Sample CDs
Dec 1, 2002 12:00 PM, By Dave Hill Jr.
Big Fish Audio
Def Jef Presents Kontrol Freaks
While the market is flooded with hip-hop and urban-groove collections, Big Fish Audio has been patiently setting the industry standard with its Vinylistics series (vols. 1, 2 and 3) and genre-specific titles such as Strictly Hip-Hop. For its next trick, Big Fish hired proven remixer Def Jef and his crack team of sampleheads to make yet another batch of rhyme-ready beat beds with their self-titled release, Kontrol Freaks ($99). The concept here is a sort of ode to electro hip-hop, with occasional vinyl and acoustic tidbits mixed in. In terms of quality, Kontrol Freaks' beats are simple, energetic and head-bobbing good. Some grooves will remind you of Def Jef's remix hits with talents such as TLC and Patti LaBelle, which you've heard a thousand times. Take the disc's first groove, “Gongo,” which is an inspired but bafflingly simple MC treat. Other beauties, such as “Hefty Hef,” will blow you back, as will the rumbling Brooklyn tribute, “Bed Stuy.” Quicker grooves on the disc dabble in syncopated cross-stick patterns and additional percussion goodies. Each track begins with a drum loop; the construction (or full-band) loop follows, making it easy to audition only the beats. But the love doesn't stop there. Each cut also includes a hearty dose of one-shots, minifills and separate WAV files of all previously heard construction loops. If you're looking for the type of tight boom-bop that makes A&R types fold their arms and tip their heads back, it is time to get your freak on.
Overall Rating (out of 5): 4.5
Big Fish Audio; tel. (800) 717-3474; e-mail info@bigfishaudio.com; Web www.bigfishaudio.com
Drum Drops
Breakin' and Entering, vol. 1
The Breakin' and Entering series from Brighton, England-based Drum Drops is a kinder, gentler sort of sample-CD format. Instead of busting out a supercatalog full of beat snippets and percussion licks, this series focuses on providing DJs and producers 10 solidly played four- to five-minute tracks per its three volumes. Each of the cuts on Breakin' and Entering features the handiwork of Drum Drops' own studio-savvy stickmen: Naz “Double Barrel” Bouzida, Jim “The Lick” Kelly and Lincoln “Style” Scott. Luckily, you don't need a nickname to pick up your own vinyl or CD copy of this collection. Most of the styles on Breakin' reflect acoustic hip-hop and urban dance grooves at tempos ranging from 82 to 138 bpm. On any of the three discs (or LPs), you will find a few infectious dance beats, such as vol. 1's “Twice the Fire,” and two or three heavy hip-hop vibes, such as vol. 3's “Finders Keepers” or vol. 2's “Silent Assassin.” The discs are refreshing because they are simple, inexpensive and to-the-point. Some of the drum sounds may be a little boxy or unusual but more or less tip their hat to those ever-cool '70s rock and funk tones, with lots of midrange character and minimum obnoxious highs. Some producers may moan when they discover no additional one-shots or construction loops, which would allow for beat embellishments and fills. But considering the $20-per-volume pricing, which includes worldwide shipping, Breakin' and Entering is simply a bargain.
Overall Rating: 4
Drum Drops; tel. 44-127-355-3106; e-mail info@drumdrops.com; Web www.drumdrops.com
Omniman Sound Labs
Cratedigging, vol. 1
Crate digging is the act of mining underground record bins for long-forgotten breakbeats and other nuggets of vinyl gold. The exception to the rule in this instance is that all of the breaks and sounds on Ominman's Cratedigging ($39) are made, rather than stolen, by Senior Omniman (aka Gino Nave). Omniman may be the hottest new sample-CD purveyor of 2002. The mix of beats, basses, keys and vinyl crackles dabbles in a plethora of styles without feeling shallow. To be specific, you will feel the funk on the loop groups “Love Replacer,” “Soul Grass” and “Gear 6.” Other tracks, such as “AMT Hour” and “Crumbling XTC,” further prove that Nave is a hardcore hip-hop fan and a soulful groove composer. Whether your tastes lean toward darker gangsta moods or funky R&B vamps, you will undoubtedly smile when listening to the infectious bass turnaround in “Nu Bee” or the jazz-funk-influenced “Greazy” (which is reminiscent of an MMW or Project Logic jam). Nave is also savvy enough to include a second data CD filled with WAV file versions of the original Cratedigging audio disc. Either CD will give you the same 40 loop groups, which consist of a short (four- to eight-measure) full-band loop, along with several of the original construction loops. What's more, bonus material in the form of seven additional tracks (or folders on the WAV CD) boast a fair amount of extra bass, guitar, keyboard, brass, string, drum, scratch and effects loops that are related to but not used by the first 40 tracks.
Overall Rating: 5
Omniman Sound Labs; tel. (415) 922-1112; e-mail info@omniman.com; Web www.omniman.com
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