Monday, June 9, 2008

Manic - 1986 (Summer Rain Recordings)

Summer Rain Recordings is a digital net label that has already released over 30 EPs from independent artists, covering everything from IDM, glitch, and breaks to trip-hop, downtempo, ambient, and jazz. The label itself has another honorable mission: every signed artist donates a portion of his royalties to NextAid (nextaid.org) or a charity of their choice, to be matched by a donation from the label's profits. So with every purchase, you and the music you support, make a difference in the world. Manic's debut is the fifth Summer Rain release. The four track 1986 EP is a light, breezy, and upbeat stroll. The very first track, Spring, had me bopping my head with the hip-hop beat, as I walked along the street with blooming flowers, and I smiled at the synchronicity of track's title. The jazzy percussion and the hard-cut-off, lo-fi, and looped MPC sound remind me of the early, crate-digging, sample-based works by Amon Tobin, DJ Shadow and DJ Krush. And those are all the great things. When Manic takes it down a notch, and the beats recede into a lounge-like smokey downtempo with melodic piano chords, I can not help by think of Dictaphone. It is also worthy of mention that this San Francisco based artist works for Beatz, "a non-profit organization that teaches inner city and disadvantaged youth how to dj and make music using turntables and samplers". Really enjoyed the entire EP. Jump to the label's site, and grab yours from the many supporting outlets.

myspace.com/samplebasedmusic | myspace.com/beatznpo
myspace.com/summerrainrecordings | summerrainrecordings.net

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