Showing posts with label liquid funk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label liquid funk. Show all posts

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Various - Drum & Bass Arena 2019

Drum&BassArena: 2019

Right, all the backstory and reasoning sorted in the previous Drum & Bass Arena review. No quirks of shipping, or oddities of downloads. I can spend the entirety of this review just talking about the music, all the single tracks, plus the mix sets. But first, a word from our sponsor!

*crickets*

Oh, I don't get money for this. Anyway.

Same as before, three CDs separated into mainstage anthems, moodier deep-tech, and vibey comedowns. CD1 kicks off in good fashion, Chase & Status dropping a little ragga action on our earholes (all praise the Amen Break!), with a few heavy hitters keeping the momentum going. Then Turno's Asylum comes in with a hilarious squeachy sound that I'm sure is meant to sound badass, but is not. At least it's not as clownstep stupid as follow-up Popular from Upgrade. What are those squawking noises, a broken trombone? Maybe it's supposed to be tongue-in-cheek though, what with silly dialog of teen girls desperate to get popular and all. Oh, and can't go without some aggro-bro drumstep in A.M.C.'s Mind The Gap, nosiree.

Not even half-way through CD1, and I'm ready to check out, but without warning, it takes a hard turn into chill territory. Like, it's still mostly uptempo and all, but with a lot of soulful singing, spacious dub, and even liquid funk licks. Wait, isn't this what's intended for CD3? Were there just not enough good anthems in 2019 to fill out CD1, or has even the Arena gotten tired of Pendulum's influence now?

That was unexpected, but nice nonetheless. How does CD2 fare, then? Very deep, very tech, some tracks little more than the lowest registers of bass with 2-step in support – microfunk, basically. Tunes that make better sense when blasting out of towers of PK Soundsystem speakers than whatever rig one has set up at home, I wager. Halfway, things get real ol' school, tracks like Dredger or Mefjus' The Chase sounding like they could have come from Grooverider's Prototype years.

Things were building quite nicely in CD2, but suddenly, it goes all aggro-bro again, as though picking up where it was unceremoniously cut off in CD1. Oh, it's another A.M.C. track, that's why. Set goes ridiculously schizo after, flitting between more broken trombone tunes, mint classic tech-step (DJ Hybrid, whut!), stumbling clownstep (oh, of course it's Shimon), and spaced-out darkside (Brookes Brothers' Every Minute (Bladerunner Remix) - because vintage will never die).

By comparison, CD3 keeps things on an even keel, sparingly venturing beyond the easy-going vibes it sets us off on. The few tracks that do detour – Total Science & Kyo's ragga leaning Murder Tonight, the oddly placed jump-up of Serum's rub on MA2's Hearing Is Believing - are mostly welcome in adding a little spice to the set. Wish I had more to say about CD3, as I do prefer it over the others, but when it goes as it means to go, there's little else my words can add, is there?

Thursday, July 9, 2020

London Elektricity - Billion Dollar Gravy (2020 Update)

Hospital Records: 2003

(Click here to read my original TranceCritic review)

For some reason, I got it in my mind I'd written that original review a year later than I had. I know, I know, fifteen years on, and the difference is negligible now, but it does say something about the blurring of time within our memories. I recall us folks at TranceCritic delaying our debut d'n'b reviews for a long while, practically as a joke, though not as long as I apparently remember. In fact, beyond a couple key highlights (me realizing I was gonna' have to be more involved than just 'editor' if things were to get rolling; first time receiving promo packages for psy trance; getting snubbed by Paul van Dyk's PR team because of Jack's review of Politics Of Dancing 2; Cobalt drawing the ire of the Cult Of Schulz) much of that first year is basically fuzz now.

But you're not reading this to reminisce with me (well, maybe a couple are). You want to know whether Billion Dollar Gravy holds up after all this time, and whether there's any new insights nearly two decades of passed time can offer. To answer those curtly, yes and no. I mean, it's not like the liquid funk style was in much need of evolution, most of its defining traits and lasting appeal cemented with albums such as this one. Absolutely it could have gone down some different paths along the way, but as is so often the case with the d'n'b scene, stray just a little too far, and you've basically created yet another genre, purists of the old forsaking its offspring. And while the Electronic Music Genre Standards and Classifications Consortium still debates whether 'dancefloor' constitutes its own genre, comparing that stuff to liquid funk of old (yes, including Hospital Records stuffs) does improve its chances. In that 'dancefloor' is generally bollocks, and Billion Dollar Gravy is not.

I won't deny skipping on London Elektricity after this because I feared Tony Colman couldn't resist chasing that cheesy-pap trend. Some of the star acts signed to Hospital Records, like Camo & Krooked, Logistics, and Netsky, hadn't impressed me much (to say nothing of the 'evolution' of High Contrast), so I just assumed the whole of Hospital had gone that route, including the label's founder. A follow-up album called Power Ballads, the hokiest of sentimental aggro-music out there, didn't do much to allay my suspicions either.

Still, I couldn't well do a 2020 Update on Billion Dollar Gravy without at least checking out the latest London Elektricity album, last year's Building Better Worlds. And gosh, is this ever a mellow album. For sure it's still got that liquid funk pep, but more focused on the soul portion of the classic 'fast-soul music' concept. Are his other albums like this? *checks Syncopated City and Are We There Yet?* Huh, so they are, more or less. How about the rest of the Hospital crew, is there some variety there too? *scopes out S.P.Y.* Well, if that don't trigger the nostalgia endorphines, b'gar!

Wednesday, April 3, 2019

Various - Drum & Bass Arena: 20 Years Of D&B 1996-2016

Drum&BassArena: 2016

Wow, twenty years. What's crazy is I still vividly recall listening to the Arena's early online streams off the computer of that one friend who always had the best internet connections. Okay, 'vividly' is stretching things. I don't remember specifics, but I do recall how cool it was to hear live broadcasts of d'n'b shows half a world away. You'd almost think our modern age of neigh unlimited HD audio insta-streams in 4K clarity would render a website like DrumAndBassArena moot now, but there's something to be said for having an established brand in the overstuffed promotions market. Barring a total and complete collapse of the internet as we currently know it, I see no reason why the DnB-A won't be around to celebrate a thirtieth anniversary. Well, at least a twenty-fifth.

