Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Nikjam and the Meena - Hybrid

Hear The Track Here

Don't know what it is with MP3 Unsigned artists just lately. Don't they know not to poke this bad-tempered anti-dance/anti-technno bear? Say hello then to Nikjam and the Meena (great name btw and definitely not as silly as some) who like to tempt fate by putting forward Hybrid an unashamed out-and-out dance track. The only time I am into dance music in when I am in the process of doing something incredibly silly. Like dancing, for example. No, no, listen. You haven't seen me dance yet. Believe me, it is a sight worthy of inclusion in the Guinness Book of WTF Is That? and one tourists come from far and wide to phtotograph and astound their chums with such contortions.

However, I digress, as usual....

OK, so we've established that I'm not into whumpa-whumpa so what part of dance music would interest me, especially seeing as I do most of my music listening either flat out or seated at the computer. Well, it has to be reasonable in length and at just under seven minutes, Hybrid scores well in that respect. It has to have sufficient nous in the arrangement so as not to bore the casual listener (ie me or you) senseless and - in one sense - Hybrid also scores well and it certainly wasn't exactly what I expected being a strange blend of Electronic and dance and a damn sight harder than most dance tracks.

I have to question the sound levels in the track though, which is shown up even more because the track was mastered at a high level. What happens is that it tends to deaden and flatten what I consider are the essentials of the genre; the percussive elements of the track. The track really kicks off three quarters of a minute and, surprisingly enough, there are more than enough ideas floating around. What needs tightening up (IMHO obviously) are the sounds used to provide the motor of the track, a denser mix would result and that is what this track really needs. Nonetheless this is a surprisingly good track that smacks of tracks by the early electronic artists (especially Yello and the German electro crowd).

Wired electro Dance. Recommended.

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