Cold Busted

Stape Mega – Metrica Mega (BUSTED31)

New Jersey’s Stape Mega delivers ‘Metrica Mega’ an LP on Cold Busted with mechanical zeal, Electronic, Downtempo and Hip Hop beats and styles crafted with robotic celebration.  Catching my ear immediately was ‘Mechanica’ a short piece with intriguing samples, pulsing game boy sounds, and dark beats.  ‘Automation Nation’ follows a pleasingly languid tune with waning guitars, Lo-fi crackles, rubbery hip beats and a Goth tinged singer crooning.  ‘Dynamics’ comes fresh and immediate, a tune with a spicy melody and lively bassline at about 92BPM, with dope breaks, solid snares and staccatos.  Another vignette, ‘Water Clock’ is a bleeped out Downtempo tune at 72 BPM with an eerie dark synth, beats with brushed on hi hats and intoxicating subtle deep bass notes.   The sheer multifaceted, electronic goodness of this album will keep you listening, an experimental and underground genre bending, and enticing piece of work from Stape Mega.
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80s Casual – Volume 1 (BUSTED30)

DJ and producer 80s Casual drops a hard grooving EP on Cold Busted called ‘Volume 1’, a sundry satisfying beat filled escapade with tons of flair.  Smooth, hip, swinging Jazz is laid over a bass heavy beat at about 90 BPM, nicely punctuated with cuts, samples and solos in ‘Booooop’ the opening track.  Following is the festive ‘Fiesta’ at 100 BPM this one features beautiful guitar, a pulsating beat, hand clapping, and other fine Spanish vocal and instrumental details.  ‘Summer Breeze’ and ‘Fly Away’ take it down some lovely notches with Downtempo that’s sweetly funky and lounging with diamond-filled quixotic vibes.  Ending the EP is ‘Gone 2 Long’ a wistfully pleasing tune with a thoughtful melody and groovy bassline, a yearning tune coming from the heart and soul.  Very flavorful, fluid and seductively classy, 80s Casual ‘Volume 1’ bumps.
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Gramatik – Street Bangerz Vol. 3 (BUSTED29)

Gramatik is back with Street Bangerz Volume 3, twenty nectar filled tracks with beats, production, instrumentals and samples all harmoniously on point as expected.  Following the success of Street Bangerz Volume 1 and 2, Gramatik shows us why he is a master of the chill out, soulful, funk-da-fied post Hip-Hop. Tracks like ‘A Bunch of Questions’ displays his keen production and cream of the crop crate digging sampling, suave and fresh this poignant instrumental delivers.  Similarly is ‘Dungeon Sound’ with Doo-Wop influences and uprocking beats, a chopped and filtered vocal melody, gratifying arrangements and a bass filled kick.  Digging into his many bags of influences are other songs like ‘The Swing of Justice’ an original take on Swing Jazz, Electronica and Hip Hop, an undulating and lively tune with swanky muted trumpets.  Gramatik’s pianist background shows through in songs like ‘Muy Tranquilo’ with piano licks and solos along with rhythmic guitar creating a bright melody and hip beat.  ‘Victory’ bumps with hard bass filled beats and violin loops, a futuristic synth and a sizzling snare and hit hat.   Ending with ‘Walkin’ Down The Street’ this banging tune offers a street sound funky flavor, energetic with horns and tight cuts.  Whether for lounging, beat boxing, scratching or busting a move, Gramatik’s music is clearly innovative and diverse with clever and satisfying production.  Street Bangerz Volume 3 is more evidence of this as is the meticulousness with which each song is crafted.  DJs, dancers, music lovers and all fans of his first two volumes, don’t pass up this album, it’s smokin’!

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