After an interesting back and forth on
Twitter over the new Dubporn Compilation I decided I should write a little review here and put the matter to rest. Basically the tweet suggested that I could not decide on a favorite track because they were all so good, it’s fair enough to say I was pleasantly surprised at the collection put together by camp Dubporn. I knew my long time pal Adrianna Gooddroid had put together a label catering to bassey-garagey-technoie stuff, but it was from Miami. Unless we’re talking about Wade and Lebron battling Kobe, CP3, and the rest of the Lakers in the 2012 NBA Finals, Miami doesn’t typically generate a tremendous amount of buzz internationally. Could this Miami start-up really be a relevant player, a tropical Hyperdub oasis La Sanwicherie’d somewhere in between Coral Gables and the American Airlines Arena?
Illegitimate Children and Handbook both add two songs a piece making up just over a quarter of the entire compilation between the both of them. I want to go on record and say that even if Illegitimate Children produced a pile of dirty laundry I would still listen to it at least once based solely on the name. It’s definitely not laundry though, they’re actually delightfully produced tracks. Especially “Cubicle”, which I believe is the opening track and does of good job of quickly raising the expectations throughout. Blacksmif’s contribution, “Legend of the White Horse Plains” jumps out as wordy frontrunner for my personal favorite despite him modestly admitting that he himself preferred Handbook. Noble move on his behalf but Handbook’s two offerings “Luurrve” and “Girl, Stay” are slightly sappy for my taste. Sentimental baked goods not suited for misanthropes who like making love while watching
Ichi the Killer or the even more barbaric film,
Babel. They’re probably Drake’s favorites though.
“Mortem Obire” is the second song on here and it definitely appeals to my nostalgia for bottom notes. The moody layers and mature tones means it was almost certainly produced by a grizzled veteran involved in the intricacies of sound engineering for numerous decades…wait, WHAT! 18 years old! Fuck man, this happens to me now at least once a year when I’m introduced to a producer that I think is much older based on the maturity of their music. Whether it’s Kode9 first introducing me to Joker or in this case Biak. Could it be us
twenty thirty somethings naturally feel like the next generation couldn’t possibly understand the subtle philosophies and vacuous nuances that made this sound great in the first place? It’s quasi
Gran Torino mentality that should get the kibosh before we’re left standing on the porch like Walt Kowalski waving a M1 Garand around at 3 o’clock in the afternoon.
5 Years of Hyperdub cost me somewhere in between three months interning at a Miami ad agency and half a day raking autumn leaves off Granma’s front lawn. I’m not saying
Dubporn Records: The Future is anywhere close to
5 but it’s free and it’s worth talking about. The labels potential and the strength of its young roster make downloading a no-brainer. If I had to make a critique it would be that a few of the songs feel over-ambitious technically, bordering on pretentious. The best beats in the world are simple loops with just one or two creative breaks. As soon as I start hearing classical piano samples and build-ups that progress into a song’s third melody I tune it out faster than I tune my family out when I’m trying to watch the second game of a NBA tripleheader on Christmas Day.
Overall I stand by my original tweet, the whole collection is highly enjoyable and paints a ton of atmosphere for the listeners. It’s layered, moody and challenging and a brilliant way to showcase the first year of a promising new label from the land of cortaditos, flamingos and Ferraris.
Top 5:
1. “Concentrate” - Somejerk
2. “Spun” – Sipp
3. “Shimma” - Porphyro
4. “Legend of the White Horse Plains” - Blacksmif
5. “Opaque” – Chalk.
Download it.
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