Naturally, a two-decade birthday party can't be complete without a pile of music to celebrate with, and we get three CDs worth to gorge ourselves on. Seems like a straight-forward exercise, rounding up a pile of d'n'b bangers for an extended party, but I was curious how it'd compare with the 10 Years rinse-out. With Adam F and Grooverider handling the decks there, that outing accomplished a remarkable feat in highlighting all the upfront developments the jungle scene was going through (so much Pendulum influence ...just so much), while honouring all that had made 'ardcore such a dynamic sound in its younger days. A tough act to follow, is what I'm saying, and by the looks of things, the Arena didn't even try bringing in any A-list jocks for their 20 Years rinse-out. No credits for the DJ mixes, at least.

CD1 is billed as Music For The Masses, and with an opening one-two punch of Pendulum's Tarantula and Sub Focus' Rock It, it sure is that. Good news is it isn't all Pendulum-styled d'n'b all the way through (they show up again with Vault, because of course), and things even go darkstep mid-set (Spor! Hive! Phace! Other single-syllable names!). Things turn back to the cheesy sing-along anthems by the end, but eh, it is music for the masses. This set is honest. Meanwhile, CD2 provides the old-school tunes, or Recollections, and while most of the veteran names show up (Dillinja, Ed Rush, Optical, Total Science, Adam F, etc.), it's still not as good as Grooverider's 'classics' set. How could it be?

CD3 is a welcome surprise though. Billed as Deeper Cuts, it unearths a bevy of overlooked, well, deeper cuts. Microfunk, soul-step, atmospheric jungle, and all that good stuff, with Calibre, Marcus Intalex, dBridge, and Netsky among the names I recognize in the tracklist. Not many others though. Ivy Lab? Bachelors Of Science? Technimatic? Sabre, Stray & Halogenix featuring Frank Carter III? Who are all these guys? In any event, if 20 Years is your typical night of d'n'b personified, Deeper Cuts is that classy afterhours session, where the vibe remains brisk but mellow and chill. Good stuff for old-timers like me, by g'ar.

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

Mist:i:cal - The Eleventh Hour (Original TC Review)

Soul:r: 2007

(2018 Update:
It's astonishing this remains the only album this group put out. They had nearly a decade to work on another, though with the passing of Marcus Intalex this past year, such a thing's a moot point now. Save a single digital EP in the year 2008, the project went quiet after the release of this album. Calibre carried on with his solo output, now a dozen albums strong, and Marcus put out a lone LP in 2011 called
21, but his passion remained with the DJ circuit, all the while maintaining his Soul:r print. Meanwhile, ST Files kept a steady stream of singles, but never quite hit the same heights of success as the other two players involved with Mist:i:cal.

Nothing else to add to this review. There's a little fudging of the genre demarcations - liquid funk was broad enough in those days that the flying high soul found here could fit the term - but
The Eleventh Hour remains a timeless outing of d'n'b for all you savvy heads out there.)

IN BRIEF: Doing it their own way.

On the opening title track of The Eleventh Hour, guest vocalist DRS is calling out all the corporate shenanigans of his scene. To the backing beats of what could be a long-lost Photek track, the MC seems a might bit peeved that drum’n’bass has lost its way, succumbing to the glitz and glamour of commercialization, sacrificing the heart and soul of the scene’s urban hipness of yore. Methinks he could be seeing the past with shades of a rosen-hue.

Yes, Pendulum turned the jungle scene on its head with one hell of a commercial breakthrough, but d’n’b had plenty of success well before then too. Goldie. Roni Size. EZ Rollers. Er... Kosheen. Hmm, apparently d’n’b’s credibility can ebb and flow with whichever name hits it big after all. However, I find it silly of DRS to be calling out currently successful acts of the dee’bee scene - if not specifically by name, then at least by association - when the very sound he’s spitting over was mainstream a decade ago. Then again, that material certainly was far more artistically credible than many current offerings from the majors these days.

And this is pretty much the sound you’ll come to hear on Mistical’s album. Comprised of Calibre, Markus Intalex, and ST. Files, the trio of producers have cooked up a collection of d’n’b cuts which mostly ignores current trends; there’s nary an ultra-aggro bassline heard, and style-biting from the Hospital Records crew is non-existent. Instead, they indulge in the styles which dragged the genre out of the underground during the mid-90s. This might have your Hooked On Nostalgia alarm beeping, but fear not, my friends, for Mistical aren’t rehashing the past, rather embracing what made those classic tunes work brilliantly when they were new.

So we have smooth dubby cuts like Mistical Soulution, City Life, and Amen Electric; atmospheric floaters like Time To Fly and Memory Jog; jazzstep offerings courtesy of Natasha; and urban stylings such as Stay Away and City Life (er, no points for predicting this reviewer's Ace Tracks, heh). Linking it all together is a warm gentle soulfulness that, frankly, tends to be lacking in much d’n’b these days. Yes, even the spirited liquid funk camps are guilty of this too, as they can get a bit caught up in bringing the bang to the party, lest they be left in the dust of their aggressive compatriots. Whether it’s Mistical’s aim to fill in this missing gap, or they merely prefer this sound over what’s hot and trendy, the trio definitely have managed to stand out from the pack because of their stylistic choice.

Further along The Eleventh Hour, we come across a track that may have all the junglists running for the hills ...or wondering if the right CD is still in their player. Dominick Martin (Calibre) has been known to dabble in other genres, but to have a purely dubbed-out house tune on a d’n’b album is a surprising and welcome idea. For a cut that wouldn’t sound out of place on a Swayzak DJ mix, Secret Love fits nicely in adding a bit of variety here.

Mistical continue their experiments for most of the final stanza. Add Break is an effects interlude; Eject finds the duo trying their hand at some neurofunk (and succeeding!); and the aforementioned Memory Jog will undoubtedly tickle at the old school dee’bee head in us all (and possibly fans of The Orb too). It’s quite an eclectic collection of sounds to close the album off, sounding very little like what came before.

Looking to close out The Eleventh Hour with that extra touch of class, Mistical bring in house legend Robert Owens to lend his vocal talents on Believe. The trio provide a sparse d’n’b cut to back the liquid funk favorite up, as Owens can easily carry the track on his own. And while he doesn’t sing about much we haven’t heard from him before (keep you chin up; don’t lose sight of your dreams, etc.), he does so in as fine a form as ever.

All in all, friends, we have a good little album here. Considering how dissimilar it is to much of what passes for cutting edge jungle, Mistical should definitely find themselves in a comfortable niche. A bigger question, though, is whether they have the chops to really stand out from the crowd, and perhaps even shake the dee’bee scene up a bit. Had you asked me that back in February when The Eleventh Hour was released, I’d probably have said “not much”. However, something recently occurred that has forced me to reconsider.

