Growing up in the 80s and 90s, breaks and big beat were my jam. From Orbital to The Prodigy, Chemical Brothers and JunkieXL, I couldn't get enough of the sound. Needless to say, I'm thrilled to hear new productions in that musical space. counsel pop, intentionally all lower case, is the newest signee to Mat Zo's Mad Zoo imprint.
counsel pop's debut EP, counsel pop presents, brings fresh energy to the big beat genre. In a nod to old school electronic tracks that often used sci-fi or audio clips from news programs, the introduction track "hi there xx" opens with a clip announcing the Parental Advisory label by the RIAA, which became a thing in 1985, before sirens and an unmistakable breakbeat announce the EP's intentions. "fazeley industrial estate" follows as the first track, which features a prominent synth riff buzzing over distorted and indeterminate humaniod samples. Next up are "in a mcdonald's carpark" and "trino (counsel's mental mix)," both of a less hectic production style. "trino" is particularly ear pleasing for any fan of big beat. The sound is stripped down, but the break beat sequences showcase intricate and precise production that fans of the genre are sure to appreciate.
It's easy to hear why the Canada based UK transplant's sound caught label honcho Mat Zo's ear, no stranger producing hits that fall outside the established EDM hit formula. “counsel pop brings together the best aspects of Big Beat, Electro, IDM and other electronic music genres to bring you a rare sound that's inspired, " high praise indeed from Mat himself.
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