Street Bass Anthems 4 Vinyl (Seclusiasis) - Review

Title: Street Bass Anthems 4 Vinyl

Label: Seclusiasis
Format: 12” EP
Tracklisting:
A1. Starkey - Starkvillain
A2. Starkey - Starkvillain (Instrumental)
B1. Pacheko - Lockdown (6Blocc Remix)
B2. DNAEBeats - Razur Kut

ESSENTIAL PURCHASE 8 / 10

Starkey's Street Bass strikes back. This time Seclusiasis will soon release the 4th volume of the unique bass heavy urban music. The first three volumes and the associated singles were heavily rinsed across the clubs spreading havoc on the dancefloors. As a preview to the CD and digital format to be released later this Fall, the street bass crew has just dropped an EP on vinyl. Everything Starkey touches bears the QUALITY mark all across the board, this release is no exception to this rule. After such an interesting preview I am very eagerly anticipating the “Street Bass Anthems Volume 4” mixtape compilation which will feature exclusive material from Starkey, Slugabed (YEEEESSSSSS!!!), Dev79, Stagga, BD1982, Si Young (of Plastic Little), Kotchy, Buddy Leezle, and more!!!

Starkey - Starkvillain (160kbps)

The A side of this record features Starkey’s Starkvillain in vocal and instrumental versions. Starkvillain (Inst) is exclusive to this 12” and will not be on the mixtape, so you better grab this shit now. Starkvillain is a kind of badman uptempo 2-step tune with pumping beat which I can imagine will be welcomed enthusiastically by the club crowds, at least by its female part. In particular the version with pretty cheesy R&B vocals on top :)) I'm not a big fan of this type of 'singing', yet in Starkey's twisted interpretation, this shit gains proper depth and will definitely find its way to the crates of many DJ's. The beat is very crispy!!

Pacheko - Lockdown (6Blocc remix) (160kbps)

For me personally, the real highligths of this release can be found on the flipside, starting off with the f...g mental remix of Pacheko's Lockdown by 6Blocc (aka R.A.W. aka B-Boy 3000 - the legendary drum n’ bass turntablist). The original version of Lockdown is soon to be released on the Japanese label Murder Channel. I've always been a big fan of Pacheko's stuff since the first time I heard some old tranquera mixtapes (in this context another name comes to mind - Cardopusher). 6Blocc leaves the mega groovy 4X4 bassline more or less unchanged, except for a few cut-up beats thrown in, but what makes this really stand apart from the original is sick sick sick dancehall vocals on top making the track an absolute killer on any dancefloor. This ragga ranting combined with super sleek synths has been haunting my player for weeks now :))

DNAEBeats - Razor Kut (160kbps)

Razor Kut by San Francisco‘s DNAEBeats is another bomb on the B-side. One word comes to mind immediately when hearing this track - dirty. A dirty combination of distorted grimey beats and vocals with glitchy and crunky synths and the bassline which twists with a speed of the snail yet the agility of a snake. Extremely infectious stuff, I've listened this track on repeat like 30 times when I first heard it. For me personally - numero uno on this release. Rustie's fans should not miss this joint definitely.

In general, I highly recommend this release. 8 out of 10***. Essential purchase. Grab it on Boomkat or Juno or Turntable Lab.


Bonus:

A great podcast by DNAEBeats for xlr8r.

Mochipet - VNecks (DNAEBEATS - Reptilian Hybrid Remix)

Bassnectar - Art of Revolution review [8/10]

Another big release will be off the press in a moment. American bass don, Bassnectar has finally decided to release his heavy-weight dubstep anthem Art of Revolution on a limited 12 inch vinyl (of course also available digitally) plus a set of remixes by good ole’ pirate maytees Diplo, Ghislain Poirier, 6Blocc and Product 01. Quite a nice selection I’d say. Art of Revolution features legendary Jamaican vocalist Tapper Zukie (well, Jamaican ragga vocalists seem to be in big demand recently).

I can really understand why people were grooving so much about this track when hearing it during Bassnectar’s gigs. Actually they probably heard the Super Styling smashup that is Art of Revolution mashed with Super Stylin by Groove Armada (check bassnectar.net for free download of this track). Art of Revolution is a straightforward dancefloor smasher with heavy sub-bass pulsing with energy in a trademark Bassnectar’s style. The tracks builds up nicely in a very melodic way with Jamaican vocals adding the spice to it and then – OMG – I f….g love when bass drops with such a heavy metallic force. My limbs would adore me if I only had a chance to see this track rotated live on some good sound system.

The package comes with four remixes. In his remix, Diplo added more drums making the track more steppy, deconstructed it seriously, slowed down and ‘spread’ the main bassline and gave an entire track a more slow-burning banger twist (so typical for this guy !). The result is quite nice, yet this remix misses a bit the heavy punch delivered by the original thus losing on the energy. 6Blocc in his remix twisted the original bassline making it even more deep and heavy and added a few nice, fast punches. His tight edit rolls very smoothly and I’m positive it will be heavy rinsed in DJ sets across the world. Another interesting edit comes from a Canadian Ghislain Poirier. He based his rework on a pretty contagious guitar motive over which he laid the beats and pieces of the original track speeding up, slowing and cutting them up freely creating the most complex music piece in this package. D1 Product made a 4/4 stomp banger out of Art of Revolution. Not in my taste actually, but I can imagine (and will probably attend) the parties at which this track will attract the partygoers to the dancefloor making them beam with wide smiles.

In general, this is one of the best music bundles I’ve heard in a while. In my opinion all remixes added some extra value to the anthem but still the Bassnectar’s original edit has won the battle.

8 stars out of 10 in Doktor Krank's ranking.

Bassnectar Art of Revolution EP (Amorphous Music)

1. Bassnectar – Art of Revolution (Original)
2. Bassnectar – Art of Revolution (Instrumental)
3. Bassnectar – Art of Revolution (Diplo remix)
4. Bassnectar – Art of Revolution (6Blocc remix)
5. Bassnectar – Art of Revolution (Ghislain Poirier remix)
6. Bassnectar – Art of Revolution (P01 remix)

Tracks are available for purchase through the Bassnectar store as high-quality DRM-free MP3 and FLAC versions prior to the single’s launch through Beatport and other online distributors on May 12, 2008. A subsequent vinyl release of Art of Revolution will follow through a partnership with Groove Distribution in the US.

Listen and buy also here:
Bassnectar.net and junodownload