Holy shit we’re back, like a bad case of Herpes!Sorry for the long delay in updates around here! Luckily, Adrian from Thoughtlab, was nice enough to send over his latest review of DJ Vadim’s new LP “Soundcatcher”. Be sure to check out Adrian’s blog and podcast (click here), great stuff, and great music! Also, check out thoughtlab (click here), nice site, and it looks like they do great work!Alright kids, lets jump right into his review! Oh yeah, be sure to check back soon, as we are getting more articles done as you read this, and we won’t stop until we can’t type anymore…..or until we run out of Corona.
Review of DJ Vadim’s new LP “Soundcatcher”
By Adrian of Thoughtlab
I like my beats gritty, dirty showing subtle traces of the records they were rescued from giving us a tiny peek into their past lives and history. On the first rotation of Dj Vadim’s Sound Catcher, I was a little disappointed. It just sounded too polished and clean devoid of the bumps and crackles of days gone by.
Now after digesting further, the album has really grown on me. Sound Catcher has a real cosmopolitan and worldly feel, with a big nod to Kingston, and the ancient studio voodoo that distinctly defines this genepool. He manages to weave guitar skank languidly rolling along with elements of the traditional east. All this is awash with the echo chamber springs bouncing around the peripheral headspace albeit in a very clean and polished studio achievement.
The album has a real feeling of a collation of songs, rather than just tracks or beats. He has really made the effort to shake the “music without melody†depiction of his sound touted on the communal virtual online encyclopaedia wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dj_vadim
It feels as if Vadim has been absorbing the diverse degustation of cultures and influences and has sidestepped the predictable toolkit of rare funk loops and horn stabs that are reflected in the choice of samples, vocalists and MC’s for this sonic stew.
Standouts for me are the dub-laced numbers. From the skank of Feat Feats, and Ballistic Affairs to the downbeat Sunday afternoon feel of Milwaukee and Talk to me reminiscent of some of Dj Krush’s loungier moments. Also noteworthy is the theme to big Willy Dee which weaves an unexpected hymn into the mix, which a lesser soundsmith would have wrangled to mould this disparate collection of bytes into something cohesive.
The only track that I feel let the album down as a whole is SD4, which clocks in at just over three and a half minutes and seems like a beat sketch rather than a finished masterpiece.
Overall Soundcatcher is worth a listen. Loyal fans and newcomers alike will enjoy the newfound richness in his production and songwriting abilities. Its not gushing at the seams with big name guests, but the well thought out selection of vocalists and MC’s melt indiscriminately between the ebb and flow of the music for an enjoyable listen. Vadim has taken a new step into richer territory without alienating fans of his earlier work.
- Adrian