A double chillout feature this time, with two quite dreamy tracks and both with female voices as a component (albeit one in a synthesised version).
First out is Ziino with his “You Know”:
What I know about this track is that it’s has a groove that is just so, so elegant. Classy. Snappy, but with manners. And with proper length too – clocks in at just over 5 minutes:
Well arranged, one theme repeated but the variations in the arrangement avoids it becoming too repetitious, while at the same time maintain the flow of the track. Plus, the hook itself is good! Simple, but good.
Yeah. I’m there now. I have entered zen. Pass on the spliff.
But let me put on Sweeper’s “Down” first:
We find much of the same atmosphere here. A lovely, angel-like vocal establish the zen moment right from the start. Lovely atmosphere, great arrangement. It invites to chill sessions, easy on the mind and salvation to the soul.
But… Yes there’s a “but” here. Unfortunately I think this track suffer by an overuse of side-chained compression around the kick.
And let me use this opportunity to spend a few words on this phenomenon:
I actually do decline quite a few submissions due to overuse of this production technique.
Sure, in your EDM music just go right ahead and strangle the tracks and brickwall it all you like – I really don’t care. But the other genres, those who’s not meant to be pumped on festival arenas sponsored by KFC?
Let your tracks breathe, guys! Give them space! Let them live!
It would have been lovely to hear this track in a version that didn’t sound like it’s suffocating in a claustrophobic box, trying to kick itself out. Just notice how much better it sounds whenever the kick is not active. And in a track like this there’s no point in carving out massive holes for the kick. The beat is not the focus here. It should not kick the rest of the layers in the face. It should not steal the attention.
Normally this is enough for me to decline a track. But I still picked up this one. Because it’s simply gorgeous. And sometimes we have to look past the details and enjoy the totality.
Don’t you agree?
Both tracks are added to our “The Deep Lounge” playlist, where they reside with other great, deep, down-tempo tracks.