[Album Review] Draper - Sonder EP

First off, I did not end up going to see Figure in Santa Ana on Sunday. I saw the movie Saving Mr. Banks earlier in the day and did not feel emotionally stable enough to drive late at night.

That being said, I wasn't planning on writing a post before the end of the year, so when Draper dropped his Sonder EP, it really hit me as a surprise.

I've known of Draper for a while, but haven't really kept up with him. Since he was signed to Monstercat, however, his rise in notoriety is undeniable. 

Known for melodic, liquid dubstep and drum & bass, Draper has been at it for a little over three years. For as long as he's been producing, his style and vision are unmistakable. Long, heavy and beautiful chord progression with a variety of instrumentals and synths make his music dynamic and acoustically pleasing.

Sonder EP follows this same ideal - that music need not follow the Rusko or Skrillex patterns. 

With only two releases in the past year on Monstercat, Sonder EP is Draper's first full release since his eponymous EP almost two years ago.

Beautifully crafted with plucky guitar riffs, some 808 drum snares, and catchy piano melodies, Sonder EP is a wonderfully executed concept. Coming at the end of the year, with track titles such as New Year, Aftermath, and Aspire, the EP is meant to encourage future-thinking. Complacency is the enemy of progress.

Run DMT w/ SPL @ King King Hollywood

Having just gone to Sub Focus the night before, I have to admit, I was having reservations about going to see Run DMT and SPL at the King King in Hollywood.

Holy fuck balls, am I glad that I got over whatever that was.

Run DMT and SPL put on one of the best shows I've been to this year, despite the meager turnout.

Originally scheduled for the end of October, to open up for Maxim, of The Prodigy, the show was postponed until last night. The King King is a small bar off of Hollywood Blvd. I hadn't heard of it having any connection to bass music, but that must have been before The Do Lab got a hold of it - now it's hosting the likes of Phutureprimitive and The Lucent Dossier Experience. Still being new to the bass scene provides its own challenges, namely drawing in a crowd.

I arrived about 15 minutes before SPL's set time and there were maybe 25-40 people there? At most. Highly disappointing. Even by the end of the night, there were perhaps 250-400. (I'm awful at estimating, if you can't tell.)

As for other bass music event necessities - sound and lights - there were no lights. Which actually... didn't bother me too much. It was a small venue/bar anyway and the dim lighting was more than enough for the show. As for the sound, it's nothing like the Avalon or House of Blues, but with such a small venue, you don't need that much. With what was there, it was enough.

Now, as for the music - I said earlier, Run DMT and SPL put on one of the best shows I've been to this year. I'm not kidding. SPL did a damn fine job representing LA-based record label SMOG by showing off his chops throwing double drops and throwbacks from Flux Pavilion, Skrillex & Alvin Risk and more. His own style of "balearic" bass music, termed after the balearic house of the 80s and 90s, is exciting, melodic and plenty unique. And while playing to such a small crowd, SPL's energy didn't seem affected in the slightest - bouncing around, throwing his arms up, shout outs to the crowd were all in full form last night.

Run DMT was no different. The heavyset heavyweight of trap and bass stunned the crowd with his wide array of genres, reaching drumstep, dubstep, drum and bass, electro and trap. I was especially pleased, personally, that a metric fuckton of Figure tracks were dropped. Nothing kicks up the crowd like some 160 BPM magic. The trap was also not entirely displeasing. As the producer for the track 'Shaman Juice,' I had high expectations for whatever trap Run DMT would be throwing and he did not disappoint - only the highest quality for this man.

Energy remained high throughout the event, and I would be remiss to pass up an opportunity to see either of these amazing musicians again in the future.

My next show is in Santa Ana, seeing Dirty Deeds supporting Figure on December 29th at The Observatory. See you there!

Sub Focus & Delta Heavy @ House of Blues Sunset Strip

So many factors coalesced to make last night at the House of Blues Sunset one fucking helluva show. First off, personally, last night was my 50th show. I'll probably stop counting now, since after fifty it just gets pretentious, but it was still a milestone for me. I've been going to shows for about three and a half years now and it's been one of the best rides of my life. Here's to hoping it continues much longer. Also, last night marked the first time in over a year that I revisited the House of Blues (last time was to see FuntCase). Still an amazing venue, and they even boosted the sound for the night. Plus, cheap drinks! $8 whiskey ginger, whaaaat??

But the main reason last night was awesome was, of course, the drum & bass tyrant Sub Focus. Making his first appearance in Southern California since Nocturnal Wonderland 2012, and having just released his newest album Torus, it seemed right to tour on "the other side of the pond." Bringing with him Delta Heavy, and openers Machete and Fallen, the night was filled with quality drum and bass.

I missed a little bit of Machete's set, but from what I saw when I got in, he had been killing it from the beginning. As a resident DJ at RESPECT Drum & Bass in SoCal, you wouldn't expect anything less. Unfortunately, as with most openers, the crowd isn't full yet and people are less likely to seriously hit the floor hard. (Even happened to Evol Intent in Pomona... such is life.) For what it's worth, he played a fantastic set worthy of more praise than he got.

