Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Big Wheel - Curve

Hear The Track Here

My ears are still ringing from reviewing Big Wheel's Magic Organ (February 2007), a classy downtempo little jobbie that has managed to somehow hang on in my playlist despite me only giving a Recommended at the time. Doesn't usually happen ya see. Normally the only tracks I keep after review are the very good Highly Recommended and Must Have varieties. There again, it's also fairly typical of what Big Wheel has to offer, his tracks have an ability to grasp your ears more than most electronica you are likely to hear. His blend of class sounds and a knowing rhythmic sense have made him a good many friends in the year or so he has been on Soundclick as is shown by his chart placings and the amount of stations giving Big Wheel much needed exposure.

Not yer usual electronica by any stretch. Not that it breaks any new ground, but neither should it be expected to. A decent tune married to a good idea would do for starters and BW has definitely got some smart ideas about his music.Curve is a classic example of the Big Wheel stylee; smooth, sharp and sophisticated and a sense of musical construction not normally associated with the genre. That was the quality that first attracted me to this artist and on Curve he has hit the spot so well it shouldn't be legal. It is fair to level the accusation that I am biased because of my own like of this artists work, and the fact that Curve contains some essential dub sounds and feel, and that would be fair comment. It would also be only half the story because - like all his tracks - Curve is going to take a while to permeate the ol' brain pan.

It's initial pull won't be a problem because if you like smoky, cool tracks then this bad boy is all that and more. It's also and amazingly dense and complex peice that never lets up for one second. The chieftain of chillage comes up top with this track and as one who has watched this artist from day one, this is easily the most professional work I have heard from him yet. A really lovely piano drenched instrumental that you can either drift away to or gawp at with wonder at how something so light could be so, so filling. Now I know that 'really lovely' and 'instrumental' in the same sentence is likely to make some people foam at the mouth, fall over in indignation and curse like a sailor but Curve is exactly that. Looks like Big Wheel is getting into gear to make 2007 a very good year.

MUST HAVE chillage :D

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