Every now and again, some fly shit happens in life. Loved ones have babies, nature gets wild with its weather, you see a kid somewhere and they make you smile and feel inspired to be just as ill as they are, then when you finish looking at the world you start to peep sounds. Birds, animals, the gas in ypur own stomach. Taxis, bus engines, weak drum patterns that blast from other people’s earbuds on the train. Laughter, crying, screams, anger, it’s all chaotic symphony when properly tuned.
We all know that lately, the music that gets the most exposure, is glorified garbage, muddled down hollowness and generally plastic and lifeless. There are always exceptions to the rule, and this case is no different. Over the past few years I began to get to know the music of one of the most slept on talents in the music game, George Marauder. I don’t even know if he recognizes the fact that he’s a player in this game, but he is killing it, and I’m tired of me being one of the only people who know about this slept on giant. If the style of music, “experimental synth,” could be described in a few short words, I would have to go with sophisticated and metaphysical therapy.
That’s how it hits me. I know a lot of you hip hop heads and haters of electronic music and the whole techno, digital nerd scene of soft dance music and bubble gum vomit are raising your eyebrows right now, like wtf?! But there is no need to get skeptical, when its time for Marauder to get busy. Some tracks sound like they came from distant transmissions broadcasts from the depths of oceans, on strange planets. Main Theme, for instance, made me feel like I was a japanamation character, running across some desert against a colossal, blossoming sun. Sweat on the brow, running to or from mysterious forces, dodging alien birds with leather skin and jewels for eyes. Another personal favorite, for its healing powers, is Freedom. Made with a Roland JX-10 and an Arp Axxe, this song is just one of the many reasons I have to endorse this album.
Grape Koolaid, another star child of Marauder, sounds just as good as the title suggests. This one is definitely a banger, and makes me want to surf the cosmos like Norin Radd (that’s the Silver Surfer for all you lames asleep at the wheel). Things You Do, (listed as a J Dilla tribute on the Marauder youtube page) was another one of those powerful songs, that remind me of warm lights and being underwater. I was feeling the underwater vibe so strongly, that I even made a video for this song with some borrowed aquatic footage. In case you haven’t caught on yet, I think the general theme for this kind of music is metaphysical, therapeutic and healing, in a very psychedelic and natural way. On the flip side though, a few songs do stand out as being something out of movie, actually… short films should be made to some of these songs. Cathedral, a shout out to the classic super Nintendo game, Chrono Trigger, is a perfect example, as is Mystery Link 1 and Uncertainty.
Before I get ready to go to work, let me not forget to shine some light onto the beautiful Kool & The Gang tribute and cover to Winter Madness. This one is definitely a timeless classic and also serves as a window into the mind and inspirations of the man behind the synth. I implore all lovers of music to check this guy out, and stay tuned… because he just gave me two new folders of music to digest.
