The cover of Jakwob's EP 'The Prize', © Boom Ting Recordings
A couple of weeks ago, I was facing the agonizing dilemma of picking a new song worthy of introducing to the readers of this blog. I wanted to find something new; something special that transcends genres and creates a completely original, unique mood and sound. I was listening to the radio one evening, and on came 'Please' by dubstep producer and DJ Jakwob, featuring hip hop artist Kano. Instantly, I knew I'd found the track that I'd been looking for.
If you were lost at the words 'dubstep' and 'hip hop', then hear me out! As I said, this track doesn't fit comfortably into either genre - it contains the ambient, smooth sounds of some electronic sub-genres (check out the producer Emancipator if you're a fan of the smooth, calm side of this track, as it's very similar to his style), soft vocals reminiscent of alternative artists like Radiohead and early Coldplay, and rap sections coupled with a strong pulse which echoes the key elements of hip hop. In fact, I persuaded one of the biggest rock fans and biggest haters of dubstep and hip hop at my college to listen to this song, and she admitted that "it's pretty cool". Jakwob has thus created a piece of music with 'Please' that contains features of genres like hip hop and electronic that will please (excuse the pun!) die-hard fans of those particular styles, but is also accessible to people who don't necessarily listen to the aforementioned genres.
So, to the song itself. 'Please' truly is a piece of art. My only criticism is that the clapped beats themselves are perhaps too loud, and although they are important to maintain the pulse of the music, they perhaps detract a little from the most original features of the music - the piano melodies and chords, soft vocal singing, unique rapping and ambient background noise.
The piano introduction alone is a work of genius which wouldn't seem out of place alongside the works of modern classical greats such as Ludovico Einaudi. The piano remains throughout the track and is imperative in keeping a sense of consistency throughout the different sections of the song.
On top of this, Jakwob uses ambient, environmental sounds effectively to transport the listener into a whole new world with his music. Listen closely to the track in a quiet room and you'll notice all sorts of unusual, miscellaneous sounds such as what appears to be the beating of a bird's wings, breathing and quiet, syncopated beats almost too subtle to hear. You get the feeling that 'Please' is more than just a track - it's a mood, an atmosphere and an experience.
The vocals themselves create a perfect top line to accompany the creative backing music. Jakwob's soft, echoed singing puts the listener into a tranquil, calm state, and the deep, poetic lyrics - "Shadows glide in the moonlight/Stars are whispering down" - provide food for thought amongst what is in effect a great piece of contemplation music. Kano's rapping provides a contrast to this, adding a rawer, harsher edge to the minimalist, simple backing music and placid singing of the accompanying verses. His rapping style is as versatile as Jakwob's production, with intensity and passion juxtaposed with subtlety, calmness and a laid-back feel. As much as that description appears to be a complete mess of contradicting terms, upon hearing the song I'm sure that you'll understand what I mean!
By the end of the track, it has gone full circle, and as the lone piano plays out once again, I for one only have one thought in my mind: Repeat. 'Please' is a track that, in my experience, just doesn't get old. With every listen a new sound is discovered, a new element to the track that adds to its underlying complexity without destroying the overall simplistic, minimalistic sound. As long as Jakwob keeps creating material as special and unique as this, the music industry will certainly be hearing a lot more from him in the future.
PsyD
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'Please' is available to download for free as part of Jakwob's EP 'The Prize', which is available from his website www.jakwob.com. I've had a brief listen to some of the other songs on the mixtape, and I can safely confirm that they are as unusual and fantastic as 'Please'! It's definitely worth downloading the EP and having a listen.
And now for blog news! Coming up next week I'll of course review an older track, to fit in with the pattern of the 'Alive in the Superunknown' feature of writing about new hits and classic jams alternately. Next week I'll be reviewing...
'If I Were In Your Shoes' by You Me At Six
So stay tuned to the blog for that!
I may have to put some other projects (my promised article on the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, and other articles on gigs/albums) on hold for a week or two now, as the deadline is fast approaching to get my college magazine edited and ready to print before the end of term! After that however, I hope to have a lot of time on my hands, and as a result be able to publish a lot more content on this site. Don't worry though - 'Alive in the Superunknown' is here to stay, and will be posted every week no matter what!
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