Marcus Intalex was tapped for Fabric’s thirty-fifth edition of their Live series. In the process, he came up with a drum’n’bass DJ mix that is currently being hailed as one of the best the genre has seen in years. Drawing upon many of the sounds Mistical utilize, it turned many heads around who’d grown jaded with their scene, claiming the sound is like a breath of fresh air in a stagnating atmosphere.

As I am not as immersed in the dee’bee scene to know if this is truly the case or not, I can still see the writing on the wall of what such claims foretell. Gaining exposure on a Fabric mix is big enough, but to have many bestowing high praise upon it in the process can only bring good things for the prospects of Mistical. Fortunately for them, they have an album in the bank that can back up any hype that comes with such exposure.

Written by Sykonee for TranceCritic.com, 2009. © All rights reserved.

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

High Contrast - True Colours

Hospital Records: 2002

It may come off as ridiculous hyperbole to claim this album forever (and a day) changed the way Hospital Records went about doing drum ‘n bass, but it’s pretty much the truth of the matter. Liquid funk as a genre already existed as a nebulous idea, though with few clear, identifiable traits dozens of producers followed up with. High Contrast almost single-handedly codified how the new-fangled ‘fast soul music’ concept would be done on London Elektricity’s print, everyone following Lincoln Barrett’s form in defining one of this century’s most popular strains of d’n’b. Heck, if a mighty Pendulum hadn’t come along with their own style, liquid funk could very well still be top dog to this day.

So yeah, True Colours (or True Colors for y’all yanks), a Very Important Record in the history of d’n’b, but not exactly the best album out of High Contrast’s discography. Frankly, that would be his confident sophomore effort, High Society, if nothing else than for the liquid funk stylee coming fully formed and furious on that record. Or maybe Tough Guys Don’t Dance, what with its liberal sub-genre hopping. True Colours though (or True Couleur for the Francophones) is clearly Mr. Barrett in his early stages, more conservative in his productions, perhaps a little unsure whether the whole liquid funk thing would catch on beyond a flight of fancy for casual heads. Well, London Elektricity believed in it, abandoning any pretensions of carrying jazzstep’s legacy in favor of High Contrast’s fresher, brisk beatcraft with hooky soul samples galore.

For sure there’s some gems of the genre within True Colours (or True Rangi if you speak Swahili). Make It Tonight was the first single High Contrast put out, nearly a year prior to his debut full-length dropping, and I can’t be the only one noticing that string hook bears some resemblance to Codename John’s Deep Inside Of Me - hey, soul samples can come from the recent past as well as some dusty ‘70s 7-inch. Passion also came out in the year 2001, closing in on the sound that would turn Hospital Records into a dominating force, though that bass tone’s a bit rough. But yes, the definitive liquid funk classic, Return Of Forever, is the opener, bringing nearly everything you expect of the genre (such a glorious string section!). Perhaps the only surprising thing regarding it now is how the build-drop template doesn’t tear out as hard as liquid funk typically does - they were still defining them, after all.

A few jazzsteppy numbers round out this ten-tracker (Music Is Everything, Remember When), but by and large True Colours would rather let the ‘fast soul music’ mold settle than fool with eccentricities. That general lack of diversity in True Colours may be a turn-off for liquid funk followers who came to the genre late in the game, though I’d be astounded if such quibbles were deal breakers for that scene’s fans. They really are a devoted, passionate sort.

Sunday, October 23, 2016

High Contrast - High Society

Hospital Records: 2004

We’re hitting peak liquid funk with this one, folks. Hospital Records and its whole damn crew were flying high in the year 2004, their fast soul music cutting a hyper-uplifting path of critical and commercial success few others in the d’n’b scene could match. Then along came some Aussie group a year later, completely changing the scene once more, and earned a fuckton more critical and commercial success than the Hospital posse could ever have achieved – heck, anyone doing d’n’b at the time. That didn’t deter London Elektricity and his roster of liquid funkers from carrying on as they did before, in fact enjoying just as much commercial success as when they were the new hotness. They just didn’t have as many critics gushing over their sound anymore, many lamenting the label’s refusal in evolving with the times. Um, have these critics ever paid attention to jungle at large? Once a genre is established, it stays that way forever after. It’s why the scene’s filled with so many persistent micro-niche interests.

But let’s return to that peak, Hospital Records high and mighty after a string of highly touted records. One of those was London Elektricity’s Billion Dollar Gravy, which I covered way, way, way back in the day. The other was High Society, High Contrast’s highly anticipated sophomore effort. Man oh man, is this paragraph heavy on the ‘high’s. High can’t help it, this album filling my happy centers high with PLUR goo, that I high and high, hi-diddly-high dii-o. (hi!)

Yeah, we’re firmly entrenched in ‘don’t fix an unbroken thing’ territory with High Society. Lincoln Barrett’s debut was a mildly moodier affair; still honoring the ‘street’ vibe soul music came from and had been capably executed by jazzstep sorts prior. By this point though, the adoring public had spoken, demanding more divas, MORE tear-out, MOAR liquid funk! And who was High Contrast to deny these fans what they craved? Someone who didn’t want to get pigeonholed perhaps, but if that was ever the case, he sure hides that hope here. If you’re at all familiar with any of Hospital Records’ output, you’re gonna’ know what to expect on this album, Mr. Barrett keeping the d’n’b jams peppy with uplift to spare. It can get a tad corny at times, and folks who figure jungle are serious-step business will obviously scoff at such pleasantries, but you cannot deny High Contrast’s consistency as a producer throughout this album.

He does show some further development in his style though, making use of more vocalists rather than strictly relying on samples as with his earlier material. Dynamite MC is here! Spoonface is here! No Lay is here! Um, Tomahawk (4) is here. Right, aside from the first one, I’m not familiar with any of these names, but they provide nice flavor to the album regardless, especially No Lay’s grime spitting on Angels And Fly. And hey, is that a touch of the ‘trancestep’ I hear in The Persistence of Memory. Cheeky, cheeky…

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

High Contrast - Tough Guys Don't Dance (Original TC Review)

Hospital Records: 2007

(2016 Update)
'Tough guys' may not dance, but only when we're dishin' out some tough, critical love, eh? I mean, wow, I could be a hard ass on trance in the TranceCritic days, but I sure wasn't giving High Contrast much slack here. I think the problem was, listening to this album a few times over as I typically did before reviewing something back then, a number of these tracks quickly grew too repetitive for my liking. Having some years and musical distance from this album though,
Tough Guys Don't Dance is actually a good rollickin' time, great for a dunk into super-fun liquid funk before getting out of an overcrowded pool. Alright, I was also parroting some of the d'n'b narrative I'd read at the time regarding Hospital Records, but that label's endured remarkably well in the ensuing decade, remaining steadfast in its uplifting manifesto even as different trends come and go.

