LEWIS RYDER-CAPTCHA-Review

Lewis Ryder- CAPTCHA///Bigger Deer presents a 10 Track Extra-Extended-Player with sounds that are sure to capture your attention. This 10 Track release is not to be labelled an album as the artist had not composed these tracks with an “album” state of mind, but rather a groovy, trippy, intriguing track listing solely intended for this release to capture your dancing soul.

CAPTCHA is well balanced, starting deep; funky that builds up into a harder, darker techno feel and ends with a lighter, morning view kind of groove. Its a gradual mix that keeps you intrigued form beginning to end, diversifying styles and sounds to keep it interesting, funky, deep, and psychedelically melodic. Each track having its own diverse persona, the basic elements of CAPTCHA are apparent in each track making a diverse yet unified 10 track Play. 

Introducing the 10 Track Extra-Extended-Player is Track 1: You Know This Much Is True: The track begins very minimalistic with clean sounding beats and strong full bassline.2 minutes into the track you experience an interesting build up and sounds begin to drop in, giving the track a thick wholesome feel. Within 2:30 minutes into it, the vocal texts are introduced in-between an overlay of sounds. The constant groovy bass and softer beats capture the gradual build up with trippy sounds dropping in to make "You know this much is true" a tripped out track that fades in and out of groovy electro elements. Overall, it’s captured the listener to want to hear more.

Track 2: I Resume: A funky beat and phat bass, the vocals introduced from the 20th second in a very clever manner. The vocals are interweaved in-between the bass and beats and in the 1 minute mark they become more apparent and drop in with the melody, which is so sweet and accentuates the essence of this phat track. In the 2nd minute another layer is added giving a twisting groovy electric feel. In the 3rd minute, yet another layer is dropped in and the melody changes into a faster build up to a climax that unravels itself into a minimalistic tune. Into the 5th minute, new sounds are dropped in, propelling the track into another direction, an amalgamation of all the former sounds in the beginning of the track. In the 7th minute, its back to phat beat and groovy bass ready to be mixed into the proceeding track.

Track 3: Convenience: Convenience has a more club atmosphere. A pumped up track with strong crisp beats with the similar bassline as track 2 "I resume". Arriving at 1:04 minutes, the track takes a turn into the psychedelic side of things making it a well built up intense pumping track that is so sweet, its sure to get your dancing feet into the melody. In 2:21 minutes in, the track 's initial elements are faded and dominated by a spinning pan sound that takes you into the next phase of the track in the 3rd minute. At this point the track is essentially a psychedelic, deep, twisted clean fresh groovy sound. At 4:10 minutes theit turns very minimalistic, only phat beats and bass dominate. It picks up again in the 5th minute, as a few more layers are re-introduced. At this point it turns back into a head spinning, beat pumping track. Overall this is one of the better tracks of the release.

Track 4: Half Smoked Cigar: Is a track with echoed tribal sounds that introduce you into a diversified arrangement. In the 30th second melodies take you into a deep headspace; from where it develops a dirty groovy feel as vocals interpret the initial track essence of the "half smoked cigar" soundscape. By the 2nd minute the music acquaints you into a fantasy world of dirty elegance…the track is clever, trippy, tribal, chilled, groovy and deep.

Track 5: Influenced: This one starts out heavy beat on 4/4, this track means business. By the 30 second the clap begins to layer in the essential elements. By the 1-minute mark a phat bass sound takes it into a deeper funk in which more groovy elements are dropped in making it a banging start to a full power funky moist tune. Elements of deep space sounds, heavy beats, claps, and freaky melody interweave it into a psychedelic tripped out awesome track and by the 5 minute into the it, you are taken into a higher state of mind and your headspace filled with Lewis Ryder's funky gruesome out of this world sounds.

Track 6: Vine Nel Groove: Again a tribal beginning, it is a nice shift from the previous heavy yet awesome track "influenced". Vine Nel Groove has some retro influences amalgamated into a new wave tech sound making it a faster yet chilled groove. The arrangements have a nice flow, which keeps you interested, and anticipate the next part of the track that introduces itself in the 4th minute. This is what makes the track once again a psychedelic deep funky sound. In the 5th minute the initial sounds are reintroduced in a slightly more twisted manner and sure to keep you guessing and most of all keep you on the dance floor.

Track 7: Uninfluenced: This has a more traditional deep house/tech introduction but by the 30th second an interesting melody drops in to compliment a grinding baseline in the 50th second. This propels the track into the deep funk, psyched out grinding musical masterpiece. By the 2nd minute the tracks essential sounds are twisted and layered on top of the ongoing baseline. By the 3rd minute the it takes a different turn bringing in a clean fresh sound with hints of the grinding bass line in the background that pans in and out. In the 4th minute the track takes a darker erie composition that leaves you intrigued and again the funky grinding bass is reintroduced bringing the 5th minute into another wavelength. This track is so diverse, funky, yet fresh, dirty yet clean and it’s all strung together by the unbelievably captivating grinding bass.