Next up was Fallen, a relatively little known producer (can't even find a Facebook or SoundCloud page). Starting off with a little downtempo, he was quick to make sure that the crowd didn't become too complacent - playing a set of downtempo and shifting into drum and bass kept the crowd on its toes and worked its ass off. Alas, an hour and a half set for a newbie isn't easy to keep up and he kind of faltered toward the end.

No worries, however! As Ben Hall, one half of Delta Heavy, was set to take over. I've seen Simon play before, in Santa Ana, so it was nice to see the other half. While Simon played a lot of house and moombah, Ben spun straight drum & bass and electro and it was phenomenal. Playing tracks like his 'Must Be The Feeling' remix and earlier releases like Hold Me, newer releases like Empire, the set was pure fire.

For the first 3 hours of the night, the crowd was teased by an LED-array in the front of the DJ booth, and an even larger one behind it. I was sure that we would be given a treat for Delta Heavy, and to some extent ... not really. The front array lit up to read "DELTΔ HEΔVY" and that's about it. Toward the end of Ben's set, it 'melted' and transformed though, so it was possible. A shame they didn't make more use out of it.

As Nick Douwma, Sub Focus, approached the stage, the crowd erupted in furious cheers and applause. I was a little disappointed that he was touring without the Torus live-visual display, but I understand the reasoning behind it - too much to insure, transport from the UK, and assemble at every show. However, the back LED-array was finally illuminated and it served its purpose valiantly.

As for the music, Sub Focus played a well-balanced mix of drum and bass, dubstep, trap, and house. Keeping the energy level high throughout the show, the genre didn't really matter as much as each track brought the house down. Classics like 'Rock It' and his remix of Rusko's 'Hold On,' along with a slew of tracks from his newest album, the Londoner lived up to his reputation and played for a SOLD OUT crowd.

Tonight, I'm at the King King in Hollywood to see Run DMT and SPL - sure to be another fantastic show.

[Album Review] Varia - Skyline EP

Hakim Barka, aka Varia, is another in a long string of young producers popping up these days. At just 18 years old, he has already got a firm grasp on production and promotion. Heavily influenced by Monstercat artists such as Tristam, Rogue, Pegboard Nerds, Tut Tut Child, and Stephen Walking, Barka's productions can be jump-up dubstep bangers while still carrying a whole lot of melody.

As far as styles go, Skyline seems to be working to explore what the Varia name can do.

Just a month ago, Varia released a small EP for Halloween with Bedtime Stories / Candy Zombie. And even since then, there's still a noticeable increase in production skill with Skyline. With an insane, bouncy bassline dominating each track, it's the little things that are able to really stand out. For instance, I really dig the horns in Junkyard Superstars. Electro Jelly on the other hand, has some sick growls along with a really sweet melody carried by the keyboard.

When we get to the title track, Skyline, we get a taste of a track that's a little more subdued and downtempo. I really like this choice since it makes the melody so much more salient - and I love me a tempo change, so the second half is just gold. I could've even gone for an even faster tempo after the first switch up, but I don't want to get ahead of myself. Then again, Skyline is followed up by Cracks (which is essentially Skyline Pt. 2) and what do I get? A faster tempo!! I can't sit still as I'm writing because of how supercharged this track is. And in the meantime, the melody is still salient - even after the breakdown.

Finally, we get to Hexahedron. Way more downtempo than even Skyline, you get that lingering kick-snare and flighty synth that go all too well together. It reminds me almost of a lullaby at certain points, just how calming and innocent it is. Varia's production is again commendable as the bouncy bassline in the second half stays in theme with the rest of the EP. A strong finish to a very enjoyable EP.




Producers are getting younger and younger each year, with production software becoming more and more available. Porter Robinson was touring with Tiesto when he was 18. Xxyyxx has been getting massive play from top producers. And many of the producers on Monstercat and other labels are in their very early twenties. With such a strong start and definable sound, I wouldn't be surprised to see Varia playing a festival in a year or two, without a doubt. Please support the artists by purchasing their work - they do it for us, after all.

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[Album Review] Au5 & Fractal - Secret Weapon EP

Au5 & Fractal - two of Monstercat's most notable producers - have finally released their debut EP titled Secret Weapon.

If the title is any indication of what they've been hiding from us for the past two years, I'd say it's pretty apt. The combination of Au5 & Fractal is a stunning trancestep experience. Lingering basslines and vocals give it a very relaxing trance feel - somewhat similar to Seven Lions. But the dubstep, the hard hitting bass, those kicks, go so much harder.

Since there are only four tracks on this EP, and I have some time on my hands, let's go ahead and go through each track one by one, shall we?