As for High Contrast, this was his last album, a shame. What, that record a few years ago, with the dubstep and the pointless, weak-sauce collaboration with Tiësto and Underworld? Whatever is this Bizarro Earth you speak of? Does Donald Trump rule your realm?)



IN BRIEF: The soul is in danger of becoming stagnant.

Credit must be given where it is due. Drum ‘n’ bass was in serious danger of growing far too self-serious after the turn of the century, even for itself. Then along comes some young upstart named Lincoln Barrett and, along with the Hospital Records crew, reminded the world the genre can be filled with plenty of uplifting optimistic vibes too. Soaring strings, singing soul sistas, and Robert Owens invaded the realm of jungle militants, and for a while it seemed as though liquid funk would be the future of ‘dee’bee’.

That was half a decade ago [ed: even longer now!]. Obviously the big Hospital take-over didn’t quite occur, but still they carved out their niche and have stayed the course with their sound... and stayed... and stayed... and now that just isn’t enough.

Yes, folks, it’s true. Rumors and buzzes from the underground abound that liquid funk has become played out; is past its prime; in need of a rest; if not, at least some re-invention. The same ol’ formula can only carry a scene for so long before predictable production becomes too common, and this sub-genre of jungle is decidedly drawing nearer to such a period. With two highly regarded albums already under his belt, can Mr. Barrett prove there’s still plenty of life in the girl on his third High Contrast full-length?

Forever And A Day makes a strong argument for the case. With rhythms that gets the heart racing and orchestral swells that set the spirit soaring, this is liquid funk at peak proficiency. In many other forms of music, a lyric like “and the birds are singing pretty little songs” would get snickered out of the scene, but in the hands of High Contrast, he makes it exhilarating. Top notch stuff, my friends.

Nothing else comes close to that track on Tough Guys Don’t Dance, but Barrett shouldn’t be expected to hit a grand-slam every time. However, although each tune he crafts is easily above average, very few of them are a home-run either. It’s fine for a few tracks into the album, but by the time Eternal Optimist and Chances roll along, the template has become far too predictable and lacks the panache that made Forever And A Day such a winner.

The trouble lies in the fact a lot of Lincoln’s tricks are over-familiar now, and he doesn’t do much on this album to shake the formula up. You’d think a producer of his caliber wouldn’t dare be caught going through the motions, yet it honestly does sound like he is with his liquid funk offerings. The r’n’b divas, the soulful crooners (mostly J’Nay in this case), the smooth rolling basslines, the 2-step breakbeats, and the orchestral samples: almost all of it sounds like it could have been produced at any point in his career, and without the care to treat them as something more than just another tune to rinse out by the Hospital Records roster. Fine and dandy for brief one-offs at a club night, sure, but unfortunately rather stale in an album context, especially one’s third.

There are moments where he does deter from the template, and unsurprisingly these tracks are amongst the album’s highlights. Opener If We Ever may have most of liquid funk’s requisite trappings, but instead relies on some old school jungle rhythms which are good fun. Elsewhere, Nobody Gets Out Alive adds a twist to things by making use of a bassline that pounds rather than rolls and some old blues sample that wouldn’t have sounded too out of place on Moby’s Play. The two atmospheric cuts - Tread Softly and The Ghost Of Jungle Past - although quite stuck in the 90s, are lush. As for his fiercer offerings like Sleepless, Metamorphosis, and Pink Flamingos, they’re hit or miss, and ultimately serving as little better than breaks in the liquid funk monotony.

Hn. Reading this back, and it seems like I’m just bitching about liquid funk, when truthfully I do enjoy the stuff. It is, after all, quite uplifting music. However, its mostly singular execution on Mr. Barrett’s third doesn’t offer as much depth as you’d expect given how nifty the surface often presents itself. Still, Tough Guys Don’t Dance is hardly a write-off. The highlights are stellar, the atmospheric detours are pleasant, and tracks like Kiss Kiss Bang Bang and Everything’s Different are class, if somewhat formulaic.

I’ve heard High Contrast criticized as being drum ‘n’ bass for newbies, which is rather unfair (jump-up still holds the crown for that distinction) but I can see where such critics are coming from. Lincoln’s stuff is very accessible for the uninitiated junglist and would prefer keeping a party active rather than challenge the listener. However, by sticking to such simple tried and tested tactics, his appeal won’t last should you explore the realm of jungle further, as producers with far greater tricks abound. If you have a passing fancy for liquid funk, Tough Guys Don’t Dance will serve you find, but seasoned vets of the scene may be disappointed.

Written by Sykonee for TranceCritic.com, 2008. © All rights reserved.

Monday, November 3, 2014

Sykonee Surveys Spotify's Senseless Suggestions: Round 2

Spotify sure likes sending me suggestions more often than I anticipated. I think its best that I save my surveys until I clear batches of my review backlog, lest they impede my regular progress. I already make enough tangents these days, and I’ve some large bulks to plow through. Just look how many ‘O’s I reviewed, and that’s traditionally one of the ‘lesser’ letters to name your album with!

So last round’s recommendations leaned way heavy on the rock side of things, and not even rock I care much for. I’m giving Spotify the benefit of the doubt on its erroneous assumptions of my musical tastes, what with having so little time to get acquainted an all. It’ll have to butter me up better if it wants me to take its suggestions seriously going forward though. Let’s find out what Round 2 offers.

