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: Alex Rubenstein, Justin Barini-Rivers, Marshall Stukes, and Jake Ramirez. This week’s music includes tracks by Burt, Hannah Diamond, Gesaffelstein, and Earl Sweatshirt. Enjoy and let us know your thoughts on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram.
Brut – “Noiselife”
Alex Rubenstein - Brut has crafted a real sense of dread within “Noiselifeâ€. The build ups work well to keep the tension high throughout the track.. The production value here adds some extra points as well. This is not your run of the mill techno. I’m not sure that this one will make it into regular rotation, but I applaud the effort. (7/10)
Jake Ramirez - I like a lot of elements on this track; the main synth tone, the growling bass, and the drums. Unfortunately, the grating builds are almost unbearable to me. If this song were a nine-track album, I’d be skipping five songs. (4/10)
Justin Barini-Rivers - This tune is smooth and dark. I love the dichotomy between the expansive build and the drop. The bounce on this track is undeniable. The arpeggio just rolls with some epic modulations. It’s so easy to get lost in the build, but once it releases, it is pure energy. The drums keep going, the clap texture is amazing, and the kick creates this epic bounce coupled with the hi hats. This tune works exactly how it was designed to. (8/10)
Marshall Stukes - I’m a fan of big synth build ups and I think this track’s implementation of it is great even though I lost some of the production in the mix. I wasn’t a fan of the higher pitched stabs tonally, but it does fit in terms of the energy of the track. I’d definitely dance to this on the dance floor. (7.5/10)
Hannah Diamond – “Invisible”
Alex Rubenstein – Finally, it’s HD Season. Hannah Diamond has been hinting at her debut album for years now, and the release of “Invisible†along with it’s stunning music video signify that it is now imminent. A.G. Cook and EasyFun provide the production chops for Hannah’s reflection on the juxtaposition of hyper visibility in today’s digital world with the loneliness of over stimulation. The vocals are quintessential HD; pitched up, saccharine, and emotional. (7.8/10)
Jake Ramirez – The contrast between the hyper-robotic vocals, the drum rhythms, and the huge emotional swells is really intense. I appreciate the exploration of identity behind this song (the video helped me get it), even if the sonics are not quite working for me. This is interesting enough to make me want to check out the album, though. (6.5/10)
Justin Barini-Rivers – Hannah’s vocals are amazing. The way they are pitch shifted and chopped works every way in this tune. I’m in love with the lyrics so much. I usually don’t get caught up, but this song had me from the intro. If anything feels lacking it’s the music behind her voice. It’s not bad, but it just feels par for the course here. I like the electronic ballad, but it feels as though it is moving without a purpose. Maybe I am unable to see what is occurring, but the tension and release isn’t working for me. (6/10)
Marshall Stukes – This is a nice pop song, but it’s not for me. I appreciate the use of auto tune as a robotic voice, and the production that plays off of the lyrics, as well as the mixing of the drums. However, the overall track doesn’t resonate with me. (6/10)
Gesaffelstein – “Metalotronics”
Alex Rubenstein – I’m not sure I get all the hype around Gesaffelstein. Nothing he has produced ever wowed me and this newest track is no different. It sounds like the soundtrack to a low-budget, futuristic battle-royale movie. This really just feels grating and entirely unnecessary. This is 100% a pass from me. (2/10)
Jake Ramirez – Is it bad that my first thought hearing this was, “Damn, what if this was how Yeezus 2 started?†I love how furious the entire song sounds while still sounding clean. It is like the energy is barely being contained. I almost wanted it to go off the rails even more at some point, but this still works for me. (7/10)
Justin Barini-Rivers – Gesaffelstein seems to fall a bit flat on this release for me. His use of aggressive sounds and movement within the track seems to be a memory from the past. Belgium exists in several planes, yet I don’t see much of the cinema and prestige associated with his productions. His work on Maryland resonated with me deeply, but this just feels cheap. This song lacks the edge and violence that I need. (5/10)
Marshall Stukes – Who would’ve thought Gesaffelstein would put out an electronic punk EP? The sound design screams classic Gesa, yet the application and tempo gives this song an extra punch. It’s not exactly the production of old, but on its own, this song is great. (8/10)
Earl Sweatshirt – “MTOMB”
Alex Rubenstein – There are some good moments here in “MTOMBâ€, but the simple fact that it clocks in at barely over one minute long keeps me from getting engaged in what he’s doing. The beat is smoky and laid back, and Earl’s blase flow works over top, there just isn’t too much in the way of substance. (5/10)
Jake Ramirez – Some Rap Songs was probably my favorite record last year, and we’re so blessed to now have a few more micro-universes to drop into. The seventy-second run time still offers more to unpack than most five-minute tracks. Earl is on another level right now in terms of his ability to meld into the beat and blend abstract and literal storytelling. The elusiveness is by design, offering the briefest peek through a crack in the door before it gently closes. (9.5/10)
Justin Barini-Rivers – I love the old school hip hop intro of this song. This beat is smooth as butter. Earl’s voice sits perfectly on this beat. The drop outs and looped sample are giving me serious 90’s hip hop feels. His cadence is so cohesive that it feels like it was always meant for this tune. I’m astonished by the polish on this song. I am very happy with this Earl vibe. (7/10)
Marshall Stukes – The lyrical play in this track is top notch and heavy. The way each line of the last half of the track flows to the next is masterful, but I wish there was more. I’m not really a fan of minute tracks, as I see them as a sample of what the artist could have done, but I accept the direction. (7/10)
Earl Sweatshirt – “MTOMB” – 7.1/10
Brut – “Noiselife” – 6.6/10
Hannah Diamond – “Invisible” – 6.5/10
Gesaffelstein – “Metalotronics” – 5.5/10