ALBUM REVIEW: Simon Sirec – More Than Just Sax (2020)

 

“More Than Just Sax” is the latest album from saxophonist, flautist and electronic music producer Simon Sirec. Like his 2019 debut “Theatre Music”, this 11-track album finds Simon blending various electronic musical sub-genres (chillout, lounge, electro, trip hop etc.) with looped saxophone lines.

 

Whilst listening to both albums, I couldn’t help but picture Simon as a sort of wandering musician, exploring different places (like a large city, which gave “Theatre Music” an urban, hustle-and-bustle feel), observing and empathizing with different people, and conveying his own experiences, thoughts and emotions through some irresistibly catchy music. And even though Simon self-produced both albums (impressively, I might add), I imagined his sax-playing (and occasionally flute-playing, like on “Theatre Music”) ‘character’ traversing through a musical environment of pre-existing electronic sounds.

 

On “More Than Just Sax”, Simon expands on the aesthetic of his last project with a collection of charming, sonically pleasant and periodically experimental tracks of various moods and sounds. From the catchy, cheerful album opener “Party Vibes” (which CERTAINLY lives up to its title) and sensual, club-meets-ballroom jam “Sunshine Tango” to the triumphant, rock-tinged “Song for Legends” and jazzy, chilled-out “Rainy Afternoon”, these tracks are designed as the go-to music for nearly every mood you may feel.

 

And then there’s “Hip Loop Tenor Hop”, “Experimental Travel” and “Ewi Spaces”, three tracks that not only stray from the upbeat, laid-back vibe of the album at that point but showcase Simon’s ability to create captivating soundscapes of varying moods. On “Hip Loop Tenor Hop”, a definite highlight on the album, Simon adds subtle trap hip hop percussion to a bouncy, sax-supported beat, along with a haunting, sci-fi inspired bridge after the song’s mid-point. “Experimental Travel” expands on the spacey sound introduced in the previous track with an edgy electro beat, forlorn sax melodies and chaotic sound effects. “Ewi Spaces”, like “Colour & Percusiveness” and “Deep Exploration” off the “Theatre Music” album, ignores the saxophone altogether and replaces it with wavy, experimental production – in this case, a dark, synth-heavy composition that would make for excellent theme music to an 80s-inspired sci-fi/horror flick.

 

Going back to the wandering musician idea I mentioned earlier, I interpreted these three tracks as our hero finding himself in a strange place, trying to adapt (“Hip Loop Tenor Hop”) but then slowly losing himself (“Experimental Travel”) and his artistic expression (“Ewi Spaces”). Thankfully, he returns home – or to a better place – on the aptly-titled “Optimistic Song”, a bright, joyous, piano-led track that ends the album on a strong, emotional note.

 

Perhaps I read too much into the sonic liner notes of “More Than Just Sax”, but in my defense, art was meant to be interpreted. And this most certainly is art! Once again, Simon creatively and successfully incorporates jazzy sax melodies with contemporary electronic music, resulting in a highly-entertaining and replay-worthy auditory experience. If you’re looking for something more experimental/electronic in your jazz music or jazzy in your experimental/electronic music, then I highly recommend checking out “More Than Just Sax”!

 

OVERALL RATING: Strong 4 out of 5 stars.

BESS TRACKS: Party Vibes, Winter Glory, Mr. Walkman, Song for Legends, Sunshine Tango, Rainy Afternoon, Hip Loop Tenor Hop, Experimental Travel, Ewi Spaces, Optimistic Song

LEAST BESS TRACK: Dreaming About

 

SHORT FILM REVIEW: Steven M. Taylor – “19” (2020)

“19” is the first quarantine horror short film from Trinidadian filmmaker, producer, screenwriter, special effects make-up artist and fellow UWI St. Augustine Film Programme colleague Steven M. Taylor. With a midnight premiere on April 12th, “19” was released amidst two genuinely inspired efforts at providing entertainment during this distressing COVID-19 pandemic. The first was the latest edition of the Instagram Live hip-hop event series “Verzuz” where two legendary East Coast producers (DJ Premier & the RZA) did friendly DJing battle from the comfort of their respective residencies. The second was the NBC TV special “Saturday Night Live at Home” which was presented as a standard episode of the long-running SNL sketch comedy series, but with everything being filmed from the homes of the cast members, presenter (a coronavirus-recovered Tom Hanks) and musical guest (Chris Martin).

I bring these up not in an attempt to compare a DJ battle and sketch show with a 3-minute short film, but to emphasize the innovation and simplicity that went into all three. YouTube, Instagram, Twitch and Zoom, among other online platforms, have not only given creatives more venues to make and promote content, but presented bigger opportunities for them to connect with a wider audience. Soundstages, music venues and exterior filming locations are currently replaced with living rooms, backyards and bedrooms (more on that in a bit).