Kenny Chesney - 1. American Kids / 2. Somewhere With You

Oh for… Spotify, you couldn’t be more off if you tried. This is full-on modern country, which I absolutely, positively never-in-a-zillion years go out of my way to listen to. I don’t hate the stuff, but I’ve no reason to bother with that field of music in my life either. Chesney’s apparently one of the bigger names to emerge from country’s renewed dominance with youthful, tailgating demographics, and I’m quite thankful these two tracks don’t tread anywhere near the Georgia Straight Line dirt road of ‘bro-country’ (yes, this is a thing, and yes, it’s as awful as you’re imagining), but… yeah. This is just one big “NOPE” from me.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 0/5

Radiohead - 3. Karma Police / 4. Paranoid Android

Come on, are you even trying, Spotify? You suggested these guys in the last email. Is Radiohead just a generic, go-to band to name drop? Are you trolling Thom Yorke’s anti-Spotify stance? Also, I’m somewhat disappointed that the next two tracks in this list are more from OK Computer. It’s clear the Top 5 has nothing to do with actual plays, as No Suprises from the last round lags well behind Karma Police by some seven million hits. If this is the case, why not feature more songs from their other albums, mix things up for the newbie Radiohead listener? Ah well, despite Spotify’s insistence at gumming the stats, my Odds score stands with this band.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 3/5

Wu-Tang Clan - 1. C.R.E.A.M. / 2. Wu-Tang Clan Ain’t Nuthing Ta F’ Wit

I take it all back. Spotify, you totally get me. How’d you know I’d absolutely be down for some Wu-Tang Clan? Sure, I’ve Playlisted Raekwon, U-God, Masta Killa, and Ghostface Killah, but you figured out I might like the Clan having not played anything from RZA, GZA, Ol’ Dirty BZA, Method MZA, or Inspectah DZA (yet). Seriously, this couldn’t have been a more obvious recommendation than suggesting N.W.A. because I played some Dr. Dre or Ice Cube. Yeah, I’m gonna’ listen to the Wu again – they’ll be eventually in an ACE TRACKS Playlist after all – but it would have been nice for Spotify to show a little more intuition than this.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 5/5

Mayday Parade - 3. Oh Well, Oh Well / 4. You’re Dead Wrong

I wasn’t terribly enthused by all the rock recommendations in Round 1, but I at least enjoyed the process of discovering a few new bands, some of which I’ll likely dabble in later on. Mayday Parade was not one of them, got’dang it. Seriously, I gave them an Odds score of 1/5 - I can’t even remember what I wrote about them, so off base with my tastes they were. These two songs are more of the same ‘arena-emo-rock-punk’ style I heard from the their first two, so it’s safe to say that’s the Mayday Parade stylee. No more for me, thanks.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 0/5

Kid Cudi - 1. Pursuit Of Happiness (Extended Steve Aoki Remix) / 2. Just What I Am

I’m assuming I’m getting a Cudi suggestion for the prior hip-hop I’ve listened to, and not because Spotify thinks I’d be down for an Aoki remix or that I might like MGMT (because Radiohead, obviously). I’m honestly surprised to see that track as the first one, as it’s little more than your standard modern-day anthem house rub – there’s thousands of tracks like this one out the. The second track has some cool ambient-electro vibe going for it, but the lyrics are just wack ‘get-wrecked’ party-hop nonsense. He doesn’t even sound that sincere, simply catering to the festival kids. Or maybe that Aoki impression’s still lingering. Will have to hear more of his material for a better idea, and I suspect Spotify will force upon me at that.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 2/5

Weezer - 1. Island In The Sun / 2. Say It Ain’t So

Well sure, may as well get these guys in there at some point. Like many of my teenaged era, I enjoyed their Blue Album, then promptly stopped giving a shit. Okay, that’s not entirely accurate – the ongoing drama of Weezer’s rise-fall-rise-fall-rise-fall in the world of pop is its own unique brand of fascinating for any music enthusiast. The last song I heard from them was the “we’re all on drugs” one, whatever it was called, and I can’t say I’m in a hurry to check out their back catalog. Although, hearing these two songs, especially Say It Ain’t So again, sure does tug at my nostalgic centre. Maybe I ought to finally check out that Pinkerton LP…

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 3/5

Pye Corner Audio - 1. Perfect Secrecy Forever / 2. Sleep Games

Ah, finally something that looks new and interesting. I’ve never heard of this guy before (Martin Jenkins), but he’s been quite busy on the digital release realm, putting out quite a few Black Mill Tapes between albums – he even offered them in tape formats! I should also mention these two tracks aren’t the first pair of suggestions at Spotify, but since the proper first two are both on the John Talbot DJ-Kicks mix, I figured these are more representative of what Pye’s all about. Perfect Secrecy Forever, which came out this year, has a chill-trance New Beat thing going for it, which has been seeing something of a minor bump in interest of late. Sleep Games, the older cut, has a similar sluggish rhythm, though has more of a classic EBM menace about it. I like it. The world could use more New Beat.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 4/5

Grateful Dead - 3. Touch Of Grey / 4. Truckin’

Another repeat. But wait, this Grateful Dead has a different picture. Maybe it’s a different Grateful Dead, one that- (*clicks link*) Nope, still the same ol’ Dead. What’s funny is Touch Of Grey is about the only Dead song I know off hand, and only because it was so ubiquitous on classic rock stations. I also didn’t know it was a Dead song because it sounds so bloody ‘80s, and that’s the last era of music I’d associate with the band, despite their activity lasting well into that decade. Truckin’ is more what you’d expect from a ‘60s hippie jam band. Nothing else to say here that I didn’t say in Round 1.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 3/5

will.i.am - 1. Scream & Shout / 2. Feelin’ Myself



Odds I’ll Listen Again: 0/5

Hybrid Minds - 3. Fade / 4. Trauma

Finally… finally, a repeat I was looking forward to. Only took you four tries to get that right, Spotify. These songs are also from two more different singles, so mixing things up too. I just might not give up on you after all, Spotify Suggestions. Fade and Trauma stick to the same smooth, jazzy liquid-funk vibe that’s given Hybrid Minds props within the jungle scene. Getting more of their tunes just became higher.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 4/5


This Survey was even more erratic than the last one, yet somehow comes away with a near-identical final tally of 24/50. If this feature’s supposed to improve with the more data it gathers on my listening habits, this is actually a worse result than before. I can’t imagine the Artist Suggestions getting any lower than will.i.am though. It just can’t…

Thursday, October 23, 2014

Sykonee Surveys Spotify's Senseless Suggestions: Round 1

You’re always getting recommendations from them – Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, Songza (really…?) – but how often do they align with your actual tastes? Does it depend on how effective their data algorithms are, or how large a pool of information they have to work with? Simple shameless marketing? Not that I ever bothered following their suggestions, as I beat to my own drum, seeking out the music I want to hear, not what some other thinks is best for me. Hmph. *adjusts monocle*

So when Spotify sends me an email of their suggestions (geez, already, guys?), I’m ready to automatically send it to the Trash. “But wait,” says the little spider in my head, “why not turn this into an opportunity?” “How do you mean, little spider coiled around my cerebellum?” “Reviewing the music from your personal collection’s fine and all, but why not spice things up a little? Listen to the recommendations Spotify sends you, maybe discover some new acts while giving a chance to those you’ve casually dismissed in the past.”