1. Blue
The first track of the album, setting the tone for the whole thing. Honestly, the first thing I notice is the over-processed snares (though, the more I listen to it the less I care). The main drum pattern kicks in at about 0:55, right around where a typical dubstep drop would be - this is the first trance element I notice: the extended intro. The drop is well-balanced with a variety of synths that don't overpower one another. The second drop is where Blue really gets me though. The drums come in again, same pattern. Same build-up. But that drawn-out wobble right there hits so damn hard, I'm actually a little sad that they didn't draw it out just a bit longer. After that, the track continues the same as before. For such a good track, a little disappointing in execution. Melody is still the high point for me though, so I'm set.

2. Dreaming
My second favorite track on Secret Weapon. Synths come in, sounding almost like a Deadmau5-esque trance tune, until that little arpeggio, whereupon I'm convinced that's not what I'm gonna get. Ohhhhhh, white noise in the build-up. But damn is that voice sultry smooth! The track drops at about 2:00, and it's got such an uplifting house beat that I can manage to forgive the fact that it's house. It gets a little glitch, adding in some scratched wobbles and high-pitched synths. The vocals carry most of the melody for the song, but that second drop got me fist-pumping.


3. Secret Weapon
The weakest track on the EP, in my opinion. Vocals make a second appearance, though the general progression on the track is relatively weak. Personally, I'm a fan of crescendos so I was loving that section, but there was much less melody compared to the other tracks on the EP. The breakdown seemed like it was empty space, in that it could have been used to better effect - possibly with some kind of piano solo carrying into the next build-up? The second half follows the same formula as the first, giving a very cyclic feeling to the track, as if it never really went anywhere. A little disappointing.


4. Smoke
The final track on Secret Weapon, and hands-down my favorite. Right in the beginning - atmospheric and dark, just the way I like it. The kicks jump in and the melody finds its bassline. The snares come in, the melody evolves; small chimes, ethereal synths. The volume intensifies. I feel myself becoming ready. KICK KICK KICK KICK. SNARE SNARE SNARE SNARE. Boom, drop. This track is so gloriously electrohouse and I love it. Taking elements from glitch, arpeggios all over the place, it's extremely well put together and produced.

Final thoughts - my opinions of this EP have changed a great deal with every listen. The first time through, I thoroughly enjoyed it and loved the deep bass feel, the melodic progression and trance/glitch fusion with Au5 & Fractal's distinct sound. As I continued to listen to it, however, I realized that (to me, at least) Secret Weapon has very limited replayability. The tracks soon became tired as I realized the very noticeable formula to every track - build-up, drop, breakdown, build-up, drop. In addition, something I only realized just now, all the tracks have very similar lengths, which subconsciously puts some limit on how I enjoyed the tracks. I like diversity - one song is super hard, sweet and short; the next is a musical, melodic ballad that takes me deep into my own psyche - and this EP seems to lack that.

In its own right, Secret Weapon is Au5 & Fractal's best work. And as with all of the artists I review, I am truly honestly excited to see what they have in store for us next.

[Album Review] Kredo - Cells LP

I'm honestly trying to remember where I happened upon Switzerland-born producer Philipp Gerber, aka Kredo, but for the life of me I can't. I suppose it's more important still to pay attention to where he's going. Kredo has been producing for nearly three years, but has been playing piano for more than fourteen - this is the kind of characteristic that I find so important when looking for new artists. More than anything, producers with previous knowledge of music, rhythm and instrumentation are far and away better producers. Kredo has a few releases under his belt, including his Limitless EP and Agony EP. His newest release, Cells, came out about a month ago, and demonstrates the diversity a producer can hope to accomplish when they set their mind to it.



With Kredo's Cells LP, we get a taste for all the different styles Gerber can pull out.
The track 'Cells' for instance hugely reminds me of Daft Punk's Tron: Legacy soundtrack. It's got that nearly chiptune sound with a spacey, ambient melody. Plus, it's got that Hans Zimmer-esque "BWOOOM" sound which everyone loves so dearly.
With 'Amuse Me,' we get this amazingly upbeat and gritty electroswing number. With the trumpets carrying much of the rhythm during the breakdowns, along with an almost glitch hop beat, 'Amuse Me' is one super fun dance number.
'Freefall' brings the tempo down a bit. Vocals by Songdreamer give it a very ethereal sounds, with percussive bass and soaring highs, and the piano track carrying the melody, it's a very beautiful track in its own right.
I'm not even really sure what to call 'Chimp.' It's got that bouncy electro feel with a gritty bassline, and what sounds like a kazoo synth. It even has an almost reggae breakdown. Perhaps the lyrics say it best, "...I don't really know what I'm supposed to do."

What I'm trying to get at with all of this, is that Kredo has tremendous talent for a variety of genres and Cells is a perfect representation of that. Without sticking to one genre, an artist is able to more broadly explore the plethora of emotions and insights that each genre can afford. It's truly a wonder how he doesn't have a major label backing him yet - I could definitely see him with a group like Pretty Lights Music or even OWSLA. His gritty sound backed by intense chord progression and melody would make him a sure-fire hit with the more discerning listeners. His dubstep bangers would make him an immediate hit with clubs all throughout the U.S.

Cells is free to download, so enjoy it all you like! And be sure to check out Kredo's other works while you're at it.

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