true sound

First track of the post is from some d'n'b heads we heard from in our first venture into the genre a few posts back. Commix are among the more prolific and well-regarded d'n'b groups out of Britain (where else?) at the moment. Many of their tracks are sample-heavy affairs with sublime peaks and valleys, as well as a really fantastic sense of harmony, a quality not altogether common in the slog of d'n'b crap out there. "Be True," while departing from usual dub samples, utilizes a jazzy female vocal line to create much of the tension in the song-- the main chords throughout the entire track consist of three pitch-shifted samples of her singing the word 'true.' Along with loungey pianos and strings, the track rolls forward at perfect speed for a drive along city freeways. Finally, the pitch-shifting work done on the vocal samples, as well as the vocal loops, are unstoppably good. Not too fast for those wary of the d'n'b, but fast enough for those looking to slam, Commix's newest single (on Metalheadz) is a surprisingly lush affair, and one of the best d'n'b singles of the year thus far.

Commix- Be True (Original Mix)



Next up is two tracks from the infamous man pictured above, Jamal Moss (aka Insane Black Man, aka Hieroglyphic Being, aka The Sun God, not to mention a member of Africans with Mainframes). However, these two tracks have a bit of a twist: they're not on the right speed. Moss' 2005 effort on Klang, Conversations in an Analog Dialect, is a wonderful techno record made using only analog synths, and its sound is appropriately spacy, squelchy, and otherwise good. But after spending a great deal of time with it (thanks to my man Copy Copy), it came to my attention that I'd been playing it at 33 rpm rather than 45 rpm. After correcting this mistake, though, I was dismayed: the tracks just didn't sound as good sped up! More spacy, for sure, but more R2D2 than drifting through the ether. Since I am more partial to the latter, I continue to listen to these tracks on the wrong speed-- their vibe is deeper, the bass is actually apparent in the mix, and the high-frequency washes and squelches are at levels appropriate for human ears, not canine ones. Perhaps you'd like to check out the difference for yourself? Well, head on over to Beatport after listening to these slowed-down tracks and listen for yourself. I'm sure you'll agree that this Moss effort is more pleasurable, summery, and plausible on the wrong speed. Additionally, the listener is able to get more of a handle on Moss' rhythmic complexity and genius on a slower speed. If you're still into it, I highly recommend other HB releases, particularly the Machines for Lovers EP on Spectral.

Hieroglyphic Being- Linux/Conversations in an Analog Dialect