Some quality this week! It's cool to see how differently people interpreted the theme of summer. I said in the chat, there are some beats that are really good but didn't quite hit theme (IMHO). For the record, I went full in on the beach/tropical idea. Also interesting seeing how many people settled on similar sound selections.
@2GooD Productions - another quality piece. The vocals sit nicely. The main pluck sound was a good choice to anchor the beat, maybe would've liked it a bit lower in the mix to let the woodwinds shine a bit more - as I think the winds carried more of the summer theme. Personally, I think this hits more as a classic beat rather than summer.
@K-waz - Yes bro!! That funky bassline and the E-piano! The woodwinds and the way those strings drop in to add that depth and dimension. This was my favourite. In my head I'm imagining an LA summertime cookout. The mix is great too and the width on the "ooohs." Love this...perfect.
@TWU - Lounging by the pool with some fruity seltzer type drink texting the girl you met at that block party over the weekend. Again this felt more like a summer nostalgic beat...my summer vacays in the 90s visiting family in NYC. But this is a fucking banger.
@crog85 - The only thing that didn't quite hit the summer theme for me was the trap drums/808s. Sound and Instrument selection on point. I like the little details like the stutters and how smooth the transitions were.
@Armani - This is great music. I think I like yours the most because you had a similar idea as me...but executed it far better. There's an immersive, ephemeral, and chill feel to this beat that invokes the carefree summer breaks and nostalgia soo well. Really enjoyed this beat.
@attila - I really like the reggae/ska direction. Didn't particularly care for the darker breakdown section. To me, this is one of the beats that got the theme dead on. There are a few quirks and pieces that could've jived better - almost like you pulled down every adjective that came to your head to describe 'summer.' Either way, this was groovy and a fun listen.
@Bandia Gotach - Even stepping outside of your wheel house, you still manage to get that signature Bandia atmosphere. I like the breakbeat and guitar sample - very 80s hip-hop. This is a very interesting beat, but again, maybe more nostalgia than summer. I think you shine more with the darker, more brooding, side of hip-hop.
@COOL J. - Great sample selection and chops. The drums knock hard and the scratches are a nice touch. This has a upbeat vibe to it, but you lost me at 0:42 - just too dissonant and clashing elements there. I also found the mix a bit too abrasive. While summer is upbeat and bouncy, it's also chill - IMO
@Delta Skeltah - This was one of my favourites. Jazzy, mellow, chill, and super nostalgic. The horns are fucking phenomenal. While I thoroughly enjoyed this beat - I think it didn't quite capture the theme as well as some other beats. Any other Beat This, serious contender!
@DJ Excellence - Smooth, chill, and of course you know I love them glossy warm guitars! I immediately thought of the phrase "dog days of summer." End of July as a teenager, you've been to the mall 1,498 times already, and just wasting away with the homies playing N64 talking about how sick the next school year is going be as seniors and all the girls your going to get lol.
@Earsblower - This was on my short list. Marimba, flutes, were two instruments I thought off to really invoke the 'summer' theme. I do think this has more EDM sensibilities than hip-hop though. In fact, this reminded a lot of my 25th birthday (in July) when I went to Barcelona. So it hit both the sound selection and nostalgia form me. The bass line, while really cool with the slides/glides, felt a bit too dark and heavy for the theme in general. Overall, this is a high quality production.
@M.I.ndless - This got my vote. It's got a west coast surfer/beach bum feel to it that I really enjoyed. The muted horns and near listless guitars with the chromaticism really got me! I also really like that change around 1:06 with the arpeggio and how it turned right back into the main theme. I also like the brush drums and the loose feel it has. Dope!
@Mike Free Music - This gave me almost a New Jack Swing feel. I like the use of steel pan - but the whole beat sits a bit "heavy" to my ears. When I think of summer, I think light, breezy, loose and free. I'm also hearing some dissonance somewhere - I think the backing vocals from the vocal chop.
@PhxAzTracmaster - Another one from my short list. Even though I don't care for the trap drums, they are used lightly enough that they work really well with the rest of the elements. Again, guitars are going to get my attention. That guitar line 0:52 has a sweet and serene quality to them that I really liked. I think of all the beats, this was one that really nailed the carefree, light, and breezy idea I had in my head. Dope!
@prodCardellino - This would've 100% got my vote if not for that damn kick lol. I know it's your taste and your sound, but it was just too much considering how well you got the light and laid back feel with everything else. Even the snare is a bit loud, but the kick took me out of the dreamy, hazy atmosphere the percussion and sample created. I will say though, you have a great ear for sample selection.
@Stan1 - Another beat with the levels too low. There are some melodic/harmonic elements that I can faintly hear, that could be really cool, but I can't say for sure. What I can say is, that kinda eastern vocal doesn't play nicely with them. Aside from that, this had more dark ominous vibes to me than summer.
@TCoast - All nostalgia vibes here. That mono bass is super funky! Would've liked to hear the chords a bit more in the mix as they have a jazzy sound to them which could really help with the summer vibe. That synth lead at 0:38 is really cool too, maybe the line was just a bit too repetitive. A bigger and brighter mix would really do this wonders. Love the old school g-funk feel of this!
@thekoolkrush - Yes my man! Bring all those Dub vibes. I really liked how you kinda did a cruise through the whole Caribbean. The reggae guitars, latin horns, spanish guitars, bossa nova marimbas. You went the tropical direction I wanted to explore but did it better. I also really like the lo-fi quality this had. Not sure if that was choice or just nature of the samples.
@them - So you clearly have a style or at least an approach. I'm curious though, how are you 'calibrating' or 'analyzing' your beats once they’re deemed finished. I ask because the things I find myself saying frequently about your music is 1) sounds half done 2) could explore the main idea further 3) the drums aren't establishing a groove. A 4 on the floor drum pattern is cool and could've worked in this context, but they're just too slow and spaced out. It would be worth spending some time with your drums and working to establish a groove of sorts. Fuck even just copying the drums wholesale from a track you like. And in the process compare how your main approach end with their result.
@V.J. Retro - this kinda reminds me of a song at the start of an old school skate video. Also has that west coast skater/surfer burnout feel to it. I can see this in the road trip montage of a coming-of-age movie where the young protagonist decided to move to California to chase their dreams. I wish the organ came in sooner though, I felt like it could've really kicked this into the next gear. The little SFX and one-shot incidentals were also a great touch in building the atmosphere and vibe.
@WHAT1000 - not quite summer. I do like the FX/processing on the percussion though. The drums are upbeat and bouncy. The second theme has a bright major/minor 7th feel that does carry
some summer vibes. Good on you for chasing down the idea further. I think this is the first beat of yours where you had 2 distinct themes AND worked them together. Keep grinding my man!
www.illmuzik.com
