Kid Koala - Carpal Tunnel Syndrome: 3.5/5 Bits

Artist: Kid Koala

Album: Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Genre: Electronic, Hip-Hop, Turntablism

This is a special review as it was a request. This album is an underrated gem that's a decade old which manages to maintain it's shine, so I had no problem giving it a review to bring it up to the public's eye. This album is an electronic album with hip-hop beats manipulated by a turntable, in-fact it's the first turntablist album I've heard so I had no idea what to expect. In general turntablism is tough for a casual listener due to the subtle nuances associated with the techniques. The average listener, for instance, will find it hard to discern the difference between a good turntablist and a bad one. Kid Koala though makes turntablism not only highly accessible, but it's clear he's very good at what he's doing.

The album feels like a lazy summer day, in a very good way. The mellow beats and melodies are perfect for simply kicking back and enjoying your air conditioner. What makes this album great is how fluid it is. Despite the vast amounts of miscellaneous dialog and samples, Kid Koala manages to blend them together for a fantastic mix that simply works. The samples really have nothing to do with one another, but Kid Koala's slick turntable work somehow provides the magic necessary to make them work. What makes this album even better is the choice of skits, often poking fun at his style of music in a tongue in cheek manner before displaying excellent turntablism skill.

There's nothing particular that stands out about this album, it's truly one of those albums that must be listened to from beginning until the end. This, in my opinion, is a greater feat than simply having 2-3 amazing tracks in the slew of mediocrity. This album is highly recommended for kicking back on those lazy days.

Read more about Kid Koala's album "Carpal Tunnel Syndrome" here.

3.5/5 Bits

Pretty Lights vs Radiohead vs Nirvana vs NIN: 5/5 Bits

Artist: Pretty Lights

Album: Misc Single from the 2011 Remixes Collection

Genre: Dubstep, Mash-Up

I know this is a single, but Pretty Lights is one of the few innovative electronic acts out there today and deserves some coverage. What makes Pretty Lights so innovative? His incredibly smooth mix of dubstep, hip-hop, funk, and soul elements. If you've never heard him all of his music can be found for free at the Pretty Lights website.

This song was posted by Pretty Lights some time yesterday and was immediately spread around the internet. It combines elements of Radiohead's "Everything in its Right Place," Nirvana's "All Apologies," and Nine Inch Nail's "Closer." Now many of you have probably heard Girl Talk's mash-ups, but this is nothing like that. This track seamlessly incorporates all of the tracks beautifully, weaving them in and out of each other without the listener noticing. The track overall has a very dopey feel to it, it is very mellow, the kind of music you close your eyes to and sway rather than dance. The bass comes in heavy and even has the typical dub-drop, but it's very subdued and designed to engross the listener even further into this track.

There's not much I can say about this that you can't hear, so go download Pretty Lights' music and go check out this remix.

5/5 Bits

Feed Me - To the Stars: 3/5 Bits

Artist: Feed Me

Album: To the Stars

Genre: Dubstep

In the land of popular music it seems dubstep has taken over as the preferred choice of party music for the college crowd. Names like Skrillex and Skream are as common as the Foo Fighters today and there are plenty of other big names throughout the ever growing scene. This brings the question, is there room for another dubstep act to make a name in the scene? Well drum and bass veteran Spor thinks so and is trying to prove so under the monicker Feed Me.

If you're looking for ground breaking dubstep, then keep moving. There is nothing groundbreaking in this 4 track EP, but that isn't to say that there's anything bad about it either. It's simply good dubstep. The biggest problem with this album though is that it will leave dubstep fans that want the huge drops and wobbles wanting more.

The first track "To the Stars" plods along with a decent beat and a wonky, but catchy synth line, but the dynamics simply aren't there. There's no drop, there's no swells, it's rather stagnant. That isn't to say it's a bad song, but it highlights everything wrong with this album, it simply moves along without really gripping the listener.

The second track "Strange Behaviour" features vocals from a singer named Tasha Baxter whose contributions help make this my favorite track. The track is very reminiscent of vocal trance when it first starts, but then the drop hits as Tasha's voice lifts in response. It's a fantastic moment of the song and probably the best moment on the album. This is the track that will surely attract the typical dubstep listener, but somehow separates itself from the generic dubstep you're so used to hearing. The bass is heavy through the song with the typical wobbles and swells and the vocals intertwine well. This is an incredibly strong track that doesn't rely on the typical gimmicks a lot of dubstep artists use during the swells.

The third track "Pink Lady" starts with a rather unnecessary sound clip, before coming off with a house-esque intro, before degrading into the typical heavy bass wobbles. This track is the typical dubstep track you'll hear at a party, high frequency noises abundant, and wobbles throughout. This isn't a bad track, but it's incredibly generic.

The last track "Chain Smoker" has a rather boring minute long intro that leads into a rather boring uninspired beat with no dynamics. It's a pretty consistent beat throughout the song that would surely make those at a club or party happy, but it's boring.

The album overall lacks direction, there's no uniform sound and I feel as if Feed Me is attempting to reach out to fans of various styles of dubstep, but he fell flat in this offering. It's worth a stream if you're laying around, cleaning your room, or want something new to add to your mix for parties, but it won't make you bat an eye.

You can stream the full album on Feed Me's Soundcloud and let me know what you think of it.

3/5 Bits