Shag - Beats About People

http://shag.bandcamp.com/


This album is like if you took all of the best parts of funk, threw them into a dutch oven with some glitchy funk vocals, and made a beat cobbler. It's like a chillfest in my ear. That is, a chillfest that isn't afraid to mix and mingle with smooth, solid, drum beats. What's that you say? You're looking for something more chill than the first track? Well that's absurd, where could you possibly find- wait... What's that? Track two is downtempo? As suave as all get out? Well that's just... golden. Good on you, Shag.

Right, the track reviews. Here we go, "What's Bad About Feeling Good?" is a magnificent blend of funk and all things hip hop. That is, the solid drum loop and a fantastic sample. It's just great. Imagine you just walked into any cop scene from the 70's, and here you are. You're set. But don't move on just yet, this albums is just choc full of surprises. "Distance" seems to move itself away from the funk vibe in return for a soft, relaxing, RnB approach, mixed with a downtempo drum beat that still grabs the attention. This song, in a nutshell, makes one sleepy without actually making them sleep. It's just... Calm, while remaining functional. Had a hard day at work? Just play this while you head home, keep calm, and move along.

Quick, jump back to that 70's cop flick from before! Now imagine, the hero's just got the crook in jail, they hop into their El Camino and drive into the beach sunset. That's "Meadowlands", and I don't think I could have hit the nail any more directly on the head. That drum beat is so sweet, that sample is so smooth, it's great. I think this is my personal favorite track off the album. Now, let's think for a second that maybe the original Alice in Wonderland was set in the 70's. Alice is running around in this, and she just wants to find that rabbit to sit back and relax with him for a second, suddenly "Busta's Apathy" is playing in the background and not a thing feels out of place. But all of a sudden you're back in the cop cinematic, and you realize that it must be before they save the day! There are your two hero's, dressed in disguise just before they get taken down for trying to infiltrate the headquarters! What's that song in the background? Oh, it's just "Primitive".

In all honesty, all I want to do is just set this entire album to a cop movie. I think it would just go together so well. The album itself is so good, so funky, so suave, so rhythmic, so well balanced, that I can't understand why anybody wouldn't listen to it. It's... It's amazing, there's no better word to describe it. I truly believe that anyone who listens to the rest of the album will be blown out of the water, and there are just as many songs that I haven't described as those I have that are just as great. I leave it to you to listen to it.