‘The Cycle’ is yet another release to feature the vocal talents of Riya who has quickly established herself as the go-to girl for many leading producers such as 8bits and Total Science... and now Skream. Taking time away from the juggernaut that is Magnetic Man, Skream has taken his foot off the pedal with this release using Riya’s beautifully soft and soothing voice to create a track that could be best described as ‘melancholy electronica’, which is coming to prominence under the huge spotlight focused on wonderkid James Blake. Whilst the A Side ‘Seems Like’ is a radio friendly modern soul track, the AA Side ‘the Cycle’ is a different beast altogether. Working along a chugging backing track, her vocals loop and cycle their way round the Rhodes chords and the pumping bassline. Its beat initially gives you the impression that it could go off; however her voice quickly establishes itself at the forefront of the track. At one point you feel like she’s teasing the beat to move into something else 'You say you will/but I know you won’t'. Autonomic has built a reputation on using and releasing quality evolutionary music (to put it in their words) and they may continue that path if they continue to use/discover talent like Riya. I’m confident that this won’t be the last collaboration to feature her exciting talent.
Magnetic Man (Artwork, Skream, Benga) are the world's first dubstep supergroup. How overused is that term of recent? Even so, it's worth the hype. I've been scouring the tinterweb for some kind of negativity surrounding the boys' work - not to say I do that for a living as someone who gets horny over the negative musing of others. That investigation has worked as a reinforcement of a common and shared view on this 'supergroup' and that they are on their way to global domination.
See, Magnetic Man don't subscribe all the while to the typical heavy sound of dubstep, it's more intelligent and experimental, more tight than their previous work of this 14 track album. They encapsulate the freedom that is associated with this uniquely British creation of genre; another testament that hard times can breed creativity and a sense of revolution is in the air, a precursor to the doomed political future. This may all sound a little over the top, using ridiculous hyperbole of such usual and weekly occurences - that of album making, but it is only what is seeping in the discussion of these guys.
'Flying To Tokyo' is a gentle lullaby of an opening track, as if a prelude to a torretes-styled outburst, taking off your clothes and rolling around in mud with pigs. Maybe not, eh? It's poignant sound is reflective of meadow views and intricate Buddhist teachings of the control of mind. Post-Tokyo, this aforementioned outburst hits as 'Fire' featuring Ms Dynamite strips away that peace of mind to deliver something more suitable for a school disco. 'Anthemic' tries to be just that through its festival-perfect synths, whilst 'Box Of Ghosts' authority in production is examplified by the squelchy bass, official-type synth and trance-like bleeps.
Katy B features heavily in their promotion and tracks, with a stand out 'Perfect Stranger' showing what it is to merge success of brilliant production that is celebrated in the underground and mainstream. 'I Need Air' seems a little overplayed now, yet it's unfavourable to take away the infectious affect it had on the nation's love affair with the Man who is Magnetic. 'Crossover', another featuring Katy B maintains depth in emotion without making the narrative sound like every other unoriginal dance track. And in this case, they save the best to last as 'Getting Nowhere' is the stand out track - a great choice of collaboration, as John Legend's soulful voice is imperceptible and the main focus of this longful track.
Anybody out there willing to challenge these dubstep afficianados, speak up never! Though competition is always an interesting factor. Whatever the case, Magnetic Man are representative of the rolling trends of dance music and are simply signified by the year 2010 - the year they changed the British musical scope.
Enjoy.
Box Of Ghosts
Crossover (feat Katy B)
Released: 8th October 2010 Label: Sony Music Entertainment UK Ltd Link: official // myspace // wikipedia // last.fm // Words: Sukhi Bansal
