Reviews

This month marks the one-year anniversary of Scalectric Music. To celebrate the milestone they’ve put together a special EP featuring work from a handful of top producers who’ve been dropping bombs on the Spanish underground house and techno scene. I was pleasantly surprised by the five tracks I found here; they are upfront and in-your-face, what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of cuts. No fluff, no unnecessary drops or empty hooks or bells or whistles. These cut to the chase and will knock you down if you’re not paying attention.

Label newcomer Town of Mind’s “Playing for Change” is a real powerhouse with great chuggin’ beats, disembodied voices whispering in the back of your mind and spacey acid zaps. Xar Lee’s “Loco Bass” is built around a simple sample, stretchy synths and a big bottom. Ekai’s “Why Women Hate Porn” might win the high marks on the release with its interesting layers, nice sample work and infectious acid-tech waves flowing in and out of the rhythm. Duosky’s “Beachfloor” is bare-bones 303 and big beats, but it works. Finally, Kike Henriquez’s “That Groove” is a strong song with acid yelps and 8-bit attitude. No classics here to be sure, but this collection packs a punch in a way that’s often missing from over-thought productions. Sometimes simpler is better.

There are few things more satisfying than having your cake and eating it too, and John Digweed’s Live in Montreal Finale is a rich three-disc dessert to top off the original six-disc main course. It’s the final piece of Bedrock’s biggest project to date; this punch in the sweet tooth is a retrospective look at Diggers’ epic eleven-hour marathon set from Stereo, spanning nine total discs. The Finale picks up where the original left off, with an underground attitude on a dark and sweaty dance floor, non-stop beats and pounding drums on driving techno and deep tech-house cuts. It’s Bedrock boomin’ all the way; big-energy music without the obvious anthems and EDM bro-hyms.

Disc 1 opens with Adam Beyer’s classic “What You Need” before rolling into the acid twists of Scuba’s “Back to Black.” The mix steps in line to march to snappy snares and thick kicks and techno riffs for a bit before easing into the wickedly infectious bassline and trippy leads of Clarian’s “Space Noir.” As the set finally plays out we’re treated to a variety of filtered sweeps, rolling snares and wet grooves. But we’re only getting warmed up. Disc 2 continues on, easing into the hypnotic drum-centric beats of Alex Millman’s “Maria Rosa” and then Clarian’s “Fear & Self Loathing,” followed by the glitchy “Like Flies” from Ben Techy. A few more acid burns, some bleepy bloops, and all too soon the second set is here and gone. Aside from the occasional sample, vocal tracks so far have been few and far between. Instead, the music tells the story through melody, rhythm, sound and emotion.

But as we turn to the last set, things change. Disc 3 rolls out the final chapter. Notables include the haunting Chemical Brothers hit “Sometimes I Feel So Deserted” and follows it up with a personal favorite, “Genesis” from Chaim. The finishing tracks have a softer edge and — no, maybe softer isn’t right. Maybe “less gritty” is more accurate. But there has been a definite progression across the discs, and Sunscreem’s “Perfect Motion” is exactly how this amazing set needed to close.

This is by far one of the best DJ mixes I’ve heard in 2016, and it’s just one more reason John Digweed has outlasted so many others and continues to stand above so much of the competition. There’s just so much great music packed in here that it’d be impossible to detail everything track by track. Where’s the fun in that? Besides, words only go so far. This post-script collection is one of those mixes that needs be heard to be fully appreciated.

While Basmala may be a new name to many, the man behind the alias, Hasan Atiq (who is formerly known as Autolect) has produced forward-thinking beats on a string of strong albums from the mid to late ’00s (one of which featured featured production from 9th Wonder). The producer/rapper/singer is back working under this new pseudonym with his self-titled album. Basmala shows that he is still innovative with his ideas and execution now as he was a decade ago. Taking cues from progressive jazz (check out “RNR” for proof) as well as ambitious hip-hop, the beatsmith has come up with something that’s futuristic sounding, spiritual and unique.

From the swirling opening track “Elastic” that sees him rapping under his Atiq moniker — he does so on several of the tracks on the album — to the laid-back but intense hip-hop of “Just Us” featuring Houston rapper Mumblz Medina and the sprawling trilogy of electronic tracks that feature so many beat-driven peaks and troughs that is “Hijaz Parts 1-3,” this is an immersive and varied aural experience from the start to finish.

Blending some stunning rapping from the aforementioned Atiq (which shows that the producer is as stone cold as a rapper as he is at making beats) and Mumblz Medina (who simply slays throughout the track he is featured on and delivers the killer line, “I’m not a fan of stop snitching, be a man, stand up for your fam and stop bitching”) as well as two killer cameos from rapper Mikial with beats that both encase themselves over your consciousness and make you nod your head to excess, Basmala manages to make an album that is both conscious and hardcore.

From the harsh narratives of “Just Us” and “The Griot” to the hazy “Warp Speed” that has elements of classic works by DJ Shadow to the sparse and heartbreaking void of “The Mount” via the immersive “Day One”, the anthemic “Chopa Sidi” and the closing trippiness of “Method,” it’s all here to be explored and enjoyed. Delve into the world of Basmala and prepare to take in a journey that you won’t forget.