the blog of makemassair

Right then, branding. This is something that I’ve personally always kept an eye on with regards to myself and my hobbies/freelance work. Be that the DJing, the VJing, the shortfilm, this website, my myspace, my presentation on online forums etc… I have degree of understanding of it from my years studying Graphic Design and Art Direction & Advertising.

So anyway yea, it’s something I try to be aware of and a while ago I came across a DJ Spooky (I’m a big fan of Paul D Miller’s music and writing) podcast/interview on the CreativeXpert blog/site. It’s very interesting (not about branding thou) and have been going through podcast episodes of the many I subscribe to and had totally forgotten about the CreativeXpert podcast and noticed that the latest episodes have been on branding and how it relates to people and how they can apply (with a view towards the more freelancer creative).

Some of it is stating the obvious, but then you tend to miss the obvious don’t ya. If you’ve got a spare 20mins or are sitting on a bus sometime soon then I really recommended nabbing episode 20 and 21. It’s made me think about a few things with my online branding and confirmed some of the things I was already doing.

Be interested to hear your thoughts on the podcasts and indeed your approaches to branding.

From Slovenia, LJ Benjamin Shock – Nebular Muzikk. Direct from Slovenia with 4 Funky techno and club techno tracks.

1. Funk the System
2. Higher Level of Mystery
3. Self Destructive
4. Tribal People

Benjamin Shock – Funk The System
Approachable chunky house with some tough 4/4 beats. The breakdowns play it pretty safe, but some acid and edits creep in after the final drop. Whilst it’s not something I’d buy I can see this doing well in the more commercial house scene over the summer.

Benjamin Shock – Higher Level of Mystery
Well produced housey techno. Apart from the UFO sample vox (doesn’t really fit the track imo) it has a really nice breakdown and build. Nothing too fancy or clever, just strong concise house with chunked up techno beats.

Benjamin Shock – Self Destruction
Jacking stuff. Big bassy drum kicks and a jacking, cutting rhythm underneath. This one is still a bit housey (just) but much further into techno for my personal tastes. Some wicked festival techno. All the right elements complete with some dark undertones make for a great track.

Benjamin Shock – Tribal People
Well the title give it away slightly. Tightly packed tribal beats, razor tipped hats and hypnotic rising bass. As with the previous tracks in this EP they aren’t going to win any innovation prizes but for 100% dancefloor accessibility they have it.

Overall
Self Destruction and Tribal People are winners for me. Whilst I can appreciate the production on the housey tracks they aren’t for me.

DVNT.x.

LINKS
http://www.r3tox.co.uk
http://www.trackitdown.net/artist/173830/benjamin-shock.html

New Mechanoise. Out on vinyl as of today at the usual places I do believe.

MECHANOISE | MECH20232

A   Afghan Headspin – Msg (Eskmo Remix)
AA Critical – Infoline

Afghan Headspin – Msg (Eskmo Remix)
Trademark rasping bass licks your cranium. Eskmo can do no wrong. Whether it’s solo productions, breakbeat, his new dubstep or remixing the Afghan Headspin boys. Samples here come from Jeff Wayne’s excellent War of the Worlds. This is big speaker flexing business. Some slick edits on the vox just prior to the rather large breakdown and drop. Large drop. The emerging Neurobreaks sound is really igniting my fire. I’ve been after breaks like this ever since this kinda sound came through in the Drum & Bass scene. Sure fire winner.

Critical – Infoline
Fairly standard breakbeat in the first section leads into a filtered breakdown From there we’re off into a head bouncing, skanking, bass rolling dancefloor friendly track. Nothing particularly innovative or groundbreaking, but it’s a very solid roller of a tune that I’m sure we’ll see a lot of action on the breaks scenes dancefloor up and down the lands.

Overall
All about the Eskmo remix. The boy is top of the game in breaks. Production is through the roof, his skill over bass is just mesmerising.

LINKS
http://www.myspace.com/mechanoise
http://www.myspace.com/afghanheadspin
http://www.myspace.com/prognosisnegative

PURCHASE
http://www.juno.co.uk/ppps/products/317228-01.htm
http://www.chemical-records.co.uk/sc/servlet/Info?Track=MECH2032

Another stormer from the Subgrade camp. Each and every release is gold and this is no different.

Kodek – To Make A Score
An excellent breakbeat with its feet clearly dangling over the side into electro. If you like Skeetaz, SOTEG, and Andy Page then you’ll relish this. Big bass with just the right amount of glitchy edits. You’ll find no nasty samples of over used and frankly dull funk sounds so rife in a lot of breakbeat that you’ve heard a million times before. This is breakbeat as I love it and it should be. Broken beats, spinkled liberally with a topping of machine funk.

Kodek – I Know You Know
This is drums, drums being hit. Lord, the bass drop 1 and a half minutes air could stun a horse. Dangerously funky stuff. Add to that a progressive, padded construct to control the chunky broken drums and it’s a winner. Swirling synth stabs of sound support the frankly huge build in this track. When she finally drops, phroar, the bassline is back and with vengeance. Flitered glitchy darkfloor action.

Kodek – I Fuck You
Big rolling bass flickers between channels, ghetto jacked 2 step bass that competes with Si Begg on darkfloor wonkability. That ain’t a real word, but fuck you. That massive bass just infects your head and your booty shaking ass. Massive dancefloor appeal this. I can’t wait to see the skank dance people are going to pull out of the bag for this. And that final section is glitched out heaven.

Kodek – Do You
Sounds like the drummer is sitting next to you. Filtered bass stabs fly all over the massive breakbeat. For extras, we have electro vox and keyed synth work. A winning combination in my ears. There’s even a massive festival friendly melody in the middle section

Overall
All 4 tracks are strong. Each has a slightly different direction, but all rock it. Once again Subgrade has delivered a great package. Whilst Subgrade might be regarded as an Electro label, with this release they’ll find a lot of fans in the more traditional breakbeat scene. Buy this now. Breakbeat as you, me and every other fucker loves.

Links
Subgrade Records
Subgrade Records Myspace

Click here to buy these tracks on
Addictech or Release Records or Juno