[divider]Production[/divider]
Baauer’s production is always top notch. He quickly became one of the producers that took the trap genre to the next level but he is now starting to test himself. Harry is a master with percussion and his unorthodox sampling make most of his tracks interesting. Baauer tends to use a lot of pitch modulation and distortion techniques that give his music a trippy and weird vibe. Swoopin is a track that shows the best of what Baauer can do. The hip hop samples, sirens, grimey bass and snares all fit the bill for your prototypical trap song, but Harry Rodrigues adds his own unique flair as always.
Featured Track: Baauer- Swoopin
[divider]Songwriting[/divider]
A lot of Baauer’s past production did not vary too much throughout the song. Tracks like Yaow and Harlem Shake kept roughly the same exact builds and drops from beginning to end of each song. Harry Rodrigues’s improvement as a songwriter from early his earlier days is apparent on the ß EP. One Touch overwhelmingly exemplifies Baauer’s progress as a songwriter. Even though Rae Sremmurd’s rapping style almost ruins the song, Aluna’s vocals are beautiful and their combination with the minimalist beat produced by Baauer make this an awesome song. Harry’s ability to structure a song around vocalists is something we did not see before, in his original tracks.
Featured Track: Baauer- One Touch (feat. AlunaGeorge & Rae Sremmurd)
[divider]Cohesion[/divider]
This EP is not incredibly cohesive, but making an entirely cohesive extended play can often be difficult. Baauer did not seem to have conceptualized a precise idea behind the ß EP and more just wanted to show his followers what he has been working on. The tracks are set up in a nice order that promote fluency and encourage the listener to just let ß play through. Boog is an interesting song that embodies the randomness of ß. The bongo drums, tribal vocal samples and deep bass all combine to create an epic and entrancing rhythm that is perfect for dancing like a caveman.
Featured Track: Baauer- Boog
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVPP04Ktw4E
[divider]Originality[/divider]
Baauer’s production can often be weird and out there, so its hard to say he isn’t original. It sometimes seems as though he is deliberately trying to use weird samples and sounds to differentiate himself from other producers in order to avenge the monotony of Harlem Shake. It usually works out for him, but not all the time. Floreana is a perfect example of Baauer’s originality and his overall unorthodox way of making music.
Featured Track: Baauer- Floreana
To listen to the ß EP, click on the Spotify widget below or purchase ß on iTunes here. Let us know what you think of Baauer’s new EP by following Dance Music Northwest on Twitter or by liking our Facebook page.
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