Beat Lab Reviews – Fresh Tracks of the Week

December 7th, 2018

Welcome back, you’re just in time for the cold and rain to hit us in Los Angeles. This week we’ve got fresh tracks despite the weather. EDM, Hip-hop, refreshing R&B, some kick-ass Cloud Hop, and some funky house remixes. Listen below.

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DAZZ – Masterpiece

In recent years it feels like EDM has waned a little bit as electronic music becomes more nuanced and subgenres crop up. Masterpiece by DAZZ defies that in every way. It has a distinctly EDM feel but the production leans toward Tropical House and the grooves are funky as hell. The vocalist on the track sings wonderfully and the lyrics are right in line with the vibe of the song. It’s a nice return to form with this one. Listen below.

 

 

The Experience – Playa

Playa is an instant classic and a hip-hop song for the modern world. The production both feels familiar and novel. We’re immediately hooked with the wiggly and bumping bass, and the beat hits hard. The Experience’s vocal style leans a little Danny Brown in the wildest moments and moves into a smoother singing voice for the chorus. Playa is fun throughout, and imagine it’ll be dope to bump in the car. Listen below.

 

 

Danny G & the Major 7ths – Say When feat. Osmojam

Say When feat. Osmojam is a slow head-nodder. It walks a line between Hip-Hop/R&B and Jazz comfortably, the dynamic keeps it interesting. The instrumentation is gorgeous and the arrangement flows like the singers’ velvety voices. The production is as crisp as one of the musician’s feather in their hat (we know one of them has a hat with a feather in it). This style of Hip-Hop/R&B is a fresh piece of music in today’s landscape. Listen below.

 

 

Jopippins – Easier Said Than Done

Daaaaaamn, what is this?? That was my first reaction to Jopippins’ Easier Said Than Done. The song’s effortlessly catchy melody bounces around my head. I felt I understood what Cloud Hop was before hearing this. Now more than ever I understand, and this track truly embodies the genre. It’s uplifting, oozing with attitude, and sprinkled with nostalgia. Listen below.

 

 

Tyga – Taste (SANTO Flip)

The SANTO Flip of Tyga’s Taste is banging. The duo managed to capture the gritty nature of the song and reframe it in a dance track. A repeating piano line accompanies the rawer bass and kicks, the juxtaposition works well. It’s a now classic move to drop hip-hop samples into house tracks and SANTO keeps the tradition alive here. It takes class and form to accomplish the feat without being cheesy or cheap, this track is neither. Listen below.