Feedback Friday is Blisspop’s weekly exploration of the latest tunes being released both in the mainstream and underground electronic scenes. Our dedicated team of virtual crate diggers rotates each week to offer their unique takes on the newest house rollers, techno stompers, experimental cuts, bass rattlers, disco hits and beyond. No matter if the track has 6 plays or 6 million, breaks new ground or retreads the same tired tropes, is an instant add to the playlist or the catalyst for inventing time travel to be able to un-hear it – Blisspop is on it.
We are back at it again and this edition features our contributors: Justin Barini-Rivers, Aeron Premo, Rebecca DeCrescenzo, and Marshall Stukes. This week’s music includes tracks by The Young Punx, Yu Su, AIIID, SYML remixed by Sasha, and Crywolf. Enjoy and let us know your thoughts on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
The Young Punx – “So Realâ€
Aeron Premo – This track really opens with a bang! Those opening violins provide a wonderful introduction, are so smooth and, combined with a soulful vocal, you get a late 90’s feel but with a current air. Aside from the drums in the bridge, which bring a natural burst of energy, there is not much else in terms of musical elements. However, when you find one or two that make the track shine, there’s not much else you need to do. And in this case, it works! (8/10)
Justin Barini-Rivers – This song is produced very well. The pianos and bass sit so well together, the drums push but don’t take away from the vocals. The piano, rhythmically, is just telling me to dance. The pocket that the vocalist sits in is smooth and really keeps this dance-oriented. I would be hard pressed not mention the lovely strings that set the stage in the intro and hold the momentum during the main sections. They broke out all the big moves for this disco arrangement. This song is a throwback jam. (8.5/10)
Rebecca DeCrescenzo – This is definitely a very well produced and clean track. The vocals in particular are a stand out and executed nicely. (7.5/10)
Marshall Stukes – A nice piano riff, the strings are great and the vocals are good. Listening to the track a couple of times helped me pick out the production details that I wouldn’t have with one listen. The use of horns to accent the verse and a touch at the end make for great details, and the drum break down is killer! This is a disco bop for sure. (8/10)
Yu Su – “Watermelon Womanâ€
Aeron Premo – This track opens with what sounds like a slowed-down sample from one of my favorite 90’s remixes, Armand Van Helden’s Star Trunk Funkin’ Mix of Tori Amos’ “Professional Widow.” Aside from that, there are some other wonderful elements sprinkled throughout, such as drum claps and the flute solo. However, it seemed like it took too long for this track to get off the ground; it meandered just a little too much. While very atmospheric, it was an overly long listen – a seven minute track that felt like twenty. (6/10)
Justin Barini-Rivers – The analog drums and eerie synth really set the stage for this song. This song feels and moves to its own beat in the best way. This song is quite different and interesting in the way it moves through several different sounds while keeping them so cohesive. This is a great example of a track that holds a tight groove that would work perfectly in a chill-out room setting. (7.5/10)
Rebecca DeCrescenzo – This song is delightfully weird. What’s wonderful is that the various elements are well balanced and dance around each other well. It does require the listener to be ready to invest, which I know I do not always have the attention span to do. This is a nice exception to that. (9/10)
Marshall Stukes – This is an interesting track – I really dig the groove. I’m loving the drum machine percussion in the intro and the simple bass line. However, I’m not a fan of the offbeat lead line. I stayed invested when the track switched it up twice three minutes in, which I think is key for a song this long. The section at the four minute mark is definitely my favorite part of the song. After that, though, the song was repetitive. (7/10)
AIIID – “La Cathedrale Gothiqueâ€
Aeron Premo – The synth patches used here are quite nice and have an icy feel to them. The production creates a nice atmosphere too – it really does feel you are walking through an abandoned gothic cathedral late at night. The spoken word, French vocal sample is a nice touch. However, this track doesn’t really do much else for me. It has a cinematic feel, but I can’t say it’s something I would listen to regularly. (5.5/10)
