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Play of the Day : ‘The Difference Engine’, from Leonard Smalls...


Dad3353
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[sharedmedia=core:attachments:174869][size=4] Good evening, all...[/size]
I have decided to promote, each in turn, the compositions presented in the monthly BC Composition Challenge. I shall give my own, personal, view of the piece, in the hope that at least some will be inspired to give the work a listen, and perhaps a vote as their favourite. All the pieces can be heard here...

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/248026-october-composition-challenge-voting/"]BC October Composition Challenge voting...[/url]

... and the 'Play of the Day' here ...

[url="http://soundcloud.com/dredd-and-the-badass-weed/the-difference-engine"]‘The Difference Engine’, from Leonard Smalls...[/url]

A lowish banshee moan introduces an extremely lo-fi, almost swing, drum beat, coupled with a pretty random constant plaint. Next a distorted bass line joins in, then an equally distorted keyboard hops into earshot, almost jauntily. A disembodied voice-like lead takes its place; not for long, as the keyboard reclaims its space. A deceptive lull allows the bass to emerge almost solo, and relatively 'clean', but the industrial rhythm will not be suppressed so easily. The bass is now bopping along nicely with false modulations to trick us into thinking we're changing key. "Key..? What is this 'key' of which you speak..?" seems to be the premise behind the uncontrolable trombone which has decided to taunt us. Eventually, in the contest between the credible bass and the incredible trombone, it's the latter that wins. The bass submits and disappears into the mush, leaving the trombone to crow in celebration. Is there no end to this..? Luckily, yes, with a nervous, guilty chuckle.
We're in the murky depths of distortion here, in nearly all its forms. Most of the instrumentation is trashed almost, but not quite, to the point of becoming unrecognisable. The ear strains to find a foothold (can one say that..?) until comfort is found in the arrival of a 'straight' bass line. It couldn't last; there are too many clowns involved for it not to end in a return to chaos.
Vive la difference.

The previous review was...

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/248202-play-of-the-day-artificial-soul-from-lord-sausage/"]Play of the Day : 'Artificial Soul?', from Lord Sausage...[/url]

The next will feature [url="http://soundcloud.com/dad3353/spare-a-copper-for-an-old-steam-tramp"]‘Spare A Copper For An Old Steam Tramp..?’, Dad3353...[/url]

Until then...

Have a nice day

Douglas

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[quote name='Dad3353' timestamp='1414666486' post='2591952']
[url="http://soundcloud.com/dredd-and-the-badass-weed/the-difference-engine"]‘The Difference Engine’, from Leonard Smalls...[/url]

The bass is now bopping along nicely with false modulations to trick us into thinking we're changing key. "Key..? What is this 'key' of which you speak..?" seems to be the premise behind the uncontrolable trombone which has decided to taunt us. Vive la difference.



Douglas
[/quote]

Nice review - perhaps I should have sent a slightly larger cheque? :D
And the bass does sneakily change key by a semi-tone, then just as sneakily goes back!
The trombone, however, was played by a well-known anarchist for whom the bourgeois concept of key is anathema...

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[quote name='Leonard Smalls' timestamp='1414672344' post='2592043']
Nice review - perhaps I should have sent a slightly larger cheque? :D
And the bass does sneakily change key by a semi-tone, then just as sneakily goes back!
The trombone, however, was played by a well-known anarchist for whom the bourgeois concept of key is anathema...
[/quote]

What is this 'slightly' of which you speak..? :mellow:[size=4] [/size]



[size=4] :P[/size][size=4] [/size][size=4] :lol:[/size]

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