Bill Posted January 30, 2015 Share Posted January 30, 2015 Smorgasbord - Compiled by Jeremy's Aura Label: Maia Brasil Records & Omnitropic Released: December 2014 01 - Globular - Playing For Rain02 - TRD - Derive And Detach03 - Radioactive Sandwich - Everything Is Awesome04 - Jeremy's Aura - Drinking Cornish Clouds05 - Easily Embarrassed - The Capital06 - Shantam - Fiddle Sticks07 - Spacey Koala - My Cat Is A Dragon08 - Tron Sepia - Salamander09 - Supersillyus - Enigmagician10 - Ekoplex - Nama11 - Zoungla - Flower Sun “Smorgasbord” is a feast of delicious down tempo treats. Not chill-out treats, mind you, but groovy, high-quality, deeply interesting down tempo productions that more times than not look to shake the hips rather than lull into a blissed state of relaxation. The supporting cast of artists here are superb – the always-dependable Globular, TRD’s cerebral grooves in “Deride and Detach,” the Shpongle-y “Flower Sun” from Zoungla and the fun funk of Shantam’s “Fiddle Sticks.” They make this collection great and do a fine job of support as perfect lead-ins to the marquee tracks. The three excellent productions on “Smorgasbord” deserve to be in one’s permanent collection – that special playlist or folder you have containing the very best tracks that are better than the thousands-upon-thousands of ok-to-great ones you’ve accumulated over the years. Radioactive Sandwich, not at all surprising, causes the first of the truly great ones. “Everything Is Awesome” lives up to its name providing great atmosphere and tasty grooves from the get-go and then slow-burning the track into something simple yet oh-so complex by its end. It is rich, detailed, full-of-depth and even better over repeat listens. Easily Embarrassed offer up plenty of surprises on “The Capital” where they out-dub the great dubbiness of Globular for a track that proceeds seamlessly and flawlessly into a Vangelis space odyssey. Not a thing Easily Embarrassed has done since their amazing album “Tales of the Coin Spinner” has been this good and complete. Ekoplex’s “Nama” stands as a highlight due to how well-produced and executed it is but also because stylistically it stands apart from everything else in the collection. The BPMs of the track would put it more into a progressive psy realm but with mood and style more fitting to its down tempo partners. The female vocal samples are engaging, the grooves are dark and yummy, the melodies are infectious. The track works because so much of this collection grooves in much the same way. This is a hell of a compilation, and, dismissing a couple of the faster tracks in the middle, this a hell of a good job compiling by Jeremy's Aura. To borrow a Radioactive Sandwich phrase, in here, almost “Everything Is Awesome.” Available for free play or download at: http://www.ektoplazm.com/free-music/smorgasbord Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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