The Spotify Spider makes a point. I really ought to mix my content up some, lest I burn myself out on standard reviews all too quickly again. Plus, I’m curious to see whether Spotify’s suggestions might improve, narrow in on my tastes as I sample their catalog more and more.

Here’s how this’ll work. Spotify sends me ten suggestions with each email (I don’t know how frequent these will be yet). I will sample the first two songs of that artist/band/act I see on Spotify and give a quick summation of what I hear, plus a ‘rating’ based on how close Spotify got it to my interest. Sounds good? Alright, no sense wasting time, let’s get onto the first round!


Cake - 1. The Distance / 2. Short Skirt/Long Jacket

Okay, this is unexpected. I think I’ve heard of Cake, a rock/funk/hop/etc. fusion band that’s been around since the early ‘90s. The second tune sounds like something that would have come about in the late ‘90s ska era (those trumpets…), which isn’t surprising as it came out in 2001. The Distance sound more punk-grungey, again unsurprising as it’s a mid-‘90s song. I’ve a feeling their discography’s far more eclectic than this though. It’s funky enough to pique my interest. Will check some later.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 3/5

Jungle - 1. Time / 2. The Heat

Hey, I like me some jungle! Amazing Spotify would recommend a whole genre though. Oh, wait, the band’s name is Jungle. And they’re… another fusion band, though the electro/synth-pop/glam-funk vein. Jungle’s very new too, both these tracks coming from their self-titled debut album released this year; also signed to XL Recordings, which is why Spotify suggested them to me? Both tracks are rather similar, The Heat a tad slower and groovier. They’ve definitely got a nice sound, but come off a bit too fluff and hipster-bait. Not that it’s a bad thing, as Hercules & Love Affair proved.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 3/5

Katy Perry - 1. This Is How We Do / 2. Dark Horse

Oh dear. This is going to mess up future suggestions, isn’t it. What else is there to say about Katy Perry? She’s hot, she got an annoying high pitch, and is somehow a pop music juggernaut, currently towering over every other female in the business. She seems like a nice enough lady, even if she’s constantly presenting herself as a total ditz. I don’t need to hear anything more from her on Spotify because every pop radio station won’t stop playing her songs. Ugh. Dark Horse, her weak jump on bass music, you’ve almost certainly been forced to hear at some point this year. Not sure why This Is How We Do was the first song though, as it’s a fairly generic dance tune, even by Perry standards.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 0/5, at least on Spotify; there’s no escaping her radio presence.

Hybrid Minds - 1. Meant To Be / 2. Lost

Ah, here’s the jungle. Liquid funk to be exact, but these two tunes blend the blissy vibes of atmospheric jungle too. Hybrid Minds are another newish act, though the members have been players in the D’n’B scene for a while. Even with the standard, brisk 2-step in action, these are some lovely chill-out soul tunes. I can honestly say I haven’t heard much like it before, and I’m apparently not the only one, a quick scan of their PR praising them for an innovative direction in the liquid funk scene. Lord knows it could use it. Mmm, that Mountains album looks tantalizing…

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 4/5

Radiohead - 1. Creep / 2. No Surprises

Wait, I thought Radiohead wasn’t on Spotify! Ah, it’s just Thom Yorke that pulled his own material. Everything Radiohead released with the EMI group is here. Go figure. Also, I can’t say I’m eager to hear much more Radiohead. Creep I’ve heard plenty of times, especially at karaoke nights. I’m sated, thank you. OK Computer’s an album I’ve kinda-sorta thought about getting some day, but I’m in no rush. I totally forgot about No Surprises, those charming bells reminding me of Brian Wilson down in the mopes. I like that era of Radiohead better than their early work anyway. *gasp*

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 3/5

Angels & Airwaves - 1. Paralyzed / 2. The Adventure

Apparently a rock supergroup, comprised of members of bands that I’ve kinda liked (NIN, The Offspring), not at all liked (Blink-182), or never heard before (*shrug*). Paralyzed is their most recent single, sounding like a heavier arena rock anthem, but is over before it ever gets warmed up. Damn radio versions. The Adventure, on the other hand, instantly reminds me of jangly ‘80s U2, but with shouty vocals rather than Bono’s operatic bellow. I can see this being a favorite of folks growing too ‘mature’ for outright angst rock, but totally not for me, thanks.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 1/5

Mayday Parade - 1. Stay / 2. Terrible Things

Another ‘punk-opera’ band? Why is Spotify recommending this to me? It says because its “popular in [my] area”, which may be true, but I haven’t a clue about that. This is a scene I don’t follow at all. A few of my old high-school friends living nearby might like it though. Actually, these two songs remind me more of emo’s more twee moments, especially so with Terrible Things, a simple piano ballad that erupts into an overblown arena-rock cry for emotion. Perfect for a teen drama. Pass.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 1/5

Grateful Dead - 1. Friend Of The Devil / 2. Casey Jones

The Grateful Dead are a very important hippie jam band in the world of hippie jam bands. I remember seeing a cool video of theirs where the band members became skeleton puppets, but they’re not a group I’ve cared to dig into much. Not from a lack of interest, oh no! There’s just so damn much of it out there, and most claim their live material’s better than studio recordings anyway. I had no idea they had a blues-rock number named after a Ninja Turtles character (hur hur!). A Dead Dive could happen some day, if I’m in the mood for ‘70s folk rock again.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 3/5

Snow Patrol - 1. Chasing Cars / 2. You Could Be Happy

Yay, another ‘inspired by Radiohead’ shoegazey rock band. I know I’ve seen Snow Patrol name-dropped before, almost certainly on indie sites eager for the next Radiohead to emerge. I feel like I’ve heard both these songs before too, though maybe the ‘gentle twee beginning into widescreen wall-of-rock’ song writing became so prevalent in the mid-‘00s, it all mushed together from my perspective. They probably have different songs, but I’m already bored by these Radiohead clones. Moving on.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 2/5

The Strokes - 1. Reptilia / 2. Someday

Alright, real rock! Or revivalist garage rock - something with teeth at least. I still remember when The Strokes were being counted upon to save rock music from its current doldrums like it was a decade ago. Most had written them off when they went on a half-decade hiatus, but they’re back, making their same brand of unapologetically simplistic rock ‘n’ roll. I assume anyway, since these two songs are from their breakout years. Now I’m curious whether they have evolved as a band or not. Not dying to hear, mind you, but one of these days, perhaps.

Odds I’ll Listen Again: 3/5


And the final tally for this round of Spotify Suggests is 23/50. Oh dear, that’s not good at all. Then again, it is early in this experiment. We’ll see how things improve whenever I get another email.

Saturday, December 26, 2009

London Elektricity - Billion Dollar Gravy (Original TC Review)














Breakbeat Science: Cat. # BBSCD009 
Released 2003 

Track List: 
1. Billion Dollar Gravy (6:23) 
2. Different Drum (7:22) 
3. Fast Soul Music (6:22) 
4. To Be Me (6:16) 
5. The Great Drum+Bass Swindle (7:09)
6. Cum Dancing (7:15) 
7. Main Ingredient (4:35) 
8. Harlesden (5:44) 
9. My Dreams (7:24) 
10. Born To Synthesise (6:41) 
11. Syncopated City (5:57) 

(2010 Update: This is about the time us writers at TranceCritic were getting more personable in our grammar, making the reviews much easier reads. Well, at least until you got to the wordy track-by-track detailing. That was still a chore to read, even if the quips were coming much faster than before. It'd still be at least another half-year before we finally figured that out for good.)

IN BRIEF: Soulful sweet sound with city cool stylee. 

You know, I really do enjoy me some jungle. When it comes to EDM, the rapid pace and frenetic rhythms of the genre easily encourage you to indulge in the middle word of that acronym. If I just want to cut loose on the dancefloor, jungle gets the job done better than anything else. It matters little to me if my Caucasian heritage leaves me unable to look good going at it -I'm just in it for the fun. 

If this is so, then I'm sure you're wondering why it's taken nearly nine months for me, much less TranceCritic in general, to finally get around to reviewing a true blue, honest-to-God, one hundred percent legit jungle album (or drum 'n' bass, but seriously, the difference is negligible in most cases and artists go between the two of them so frequently, it's simpler to just refer to the whole as one -since jungle was the original term, it gets precedent). 

Well, funny thing about jungle and I is it is one of those styles of music that comes and goes with me. I'll be headstrong into it for a month or two, then be completely apathic to it for long stretches at a time, sometimes never returning to the genre for months, or even a year. Unfortunately, as TranceCritic began, I was on one of those downswings, and it's taken this long for me to feel the vibe again. I'll admit this isn't an exclusive thing to jungle; the same thing tends to occur with other subsets of the EDM spectrum as well. So, if you ever find a style not getting much attention from yours truly, you now know the reason. 

Okay, so now that the jungle bug has bitten me again (going to a prolific jungle night certainly helps) I feel I can give the release I've had on my To Review list some proper attention: London Elektricity's Billion Dollar Gravy. Why this one? To be honest, it was the first jungle release from my personal collection I randomly grabbed to review. Yeah, real revolutionary methods we utilize here at TranceCritic, isn't it. 

The man behind London Elektricity and Hospital Records, Tony Coleman, is yet another of the label's artists that has taken jungle down exciting, new roads with the soul-and-house jungle fusion dubbed 'liquid funk.' Don't ask me why it's named that, although I admit the music does fit the description better than some other names. With this revolutionary, new- 

Wait a moment! That's not right. Liquid funk is hardly new at all. Have we forgotten the work done by Gavin Cheung (as one example) in the mid-90s (Coleman hasn't, as Cheung's Nookie alias does get a shout-out in the liner notes). If house heads or trance heads or any non-jungle heads haven't heard of him, I can understand. But junglists? That's quite criminal if you ask me. It'd be like trance heads not knowing of Claudio Giussani. Hmm... then again, perhaps it isn't so surprising after all. 

So, really, liquid funk isn't all that new or revolutionary after all, despite certain media's claims the stuff High Contrast and the ilk are producing is. However, because the Grooverider tech-step, LTJ Bukem atmospheric, and Aphrodite jump-up styles grabbed all the attention from way back (as well as jazzstep being tapped for the 'electronica' wave), it's understandable some of the other stuff was overshadowed for so long. It seems it took the other jungle styles to run their templates so far into the ground, by the time junglists were ready for something else, the liquid funk sound seemed like a stroke of genius. Huh, well that's what happens when folks dedicate their musical horizons to such a small microcosm of style, I guess (hint hint, tranceaddicts!). 

I guess you're starting to wonder if I'll ever get around to actually reviewing this release. Okay, fine. Man, are people impatient these days. You'd think they would be able to sit through my ramblings to learn something about this music in the process. I mean, it's not like there aren't more important- oh, yeah. This review. 

Billion Dollar Gravy opens with Billion Dollar Gravy, which is as fine a jungle track as any I've heard. Using orchestral strings to provide the backing melodies while frenetic rhythms and smooth, swinging bass energize you, this is certain to move you physically and emotionally. Funky leads and soulful samples provide the padding, as they will for most of these tracks. I could complain the percussion comes off a little tinny, when more refined production would have made this track more intense, but this is only the opener; plenty of room left on this release for Coleman to flex his musical muscle. 

If you thought Billion Dollar Gravy was funky, then hang on tight for Different Drum. Along with Blaxploitation guitar licks (or a very good replica of them), mild horns, and that single high-note string heard in many a house track, this is a smooth, soulful slice of music to be had. Throw in some great lyrics from house legend Robert Owens, and the link between jungle and house is complete. Your typical bridges heard in jungle are filled with little piano solos and while the climaxes aren't as intense here, that oh so smooth bassline gets you grooving just as emphatically, especially as you hear Liane Carrol's soulful wails in the background. 

Things mellow out a little on the next track, letting orchestral strings and Liane Carrol carry the bulk of the track. Don't be fooled, though, as like the title suggests, Fast Soul Music is quite brisk as well, utilizing the strings to build to little peaks, embellishing sound effects bubble about on the other side before repeating the process throughout. 

To Be Me continues the inner city cool trend expertly, spicing up the formula by utilizing a bass lick that goes more wwum wwum ww-ww-ww-ww-ww-ww-wwum rather than the smoother versions we've had on hand thus far. Also, expect to hear mellow horns and single piano notes rather than strings to build the peaks up. It may be the exact same template as Fast Soul Track, but it still sounds remarkably different.