Justin Barini-Rivers – This song has such a lovely rhythm to it. Across the arrangement, the drums and synths play off each other in cool ways. Overall, the textures are amazing. The drums have a nice worn, almost lo-fi sound. The song is full of sounds, from the sirens in the intro to the vocal sections chopped in. The speech sneaks in and out creating a nice depth. This really caught my ear because this song has a really unique goal and purpose. It wasn’t just thrown out there. Time and patience lead to me hearing this. Give it a listen and enjoy. (9.5/10)
Rebecca DeCrescenzo – I enjoyed the melody that pulls through the piece as well as some of the additional elements. I would liked to have heard more complexity in the sound design and rhythm in the bass line. (5/10)
Marshall Stukes – Not sure what to make of this track. I wasn’t a fan of the snare, and the lead and the drums didn’t fit together to me. I like the use of the vocal sample and how it was manipulated, but it wasn’t enough to grab me. (5/10)
SYML – “The Bird†(Sasha Remix) [Edit]
Aeron Premo – The introduction does a good job of building up tension and kicks off the track well. While I couldn’t get behind the vocal, I like the fact that SYML utilized a singer with a different tone rather than the usual, angelic-voiced, trance vocalist. The production has a relaxed feel, but some of the musical elements felt a little out of date (the guitar lick for example). In the end, though, I think it needed more of a beat to make the production varied. (4/10)
Justin Barini-Rivers – I can tell from the first four bars that this song is clean. Sasha never disappoints me. The lead arp is just bouncing around as the sensual vocals sit right under. The use of piano and guitar, along with the electronic elements, works very well. I also love the control over the vocals. They come and go, really accentuating the arrangement. This track is a smooth operator and should be played several times. Love it all. (9/10)
Rebecca DeCrescenzo – I always admire a remix that gives a new story to the original track while maintaining the original track’s integrity. I like how Sasha takes a deep, mournful track and creates a feeling of movement and casual longing. (8/10)
Marshall Stukes – This is a beautiful song that I think caught the arrangement bug. The guitar sets the tone quite nicely and the vocals add to that, though they were a bit dry. I’m not a fan of the hats as they’re too tinny and thin for my ears. The pacing in the track is good, but the build up at the end, and its break down, left me wanting a bit more. Also, the ending was abrupt. (7.5/10)
Crywolf – “Quixote†(SWARM Reimagination)
Aeron Premo – I hear a bit of a Pendulum influence in the production. Not being much of a metal fan, I’m not getting behind the jarring guitars and beats, and the vocal is annoyingly very emo. Yeah, not for me. (1/10)
Justin Barini-Rivers – I have been a huge fan of SWARM and this song is just as epic as you would expect. This is some heavy full on peak time madness. All of this distortion and compression is paired really nicely with the wide open sections to bridge this dynamic banger. I love when the four on the floor kick is brought in. The momentum isn’t lost in the quiet sections and they offer a nice break from the violence that is this remix. SWARM did it again, check this one out! (8/10)
Rebecca DeCrescenzo – This is a great track for when you are in a mood to go hard. It’s clean, and I especially enjoyed the drops. (8/10)
Marshall Stukes – This song is heavy and haunting. I really enjoyed the metal influences and ease of genre switching from dubstep and bass to psytrance; it left me impressed. The breakdown with the piano was a great change of pace. The vocals aren’t the best, and I feel that they are a bit more saturated with effects than my liking, but they get the job done, especially paired with the extra “ahs†that are chilling if you are able to pick them out. (7.5/10)
The Results:
The Young Punx – “So Real†– 8/10
Yu Su – “Watermelon Woman†– 7.4/10
SYML – “The Bird†(Sasha Remix) [Edit] – 7.2/10
AIIID – “La Cathedrale Gothique†– 6.3/10
Crywolf – “Quixote†(SWARM Reimagination) – 6.2/10