides A, B, C and D, where the flow and energy of the tracks oscillates like the sound waves themselves. This is just another example of the level of consideration which has gone into creating this compilation. 

With so many tracks and such a variety of artists, from the more established names in the game to the less well-known but just as significant talents of the aforementioned ‘another silent night’, it wasn’t long before I found the kind of beats that stopped my wandering mind like a slap to my attention span. 

Some of my personal favourites were: ‘Dilemma’ by Milkz and ‘Comrade’ by Stan Forebee both of which have an emphasis on Boom Bap drums with an edge of grit over consciousness-expanding sample flips.

Then there’s ‘three bears’ by Soul Food Horns no18, which is, as the artist’s name suggests, beautiful food for the soul, or how about ‘apollo fire’ by DLJ  with those chill vibrations, or the upbeat melodies of ‘having friends over’ by HM Surf, or ‘global’ by Clap Cotton with those lethal synths, and not forgetting ‘head in the clouds’ by Robot Orchestra with those wonky hi hats and delicate keys to get your mind floating. 

With that said, it was difficult to choose out of the 44 tracks which ones I was going to mention because there are some absolute gems in here. As somebody who makes beats (and writes about them), I’m always looking to expose myself to new artists and different styles. For this alone, listening to ‘Wave Theory’ was, and is, a musically enhancing experience. 

The folks at DCR describe the compilation as ‘combining elements from hip hop, jazz, ambient, and indie.’ They are proud to include established artists as well as undiscovered talent, to think outside of the conventional box of what sounds to use, to have diverse release strategies, and they say it’s all down to the fans and artists who constantly allow them to experiment — something Bret emphasised DCR don’t take for granted. 

Lo Fi beat culture and the beats themselves always seem to be expanding into something strange and wonderful. 

On the one hand it appears to be entering the mainstream, and as Bret mentioned, “Lo Fi beat culture is changing at an insane rate. Between big players like Trap Nation creating Lo Fi subsidiaries and the rise of Swedish publishing companies taking over Lo Fi playlists there never seems to be a dull day.” He went on to say, “From a labels perspective, I think while I was initially opposed to the competition, now I welcome it and think that more people in the community will drive us to be better.” 

At the same time as people are using Lo Fi beats on the latest social media app, artists (and labels) are constantly evolving and willing to keep walking into the unknown territories sound and music has to offer. 

The addition of the concluding track, ‘La Lavande’, which is a beautiful ambient piece, demonstrates their openness to change and potential to be pioneers of the culture. 

Beat culture is like a tree with leaves that change with the seasons, branches that stretch in all directions, and roots… deep underground.

Then again, it’s just a theory. 

Behind Clouds –  ‘A Life Full Of Sudden Goodbyes’ 

“The two hardest things to say in life are hello for the first time and goodbye for the last” – Behind Clouds. 

I came across the artist Behind Clouds approaching maybe two years ago and was instantly a fan. So, when Dustin aka ‘Behind Clouds’ reached out to me just over a month ago asking if I would review his upcoming release ‘A Life Full Of Sudden Goodbyes’ (released on Friday 6th September) I was more than happy to accept. 

I listened to the previews he sent me, read the track titles ‘Almost Lost Myself Before I Found You’ / ‘I Can’t Promise It Won’t Hurt’ and the name of the 2 track EP, ‘A Life Full Of Sudden Goodbyes’ and turned it off. 

When I’m doing a review I like to listen to the music at different times, with days, sometimes weeks apart from each other, just because I feel like I get a better overall idea of my experience that way. 

I listened (with headphones on)… and sure, it was classic Behind Clouds material: Beautiful melodies that gently sweep you away without you even realising it, delicate percussion that guides you through the dream world of his music with attention to detail in every moment – it’s fair to say I enjoyed listening to it and was excited to write my review. 

Then something unprecedented happened. I suddenly had to say goodbye to one of the most important people to me. No, seriously… to my daughter, who was now moving away.

A few days later I put my headphones on and listened to ‘Behind Clouds – A Life Full Of Sudden Goodbyes’ on repeat and was welcomed by a new experience.

I knew there was an emotional element to all of his music, one of his tracks that got to me previously was ‘Replaying My Youth’, but this was something else. Maybe it was because of what I was going through that I responded to the tracks like this, or maybe Behind Clouds is able to tap into what it means to be human through his music. 

When I asked him what the story behind the EP was he said, ‘a life full of sudden goodbyes was based on everything ever changing. That being said, a person will most likely be faced with sudden goodbyes in their lives. It is a subject I can relate to and hope to connect to others with.’

Did he know my life was about to change with sudden goodbyes and that’s why he asked me to review it? Of course not, but I did wonder while I looked out at the night sky listening to ‘I Can’t Promise It Won’t Hurt’. 

I’ve been fortunate up until this point in life to not really of said sudden goodbyes to people I love and care about, which is maybe why I initially missed the very real feelings present in both of these tracks.

Behind Clouds described the process in terms of memories. He explained how most of his work is based on memories or everyday life influences and how his music, in a sense, is like a journal that he shares with everyone. I really like that idea and I’m extremely grateful to him for sharing this with me and giving me the opportunity to journal my own experience. 

Artwork handmade by Lindsey Whitlow from yonderling

Check out ‘A Life Full Of Sudden Goodbyes’ by Behind Clouds on Spotify below: 

 

 

 

Bo Bribery – YGCBEATS005 

“AY YO”. GO COP BO.

YGCBEATS0005 is a solo beat tape released by YOGOCOP Records and produced by beat maker Bo Bribery. 

