Making use of all sorts of found sounds with varying degrees of processing applied to build an intricate sonic backdrop for the cool beats and haunting guitars, reeds, strings and whatever else is thrown in, Beatmakin Troopa has crafted a very Northwest Europe (Scandinavian?) sounding EP, which, given that the producer behind it is Icelandic, is not altogether surprising.
[Release page] This EP by Beatmakin Troopa is a sophisticated collection of Hip-Hop influenced, laid back, slightly jazzy, slightly experimental beats and soundscapes. Making use of all sorts of found sounds with varying degrees of processing applied to build an intricate sonic backdrop for the cool beats and haunting guitars, reeds, strings and whatever else is thrown in, Beatmakin Troopa has crafted a very Northwest Europe (Scandinavian?) sounding EP, which, given that the producer behind it is Icelandic, is not altogether surprising. The first track in particular has echoes of Jan Garbarek with a soprano saxophone outlining a beautifully simple melody. The whole thing seems to evoke vistas of shimmering snow covered landscapes, a sense of solitude and introspection.
Pan Thorarensen is an Icelandic producer with many strings to his bow. Along with several musical projects, Beatmakin Troopa being one, he is also one of the organizers of the Extreme Chill festival, a monthly gathering of “Icelandic musicians who devote themselves in some way or other to electronic music.” He has released several EPs and albums in his various guises, including a collaborative electronic project with his father Oskar Thorarensen AKA Jafet Melge called Stereo Hypnosis.
The opening track “The First Touch” is perhaps my favourite of the bunch, with its gambit of field recordings and guitar building into live drums and a swirling sonic tapestry. Then there is the break to the saxophone solo I mentioned earlier, which provides a sublime change of pace within the track.
The title track is also very good. It’s a downtempo effort, touching on some more experimental aspects of the production toolbox. The whole EP, has a very nice balance of Hip-Hop inspired beats, melancholy ambience and experimental ‘sound art’ style techniques. It doesn’t try to be overly clever, which is a trap often poorly sidestepped when mixing the experimental with the popular. There is no sense of superiority, or of trying too hard. Well worth checking out.
If You Fall You Fly is available on Triangle Productions. [Release page]
