Listen to DRK & LVLY Records latest compilation Beauty & The Beats Vol. 2
Another compilation as the experimental electronic movement in South Africa continues as the gift that keeps giving. A few years back I recall listening to the SLIP SLOP compilation released by naasMUSIC thinking that more projects like this should be taking place. Fast forward to recent times and we have the likes of Micr.Pluto and SLABOFMISUSE curating the Subterranean Wavelength and Beauty & The Beats compilation series, respectively, in an effort to exhibit the burgeoning South African experimental electronic movement.
I discovered the multi-talented artist, SLABOFMISUSE, thanks to the eerie “3 Untitled Reindeer” featured on the SLIP SLOP compilation. Upon digging through his Soundcloud profile it was apparent that SLABOFMISUSE was an eclectic producer who curated samples, rhythms, patterns, and tones to create emotive electronic music which went against the grain.
On the second edition of Beauty & The Beats, SLABOFMISUSE curates an eclectic selection of tracks which traverse the constraints of genre. While the compilation is littered with interpretive variations of trap, trip-hop, glitch, grime, breaks and other genres; its difficult to pin any of the songs to one specific genre. Each track is a smorgasbord of influences and what links them all is the left-of-field experimental interpretation of beats music.
The compilation showcases Fuss favourites Watermark High, and Vox Portent representing the Johannesburg region alongside liver and WiLDEBEATS. Veranda Panda and b00n put the Durban and Grahamstown beat scenes on the map respectively, while, Pure Solid, Dank, Mr Sakitumi, Maramza, Tehsynes, FI$H, and SLABOFMISUSE flourish in Cape Town.
The highlight of the compilation comes from a duo I hadn’t discovered before, Pure Solid, with Dplanet producing the music and spo0ky on the visuals. The syrupy dub-influenced “Peng Peng Peng” confronts the ears with a militant pang. While the duo’s focus has shifted to their work on the controversial DOOKOOM it would be great to see them release more music as Pure Solid.
Stream Beauty & The Beats Vol. 2 below and download the compilation here.