Track 8: Clock Coincidence: Track 8 starts in a very intriguing manner with a soft warping sound and softly hints samples of a clock striking midnight. This track is exactly that, a midnight madness feel. By the 2nd minute the track is well layered and has interesting sounds that create an imagery of clocks ticking, moonlight and a city landscape inhabited by creatures of the night.  Overall an interesting piece, which keeps your feet dancing and allows your imagination to dance as well.

Track 9: Thinking of Vinyl: A more fluffy approach, this track embodies a lighter feel to it than the prior ones. Although lighter and more melodious, it still holds deep elements with funky grooves and uplifting beats. By the 3rd minute the darker funkier side of Lewis Ryder re-surfaces in a subtle interwoven manner to remind us of the tripped out amalgamated sound splash. At 4:48 minutes into the track you are captured by the layered elements and light spacey synth that gives a hint of traditional electro sound.

By the 6th minute your head is out of the clouds and back on earth with phat beats and lusting bass line. In the 8th minute, the spacey synth is back again reminding you to trip out but still have your feet grounded. Overall this track is a well balanced between spacey, dark and light that gives a "dawn" feel to the mix.

Track 10: 606 Monday: Is a deeper house influenced sound. 606 Monday has a light element to it, yet keeps it real with the strong crisp beat and captivating bass and playful melody. At 1:11 minutes, the track really gets its groove on and the keyword for 606 Monday would be "playful". Its bouncy sounds accentuate the playfulness that makes a contrast with a mature composition and clever arrangement. Although bouncy, this track does have a darker feel to it in the underlying elements that makes it a perfect track to end the Captcha release.

Overall, from start to end, Lewis Ryder keeps it fresh, funky, groovy and captivating. Lewis Ryder CAPTCHA///Bigger Deer is a well-told musical story, with ups, downs and trippy spin arounds.

Iconicity by Jun Akimoto (Maura and Monika Ross Remix)

Written by MDT for Geurilla Sounds (http://guerillasounds.com/)

Genetikal twins' record label Indepth Music have returned with their next release Iconicity by Jun Akimoto, a rising new and compelling artist in the Underground scene. Originally from Yokohama (Japan), Jun lived in East London and there he began to seriously love electronic music and where he dug deep into the electro scene. This passion and drive have led Jun to Indepth Music resulting in this summer's fresh new electrifying release Iconicity EP including collaborations and remixes. Tracks Step into the side Ft. Floyd Lavine (remixed by Manuel De Lorenzi) and Iconicity (remixed by Maura& Monika Ross) are what’s on focus.

Back to the Artist, Jun began producing in 2009 and in his musical career Jun had released with labels such as Fuse London, Kina Music, Inmotion Music and Metroline Ltd. He also had support from top artists and DJ's like Loco Dice, Richie Hawtin and tINI. In 2012, Jun with Indepth Music takes Iconicity into the next dimension of a new generation of electro.  The track Iconicity consists of a dirty phat bass with clean sharp beats, warm sound warping synths and hypnotic vocals that take you deep into Jun's iconic sound.

What is also exciting about this release is one particular remix of the track 'Iconicity' by Resident DJ's Maura and Monika Ross from London's' hottest rising venue Melt. This unique collaboration of DJ’s Maura and Monika brings a twist to the original track transforming it into a deeper, darker, tighter, grittier sound. In this remix both the DJ's individual style is apparent. Maura bringing a dirty funky tight arrangement while Monika brings a slight tribal, deep and dark twist to the track. When listening the Remix of Iconic city, one can feel the musical history of each of the DJ's feel.

For instance, Maura's mixing and sound elaborates on thick funky wholesome bass over light beats. Maura brings Infectious grooves that intertwine with melodies soft and dreamy contrasted against fast pumping beats. The undertones of the thick deep funk bass keep you grounded to the dance floor.

Monika Ross on the other hand plays a style that is deeper, slower, gradual and more openly layered than Maura. Monika's sound is unpredictably interesting with melodies dropping into a smooth beat that travels into isolating sounds which spin your head into pan echoes. This gives it a raw and emotive sound with a strong bass line, introducing spunky melodies and twisting psychedelic elements thus delivering an edge of uniqueness.

Combining these two talented DJ's styles into the remix of Jun Akimoto's  “Iconicity” brings to the track elements of a funkier punchier bass with tight arrangements of layered sounds. The mesmerizing introduction to the track is what captivates the listener. Maura and Monika give Iconicity a twisted funky element that accentuates all the best parts of the original track. With all these elements in focus, the remix makes Iconicity a track loaded with intricate sounds interwoven into a thick punch bass and a beat made to grind. The remix starts with a harder bass and beat and slowly slower dreamier elements are dropped in, making the track a well laid out and a well-balanced mix.  Unlike the original, the vocals are rearranged and synthesized and present from beginning to end.

Over all this remix by Melt's (London) Resident DJ's Maura and Monika Ross brings a more progressive tighter, funkier, deeper and a more psychedelic feel to the track. Their individual styles and influences, combined with Jun Akimoto's talent make Iconicity a banging crunchy, funky, deep yet light track. Monika, the deeper psychedelic influences and Maura, the punchier, tight and light elements accentuate Jun Akimoto's "iconicity" original track into amalgamated revised sound, delivering a round and space bound wholesome gritty mix.