Steven is no stranger to exploring the dark side of human nature in his films, whether it be the TT Film Festival award-winning short “Buck: The Man Spirit” or the recently-released music video for soca artiste Erphaan Alves’ “Soca Global”. And even with its home-quarantined backdrop, “19” is no different.

The story involves a young woman named Rose (played by Steven’s wife Rheem C. Taylor) who, late one night, receives a series of messages on her phone from a supposedly-unknown sender. She plays one in her bedroom, and we hear a creepy male voice on the other end expressing needs for Rose, avoidance of quarantine and a ‘place to hide’. While I wouldn’t ruin what happens next, what I can say about “19” is that it does everything a horror short film should do: present a familiar scenario, albeit in a macabre fashion, introduce a mysterious, usually malevolent, presence into this scenario, have a relatable character to root for and to project our fears onto, build just enough tension through music, dialogue (or lack thereof), sound and visuals, and of course, deliver a terrifying payoff that will linger with viewers long after they’ve seen the film.

Utilizing an iPhone 8, flashlight and mobile selfie light, Steven incorporates underexposure and spotlighting to great effect in “19”, making its darkly-lit bedroom setting more unsettling than it actually is. The frightening tone of the film is amplified by its fantastic sound design and spooky musical score (both provided by Trinidadian musician/composer/producer Navid Lancaster), Rheem’s captivating performance and some appropriate …..ahem……’special effects’.

After my second viewing of “19”, I was instantly reminded of a 2013 horror short which not only matched the criteria I just mentioned, but eventually became a commercially-successful, full-length feature: 2016’s “Lights Out”. As a fan of both the short and feature, I won’t be surprised if the Taylors were inspired by “Lights Out”, mainly because of how inexpensive, simplistic and incredibly effective the original film was. And I’ll confess: off its effectiveness alone, I would love to see the story – and dare I say, THREAT – of “19” explored even further in a movie! (It should be noted that the role of actress Lotta Losten, the wife of “Lights Out” writer/director David F. Sandberg, in the short film is similar to that of Rheem’s in “19”)

Among the many quarantine-associated thoughts on my mind, I did contemplate the possibility of Caribbean filmmakers writing, producing, directing and DISTRIBUTING content during this pandemic. Of course, this content could be expanded into more fleshed-out, bigger-budget projects in the near-future, but to me, what matters is the distribution. Not only reaching out to a wider audience, but giving people a healthy distraction from what’s currently going on in the world.

Thankfully, Steven (currently in Trinidad with Rheem) achieved this with “19”. It’s a concise, entertaining story, executed brilliantly and distributed to the world via YouTube. If you’re a fan of horror and low-to-no-budget film productions or if you simply want to be entertained for a few minutes, you should definitely give “19” a look. Hopefully, it’ll inspire you to use your talents and resources to provide value in these troubling times and in the process, put a smile on someone’s face. Or a chill down someone’s spine.

#STAYHOME #STAYSAFE #BECREATIVE #QUARANTINE

OVERALL RATING: Decent to strong 4 out of 5 stars.

ALBUM REVIEW: Steven Gaines – Gain the Emcee (2020)

 

“Gain the Emcee” is the newest project from Oklahoma City rapper Steven Gaines. With production from Genycis, Conscious, 7^th Galaxy, Lu B and Anno Domini, this 9-track LP is a spacey, quirky and remarkably unique examination of Steven’s persona “Gain”, a man who constantly seeks and gains knowledge from his own life experiences.

 

This seasoned intelligence permeates Steven’s unconventional, stream-of-consciousness raps; whether it’s on the bouncy, electronica-based opening track “Binya Binya” (with an impressive verse from guest rapper Kid Craze and a very clever “Gullah Gullah Island” reference on the hook) or the dark, grimy track “Northern Lights” (which features a dope hook and verse from Steven and the project’s second and final guest rapper Goosy respectively). The moody, oftentimes atmospheric, production perfectly compliments Steven’s poetic lyricism, like Lu B’s blues rock-evoking beat on the catchy-as-hell track “Know Us” and Genycis’ nocturnal, synth-laden instrumental for “Rain Guards”.

 

Admittedly, the bars presented on “Gain the Emcee” may come off as esoteric or cryptic for the average listener, but I would argue that Steven’s dense, decipherable lyricism, coupled with some impressively diverse production, add greatly to this project’s overall replay value. If you’re a fan of alternative hip hop (like I am), then this LP is well worth checking out. Be careful, however, that you don’t tune out the rhymes in favour of the music. As a wise (intelligent – points for the Poor Righteous Teachers reference in the final track “Take the Time”, by the way) man once said, “If you listen, you may learn something new”.

 

OVERALL RATING: Light 4 out of 5 stars.

BESS TRACKS: Binya Binya, Bright, I’ll Be There, Know Us, Northern Lights, Rain Guards, Take the Time

LEAST BESS TRACKS: Gimme Yours, I’m Nice