Having listened to Bo’s music for years, I was half prepared for the depths for which I was about to dive into when I put those headphones on. This isn’t a beat tape you put on in the background for a relax-and-study night, while you secretly hope to seduce your innocent girlfriend. I mean, you could do that and depending on who it is, it could work, but for me this beat tape, like all of Bo’s music, is something bigger than that – it’s an exploration into sound and the psyche. 

Straight away his influences of grindcore and sludge metal, as well as late 90s/early 00s underground rap come through in the slow, melancholy hip hop, doused in saturation and twisted tales with the track ‘Self Flage’. 

I asked Bo about his title choice to which he said, “I just make that shit up. Haha. Usually I just say things out loud and if I get some kind of joy out of it and start giggling I’ll go with it. I mean the beats are mostly quite sad in tone, like the opening beat (self flage), I was reminded of self-flagellation. So I shortened it to self-flage in my head (pronounced fladge) and started laughing at the word fladge so went with it. I also sometimes reference people or events that I’m dealing with and slyly sneak them in.” 

The beats flow between depression and hope with tracks like ‘Gloom Cavern’ to my personal favourite ‘Memories (Dim Sum)’. Bo explained his thinking behind YGCBEATS005 as a collection of sad and weird instrumentals that tried to reflect what he enjoys in beats. He said “I made them all using mostly the same equipment and methods, and mixed them all through an analogue TLA desk. I would say I would consider it more of a portfolio than an album, as I didn’t focus too much on concept and themes, more just on whether I vibed to them.”

Hidden meanings in plain sight is a theme he may not have intended but definitely something I experienced while listening. Sometimes the title of a track will set up the story for what the artist wants to express, and sometimes, as I felt was the case with this beat tape, it leaves you wide open and vulnerable to what ever comes next. There were moments when I found myself so lost in the music, only to realise afterwards that it had transported me to a place of re-evaluating aspects of my life and reflecting on my recent actions and reactions — and all whilst being sober. 

I feel privileged to have known him before there was even a Bo Bribery or a YOGOCOP. I asked him how things transpired from the days of jamming at University with a Kaos Pad to working alongside accomplished artists making waves in the UK (and internationally). Bo explained how he first got involved with Yogocop when it was still in its early days; how him and his cousin (Hank Hiller) were making a lot of beats together, and how they used to bust them out on the street and at parties. He said “We used to hang out with the dreebers anyway, and after one house party where everyone was grooving to our beats, we were asked to contribute to the beat tape one release, and also got involved on a track for Volume 2. From them on we were associated with the label.”

Bo’s music has always stood out to me as being something that was ahead of its time. When I told him what I thought he said, “Haha I don’t know about that man. I just try to make stuff that sounds good to me. I’ve always had a pretty expansive taste in music, and like connecting to the underground of various subgenres and cultures. They definitely informed what I consider to be good.”

YGCBEATS005 and Bo Bribery are not to be slept on. I’ve got no doubt we’ll be seeing a lot more from him in the future especially with the projects inculding: an album with Harvs Le Toad rapping on his production, which will appear on Yogocop, and an instrumental project with Hank Hiller dropping in the next couple of months. 

Also watch out for the dream of a lil ugly mane collab . . . 

 

 

 

 

Bun.e – Intergalatic Space Beats

Houston… we have a beat tape. Engage intergalactic turbo boost. First stop… Andromeda.

Bun.e’s latest EP release is a brief snapshot of the cosmos, experienced through the producer’s ever expanding and evolving sound waves in what has become her distinct style. The theme of Intergalactic Space Beats is beautifully present in each track, with attention to detail being the first noticeable quality of the EP, from Sushi Leaf’s stunning cosmic collage artwork to the opening of ‘Andromeda’.

When asked about creating beats to fit the theme, Bun.e said, ‘I began my search for fitting samples and found some that matched the vibe I was going for, and once the bare bones of the tracks were down I started adding noises recorded from space to set the tone of the release.’ Those noises recorded from space were particularly fascinating in the track ‘Betelgeuse’ which made me feel as though I was on the International Space Station, or should I say the Intergalactic Space Station.

Then there’s the contrast between tracks like ‘Triangulum’ with its dark energy undertones compared with the galaxy spinning synths of ‘Omicron Persei 8′ (featuring Ozymandias’ Dream). Bun.e notes this when she said, ‘The only track that’s different than the rest was ‘Omicron Persei 8′, in which there are no samples and all the keys were played by Ozymandias’.’

Each track is fuelled with cosmic feeling and atmosphere. Bun.e said, ‘I try to put some emotion and feeling into everything I make. I dig through samples meticulously to find sounds that match what I’m aiming for and I try not to constrain myself too much in terms of drum patterns and such. I almost always record my own basslines. Sometimes they’re simple but I do like to get a little weird with it on occasion.’ The basslines are definitely worth paying attention to when you throw this EP on. They’re subtle in nature but essential, as the low frequency sub bass boosts the flow of drunken-like drums. I especially noticed this in ‘Triangulum’ where the bass pattern changes so that you’re continuously moving through the EP’s narrative.

I get the feeling that Bun.e kept things simple with this release and decided to let the artwork and music speak for itself rather than piling on the effects, which could have easily been the case with a theme like this. This allowed me to dissolve into the experience, which is exactly what I want from a beat tape. I’m a big fan of the space themed beat tapes, and anything to do with space in general, so I was excited to see Bun.e release what I had subconsciously been waiting for – a no nonsense, straight up space trip, and all in 6 minutes. It may be a snap shot into the sound of the cosmos but it’s still a journey nonetheless, and a journey worth taking.

I hope she comes back to this theme one day and achieves her goals for the future which are as she puts it, ‘More music. I don’t plan on stopping any time soon. I’m just having too much fun. I just want to keep creating.’ And so, while I will continue to revisit this EP and take the journey into inner space, through the eyes Bun.e and of the cosmos itself, things are just getting started!