I have often been flamed for being an unexperimental guy. I've written some reviews of truly awful experimental tracks, and some folks don't like it. Come now. Somebody records their washing machine on spin cycle, submits it as "experimental" and I'm supposed to hail it as the Next Big Thing? I don't think so. I expect experimental music to be both unique and REWARDING. I expect it to challenge me, yes; but I also expect it to deliver something other than artistic narcissism. All that said, I have two words for you: Progenitor delivers. "Saint Elmo's Phire" is a drum-n-bass track to be sure, but it is layered in some of the most outrageous sample work this listener has ever heard. The opening voiceover is hilarious, and quickly turns into a brilliant vox beat that underpins ferocious percussion. And I do mean ferocious, folks. DnB is known for radical drum licks, but this track takes it to a new level. Too often DnB gets sidetracked on how many 64th notes can be squeezed into a half inch, and loses track of the beat and the big picture. Not so with this track; the percussion keeps a rock-solid beat, but provides all the distorted, wacked-out, wicked DnB riffs a hardcore raver could ever want. If all that wasn't enough, the sample work is positively sublime. I already mentioned the vox beat (a stroke of genius), but the entirety of the track uses carefully placed samples to keep the listener intrigued. The overall structure of the song, in fact, is so well done that I have difficulty accepting this is DnB; and of course it is not. This track is experimental, a departure from the routine and an investigation into the realms beyond. All this said, there are a few things I'd point out for improvement. Firstly the engineering, while not awful, is somewhat lacking. The production has plenty of bass, to be sure, but something's missing in the upper registers. The result is a track that isn't as clear and bright as I've come to expect. Finally, the ending of the track is a big disappointment given the strength of the preceding song structure. The artist opted for a quick fade-out, which has neither the hypnotic charm of a long fade-out nor the excitement of a sudden ending. Instead, it feels like the artist simply gave up and turned down the volume. These few nits notwithstanding, I'm very intrigued by Progenitor. This is an exceptionally interesting track, and I LOVE music that is interesting. I'm off to check out this artist's other work; I strongly encourage you to do the same.
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"Starching The Mind" is the type of song that makes you want to hop in your car and just drive for hours!!!! It is like taking a trip without leaving the driveway. As you take your trip with Progenitor you find yourself in many places... first the trance like state of the music as a subtle vocal melody is added. As if you just took a turn onto the freeway. The beat begins to quicken as if you are in traffic heading for a very mystical place. As the journey continues you find yourself lost in the music and the melody. When finally as the song comes to an end you find you haven't even left the driveway....you are right where you started...in your mind. "Starching The Mind" is the type of song that takes you somewhere even if you don't leave your seat!
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