Soulstarr
Midnight Clues (Beat Tape Vol. 4)


3.5
great

Review

by MaskAtTheMasquerade USER (4 Reviews)
June 20th, 2011 | 17 replies


Release Date: 2010 | Tracklist

Review Summary: Explore space at your own risk.

The album never gets too noisy even though there are some heavier/distorted and more upbeat sounds on certain tracks that are completely different than the lighter ambient ones. But viewed as a whole, this is actually a suitable album for leisure. Soulstarr has the kind of sound that really sets a mood and has a very organic feel to it. It seems like it could have drawn some influence from Flying Lotus’ “Los Angeles” on some of the more abstract songs. They are all practically beats but there are lots of sampled vocals to contribute to the galactic sounding ruckus. All of the tracks are equally unique but one track I feel I have to mention is “360 Spinning (The Last Of The Blue Magic”, which really defines this artist(s) sound even being the shortest track. There’s also a lot of the “hip hop” I heard about this guy that subtly bleeds out in this track.

It clocks in at just over twenty-two minutes with most tracks lasting around a minute or two but I do keep in mind that it’s considered a mix tape which can vary from too quick to overbearingly long. This brings me to my second and final complaint. I feel as if the ending was just entirely too abrupt. For some cases it works but an album like this really should have had a lengthy fadeout or focused more on the ending washed-out synth to leave one last impression from the outro. But, without a doubt this an interesting, addicting, and refreshing album experience.


user ratings (2)
3.5
great
recommended by reviewer
Flying Lotus Los Angeles
Teebs Ardour


Comments:Add a Comment 
MaskAtTheMasquerade
June 20th 2011


2924 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Just kinda threw this together tonight so if it sucks then fuck it but hopefully you guys will at least check the album out which can be streamed and downloaded for free here http://lunatickrecords.bandcamp.com/album/midnight-clues-beat-tape-vol-4



good niiiigghhttt

Deviant.
Staff Reviewer
June 20th 2011


32289 Comments


Guy reminds me of a less well-equipped Samiyam

MaskAtTheMasquerade
June 20th 2011


2924 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

yeah i can definitely see a resemblance between the two. he'd probably fit in very nicely on the Brainfeeder label

pizzamachine
June 20th 2011


27321 Comments


Nice review, this sounds like my kinda thing.

MaskAtTheMasquerade
June 20th 2011


2924 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Thank you sir. yeah man, give it a spin!!

Zettel
June 20th 2011


661 Comments


"Just kinda threw this together tonight so if it sucks then fuck it"

Ooops! I was about to write something until I saw this. Alright.


MaskAtTheMasquerade
June 20th 2011


2924 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

lol nah dude if you have any criticism at all feel free to share it. I'm never truly happy with my reviews so i just need to

keep workin on it to see some improvement so any advice will help.

pizzamachine
June 20th 2011


27321 Comments


Hm, I like this but the the songs are annoyingly repetitive.

Zettel
June 20th 2011


661 Comments


Alright, hope this helps a bit:

I understand that this is a quick write-up, but some parts of it (perhaps all of it) sound like you never gave them a second thought. This severly hurts the overall picture the reader gets from your review.

"Try to imagine what a rave club sounds like in three hundred years and then try and picture a waterfall next to a chanting group of nomads" ---- The idea of things happening in theh distant future to evoque weirdness is a very cliché one, and ends up being devoid of any meaning. You do a better job later in the review explaning that weirdness (well, not really), so the above expression is superflous.

"It comes off completely bizarre and that’s exactly how this music is. It’s a beautiful electronic holocaust. But it works extremely well and really shines when it's played in whole. I think one main reason why is that the transitions fit together so perfectly from each and every track"

So, the main reason for the album's smooth flow is because it is completely bizarre, a beautiful holocaust? It seems to me that you are not really explaining anything there.

"The album never gets extremely rough even though there are some heavier/distorted and more upbeat vibes coming off certain tracks that aren’t like the lighter ambient ones" --- Excuse me, what? Not only this is badly written, I do not understand what you mean here.

"Viewed as a whole, this is actually a suitable album for leisure" --- You have already said this is like an intergalactic rave, but the idea of leisure is more associated with relaxing, not with some electronic holocaust.

"They are all practically instrumental beats" --- There are beats that are not...instrumental?

I will stop there. In short, half the time I am not sure what you are trying to say, and that is the result of just throwing ideas hoping they will make sense together in the end. That is what makes a bad review. Be more careful about contrasting ideas, word choices and try to organize them better.

MaskAtTheMasquerade
June 20th 2011


2924 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

The idea of things happening in theh distant future to evoque weirdness is a very cliché one, and ends up being devoid of any meaning. You do a better job later in the review explaning that weirdness (well, not really), so the above expression is superflous."



Yeah I guess you're right about it being a bit cliche but I still think it holds some meaning to it. It was just a way to briefly explain the sound to the reader.



"So, the main reason for the album's smooth flow is because it is completely bizarre, a beautiful holocaust? It seems to me that you are not really explaining anything there."



Well for me personally, something can be bizarre and beautiful so that's how I'd describe this music.



"Excuse me, what? Not only this is badly written, I do not understand what you mean here."



What you're talking about is an atrocious sentence, I should revise that but I don't know how to edit reviews. To clarify what I meant there was that this isn't a ridiculously heavy electronic album but the songs have different moods. Some are really slow/ambient and others are more upbeat with multiple melodies.



"You have already said this is like an intergalactic rave, but the idea of leisure is more associated with relaxing, not with some electronic holocaust."



It's hard to explain but I can easily picture this being played at a club but I come home and listen to this to relax.



"There are beats that are not...instrumental?" Yeah Idk why I said that but it needs to be corrected too.



I appreciate the feedback. Lol I suppose this could have been more of a really big sound off than a review.













pizzamachine
June 20th 2011


27321 Comments


"I should revise that but I don't know how to edit reviews. "

Go to your profile, and on the left you will see:

» Edit My Reviews/Albums

Click on the link and then click on the review you want to edit.

MaskAtTheMasquerade
June 20th 2011


2924 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

thanks dude, haha idk how i've never noticed that.

Tupik
June 20th 2011


680 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

"Right off the start you introduced into a space-like euphoria and it’s one that sounds very uncommon."



Looks like a word is missing here. Nice review, i'll listen to this since it's only 22min long, sounds nice.

MaskAtTheMasquerade
June 20th 2011


2924 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

ah good eye Tupik. just corrected that along with a few other things. let me know what you think of the album if you

check it out!

Zettel
June 22nd 2011


661 Comments


Well, it is essentially the same review, but reads *slightly* better. No worries, it is your third.

Tupik
August 7th 2011


680 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

Nice album, very relaxing.

MaskAtTheMasquerade
August 8th 2011


2924 Comments

Album Rating: 3.5

glad you like it man!



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