Legend4ry, one of the most consistently musical producers to have emerged through the dubstep quagmire of the last six years, is calling it a day. Feeling disillusioned with the direction the scene has taken, he has reiterated his discomfort at the way in which the balance has tipped, over the years, in favour of a sound that has lost touch with its roots in music. The man behind the moniker, though, as thankfully not fallen out with music itself and will continue writing music with which the JustAnotherAlias Soundcloud page will be kept updated.
Clearly here the important word is 'music', and as might be expected this parting gift of the album that didn't quite make it out as intended is a showcase of the South London producer's talents when it comes to apparently effortless blends of rhythm and melody. Opener 'The City Speaks But No One Listens' sets the agenda, and the standard, with vocals from Legend4ry himself wrapped in a vast string set. More vocal cuts follow, with LisaDB drifting over the blissed-out 'Sleep Lightly' and Colin Mulcher eulogising modern life on 'Drugs Of Choice'.
Not simply a random collection of tunes, there's a pace to this album which begins to pick up with the quick-stepping, sundown synths of 'Dream (One Can)' and the full-on break workouts of 'Escapade' and 'The Depths', which drip with nostalgia. 'Detrimental', though, reels it in with big kicks, a perfectly round bassline, inward-sounding cymbals and a plucked melody raining over the top. The second drop is a subtle nod to the tune's own effective simplicity. 'Man Up!!' and 'Clint Eastwood' (two phrases you won't often see put next to each other) are an extension of this exercise in simplicity: syncopated rhythms intricately woven with rumbling basslines and eery top-ends, so that the casual listener's head is bobbing before they've realised why.
'Troubling Sounds' is about as close as the album gets to the popular definition of 'dubstep', and is almost immediately offset by the more experimental, euphoric house vibes of 'Transitional Period' and 'Dynra'. 'Wandering' continues this trend, stripping back the four-by-four rhythms in favour of a sound reminiscent of early Anti-Social. 'Remembering' forms a breakbeat close, fading out into a final note from the author over proto-drum & bass riffing on 'Confessions Of Life'.
As a legacy, fans and followers of Legend4ry couldn't really have hoped for much more from this, his final output. Head down the page to download the album.
You can catch Legend4ry's final set down at Cable in London tomorrow night for the MindStep showcase at SubDub; more information, including how to buy tickets, can be found here.
Stream via FKOF: Legendary - Four Listening LP [FatKidOnFire X Hedmuk]
Download: Legend4ry - Four Listening LP [Hedmuk X FatKidOnFire]
Tracklist:
1. The City Speaks But No One Listens
2. Sleep Lightly (feat. LisaDB) [Soothe Edition]
3. Drugs Of Choice (feat. Colin Mulcher)
4. Dream (One Can)
5. Escapade
6. The Depths
7. Detrimental
8. Man Up!!
9. Clint Eastwood
10. Troubling Sounds
11. Transitional Period
12. Dynra
13. Wandering
14. Remembering
15. Confessions Of Life
Preacha.
Man I would've loved to see him as Legend4ry... It's good that he's going to be going for full creativity instead of being limited by other peoples expectations. Looking forward to more coming from JustAnotherAlias.
ReplyDelete