This guy has a serious case of the beats. A Sol Mechanic is an electronic music producer whose chief export happens to be face-slapping beats. He tries to tell a story in each of his pieces, as well as incorporating an organic feel and a man-made aspect. This way, he wants each listener to interpret the song in his or her own view point, which I am a fan of. When browsing through his other work, it is made clear that he has his own sound and established in a convincing manner.
Fuzzing Feeling is a short, four-song EP put together by singles that A Sol Mechanic has already perfected, but not yet released. You first get your feet wet with the track " Vinyl Gold Waterfall." In the beginning seconds, there are eclectic, seemingly random sounds put together, but it all makes sense once the song shifts gears. A strong, mid-tempo beat is introduced simultaneously with an exotic, pulsating synth that polishes the song off nicely. A soft organ in the background adds a nice touch to the piece. Every now and then, you can hear a little laughter mixed into the song, which is only meant for you to interpret the song in a generally lighter note. But, to each his own.
Following is a track appropriately called "Warm Fuzzy Feeling." The song starts with a sampled monologue, mentioning that warm fuzzy feeling which is looped later in the song. A rapid synth loop takes into effect, as well as a classic hip-hop style bass and snare clap. Lighter notes is played in a more chilled out rhythm, to counter-act the quick repetitive synths. Then all of a sudden, that exotic, sharp synth takes the track onto a whole new level. 3 uniquely distinguishable layers stacked upon each other. The sharp synth is soon substituted with a softer sound, but is soon re-introduced once again, acting as the chorus of the song. A very strange, but delightful track.
Next up to bat is "That's You." The only track on this EP to have some singing, it's a breath of familiarity in regards to reminding me of soul and blues. But that sense of nostalgia is cut off with the poppy synth arrays throughout the song. Fading out the 1 minute and 49 second mark, the song is surprisingly full of content and quality that makes it have a good re-listen potential. I don't really have a problem in repeating the song few times in a row (I usually can't for just any song).
The final tune in Fuzzy Feeling is probably my favorite of the four. "Beaches" starts out with birds in the background, with a melancholic acoustic guitar plucking gloomily. You can here water-esque sound in the background as well while with a steady bass beat beating on. Then comes the kicker. The beat picks up, accompanied with a snare, all layered over that gloomy beginning loop. The mood lifts a bit when a 'happier' sounding synth enters the fray, as well as various other sounds. It's impressive how many different sounds A Sol Mechanic incorporates into the song and yet still somehow manages to make a beautiful piece. The dynamics of this song is what really captured my attention, provoking many thoughts, speculations, and feelings to what theme or image he wanted me to see.
Overall, I love this album. Each song has its own personality and characteristics making this album a great listen. With his unique use of synths and layering, he is one of those musicians living out on the edge of the comfort zone, but not in it.
A Sol Mechanic – Fuzzing Feeling
