Deadbeat- New World Observer
~scape
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Inspired equally by the rhythmic slink of Jamaican dub reggae, and the clean, textured productions emanating out of Montreal’s techno scene, Deadbeat’s third album for ~scape, New World Observer, demonstrates an increased geopolitical consciousness and a wider palette of musical genres. Though his production style has long sought to gel dub, ambient and techno music into a cohesive new form, the album reaches farther for musical inspiration, notably the Middle-Eastern strings and rhythms on “N'importe Quoi.” In addition to the beautifully layered arrangements, Deadbeat’s production dexterity is most apparent in the gradual vocal manipulation of Athesia’s ethereal vocals on “Port-au-Prince” into individual, phonetic fragments. Deadbeat also samples from recent news media - from a pitched-down clip of a right-wing radio commentator justifying Abu Ghraib, to a distraught Palestinian woman on “O Little Town of Bethlehem” - proving that his observations of the world are as much political as they are musical.