The Great Drum+Bass Swindle takes the Different Drum template and cranks the energy up with rolling basslines, spastic rhythms, and sampled singing getting chopped up throughout. This track is also a great example of why the breakdown/build template works so effectively in jungle no matter how much it gets used. Whereas it tends to get redundant in other genres if abused, the rhythm is just so intense here, when you get that respite that can sometimes last up to a minute (although it doesn't here), it is quite welcomed to have a breather on the dancefloor. In addition, when it builds back up again, the payoff is rarely lacking, thrusting right back into the thick of that mad rhythm that you'd have to be either very athletic, jacked on amphetamines, or plain crazy to match pace. You just don't get that with most typical four-on-the-floor dance music. 

We're now halfway through this release and, while everything that's been heard has been top notch, I'm starting to get a little antsy. The formula has remained very consistent thus far and, while having similar sounding songs may work fine for singles, you expect a little more variety when it comes to album releases. Can Coleman prove hes more than just a purveyor of funk and soul samplings while making use of just a mostly CHA wiki-CHA, CHA wiki-CHA rhythm in the second half? 

Cum Dancing (stop snickering back there, you) aims to prove this isn't a one trick pony, but only halfway. Very synthetic in nature, this was an earlier single for the London Elektricity moniker that seems like the odd man out on Billion Dollar Gravy. Sure, there are still string samples being used, but they are mostly background elements rather than the focus. Instead, Coleman takes a feral bassline and tweaks it about while eerie effects flutter about. However, the same rhythmic template as already heard thus far is still in usage. It's good, but something needs to break up the similarity between all these tracks soon, otherwise things aren't going to stick out as much in later songs. 

Main Ingredient seems to indicate Coleman's made his bed with the current rhythmic template and sticking with it, though. More jazzstep than liquid funk in nature, this one's focused more on the lyrics sung by Liane Carrol than the music surrounding it. Definitely a different take, of course, but the rhythm's been just so similar this far through, and it's not sticking out as well as it should. This holds Harlesden back from being as good on this album as it is on its own as well. Yes, it's another fine example of the liquid funk sound, but we've already heard this done on the album, Mr. Coleman. Let's hear what else you can do. 

Ah, no dice I see. My Dreams brings Robert Owens back for another smooth little bit of soulful jungle. Much like Main Ingredient, it's quite restrained on the musical department (word to the 808 cowbell though!) so Owens gets the chance to showcase his vocal range, but, please, Coleman, can we get something a little different before this album ends? You've proved you're a master at this liquid funk game now. A new direction would be nice, I'm begging! 

Actually, My Dreams was a nice segue into Born To Synthesise, where Coleman finally does something out of the ordinary. The sparseness of the former managed to take us out of the more energetic nature of the rest of the album, and this track brings the energy right down to a crawl with a simple, jazzstep take on, well, acid jazz, I guess. It's quite nice to listen to, as Ms. Carrols lyrics carry quite a bit of weight now that she has the opportunity to embellish a bit without losing pace with quicker rhythms. However, I'm feeling this track is coming almost three songs too late. It would have been perfectly placed after The Great Drum+Bass Swindle to break up the rhythmic monotony that was starting to affect this album. Instead, I guess Coleman decided to go for the "come down at the end of the night after an energetic barrage" feel to this album. 

Syncopated City certainly helps maintain that feeling, as it's book-ended by pleasant strings and nice vocals, with a stuttering bass and a completely atmospheric rhythmic middle that helps ease us nicely out to finish. Unfortunately, as nice as it is to finish out, because there was such a long stretch of similar sounding tracks, Billion Dollar Gravy doesn't quite stick out as well as an album with such great songs should. 

In fact, therein lays my main gripe about many jungle albums: that damned near absolute refusal of some producers to never stray from a given template throughout. It's no surprise to me that some of the best jungle albums I've ever heard are diverse throughout, and don't have a few token different tracks tagged on at the end. However, this is still an expertly produced album, and recommended to anyone either curious of liquid funk or just how good soulful jungle can sound. The track arrangement may be a little lacking, but they are all fantastic in their own right. 

Score: 8/10 

ACE TRACKS
Different Drum 
The Great Drum+Bass Swindle 
Cum Dancing 

Written by Sykonee. Originally published 2005 for TranceCritic.com.© All rights reserved.

Things I've Talked About

...txt 10 Records 16 Bit Lolita's 1963 1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2 Play Records 2 Unlimited 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 20xx Update 2562 3 Loop Music 302 Acid 36 3FORCE 3six Recordings 4AD 6 x 6 Records 75 Ark 7L & Esoteric 808 State A Perfect Circle A Positive Life A-Wave a.r.t.less A&M Records A&R Records Abandoned Communities Abasi Above and Beyond abstract AC/DC Ace Trace Ace Tracks Playlists Ace Ventura acid acid house acid jazz acid techno acoustic Acroplane Recordings Adam Beyer Adam Ellis Adam Freeland Adham Shaikh ADNY Adrian Younge adult contemporary Advanced UFO Phantom Aegri Somnia AEI Music Aes Dana Afgin Afrika Bambaataa Afro-house Afterhours Agoria Aidan Casserly Aira Mitsuki Airwaves Ajana Records Ajna AK1200 Akshan album Aldrin Alex Smoke Alex Theory Alice In Chains Alien Community Alien Project Alio Die All Saints Alpha Wave Movement Alphabet Zoo Alphaxone Altar Records Alter Ego alternative rock Alucidnation Ambelion Ambidextrous ambient ambient dub ambient techno Ambient World Ambientium Ametsub Amon Amarth Amon Tobin Amplexus Anabolic Frolic Anatolya Andrea Parker Andrew Heath Androcell Anduin Andy C anecdotes Aniplex Anjunabeats Annibale Records Anodize Another Fine Day Antendex anthem house Anthony Paul Kerby Anthony Rother Anti-Social Network Anzio Green Aoide Aphasia Records Aphex Twin Apócrýphos Apollo Apollo 440 Apple Records April Records Aqua Aquarellist Aquascape Aquasky Aquila Arcade Architects Of Existence Archives Arcturus arena rock Arista Armada Armin van Buuren Arpatle Artifact303 Arts & Crafts ASC Ashtech Asia Asian Dub Foundation Astral Engineering Astral Projection Astral Waves Astralwerks AstroPilot AstroPilot Music Asura Asylum Records ATB ATCO Records Atlantic Atlantis atmospheric jungle Atom Heart Atomic Hooligan Atomine Elektrine Atrium Carceri Attic Attoya Audiobulb Records Audion AuroraX Autechre Autistici Autumn Of Communion Auxilary Auxiliary Avantgarde Avatar Records Aveparthe Avicii Axiom Axs Axtone Records Aythar B.G. 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