Charlie A - Cracks In The Wall

Hear The Track Here

Running a random signup like I do, you definitely get some coincidences. It was pure chance that Nuff X's Sometimes I Can't Stop Staring At The Sun came back to back with Charlie A's Cracks In The Wall. The link between these two tracks is Nuff X who apparently had a lot of input into this track and, judging by the collaborations he has done in the past could prove to be a winner. I spent a good while wondering how such a combination would work because they are quite different musicians; each with their own specialty. Having said that I've known both musicians for several years and I know their standards so my hopes were high but Cracks In The Wall surpassed all that and more.

At first glance it doesn't seem like something that could steamroller you into the ground as soon as look at you but Cracks In The Wall has a strength that is surprising. Charlie A, it should be noted, is usually found constructing beautifully rendered soundscapes whereas Nuff X is a well known destructor of such bourgeois pretensions and an equally well known aural steamroller. As such, its pretty easy to spot who did what but that in no way detracts from the impact it makes on you especially if you like your DnB licks hot and sweaty. In all collaborations, its about influence and in this case I think the overall influence of the track is Nuff X.

It starts in typical Charlie A fashion though, with a lovely piano line that repeats as the track builds. This is demolished around thirty seconds in by Nuff's first wave of stormtroopers. Charlie fights back with a haunting oboe-like section which is sliced to peices by Nuff's heavy metal division. The crumbs are stomped and then scattered to the four winds by the full assault on the senses that is a Nuff X trademark. Personally I find this combination of Charlie's smoothness with melodies and Nuff's razor sharp instrumentation really appealing, and I'm sure you will too if you know of either artist. If you don't, you might find a stirring (in more ways than one) instrumental that does more than most to cool that fevered brow.

MUST HAVE blend of orchestral and DnB.