Chris Daly go somepling somepling? Don’t mind if he does.
It doesn’t always have to be about the re-invention of the wheel. Sometimes it’s just about perfecting an already smooth design. Sure, the guy who invented the first circular disk deserves the utmost kudos, but does the guy who figured out that inflating rubber tubes and using them to float beer down lazy rivers deserve any less?
Thus, it’s time to give one of my favorite European beatheads, Somepling, props for his latest, CloudLoad EP. While the daffy Frenchman cannot be given credit for creating late-night, slow-jam beats, he certainly has proven he’s one of the best in the game on this one, along with other master maestros like Mecca:83, and Potatohead People.
CloudLoad hits heavy on the jazzy jam side, replete with samples of laid back horns, hemmed in by percussion and well-heeled keys. This actually MIGHT BE your daddy’s jazz, but it wasn’t played like this before now. All tracks were composed on a MPC2000XL sampler by Somepling, which just goes to show you that things necessarily need to be live to be intimate and groovy.
Over the course of six tracks, Somepling demonstrates just how many different shades of cool there can be. “WaterRaised” keeps the drums brushing amidst brass flourishes and subdued strings. Follow-up tracks, “Sprayin’ Trees” and “Mitisview” easily could be considered part of the same suite, maintaining a steady vibe that never conveys hurriedness or a mad dash finish.
These are well-thought-out, complete messages—it just so happens that the message is “sit back, take a puff and relax, mang.” “mountainFake” ups the tempo a tad, though it’s kind of like moving from hash to keef; it’s all in the same ballpark, and it’s all good. Closers “sundaySuite” and “Silentolium” come across a bit more deeply felt, but no more or less powerful.
And that’s some tres bien shit.
Download:
