Veröffentlicht
Sep 19, 2017Veröffentlicht
August 2017
- Fractal Fantasy was never meant to be a label. Sinjin Hawke and Zora Jones launched it with a series of videos, which the pair soundtracked alongside a number of collaborators, including L-Vis 1990 and DJ Taye. In the two years since, Jones has put out several EPs via the platform, including a collection of hip-hop bootlegs and a crystalline single with Teklife affiliate Heavee. Hawke, meanwhile, has been filling up the Fractal Fantasy sister label, Visceral Vaults, with his unique take on bass music, again in collaboration with others. The most recent one saw him teaming up with DVA and Killa P on "Worst." Hawke also put out his debut album, the sparkling First Opus, through Fractal Fantasy in May. Visceral Minds 2, echoing the format of the previous compilation, arrives with an expanded roster and sound.
The compilation is a rich spread of styles under the wider global bass umbrella. There's Jersey club ("Raw"), ballroom ("Miss Kitty"), 2-step ("Killa Season") and more experimental fare ("Vision"). The style that crops up the most, though, is footwork. Visceral Minds 2 opens with the rubbery "Dark Matter," by Jlin and Jones; Hawke closes the compilation with a lush choral track featuring DJ Rashad and DJ Spinn. In between, there's the catchy "Loud"—Jones's second pairing with Heavee, and one of the compilation's best tracks—and "The Zone," featuring the Planet Mu and Glacial Industries artist v1984.
Visceral Minds 2's range of music is vast, but Hawke and Jones have created a sleek listening experience. They're careful not to steamroller the individual voices either. Their respective signatures (Hawke's choral vox; Jones's glacial details and percolating riddims) add a striking shine to the compilation.
The strong vocals on Visceral Minds 2 make it pop all the more. "Killa Season"'s garage swagger and MC Trigga's magnetic presence make for an irresistible combination. US rapper Thast's flow on "Out Da Kitchen" is also impressive. The spoken word of Fractal Fantasy associate Martyn Bootyspoon seems to deflect off "Don't"'s shuddering mirrored surfaces. Killa P, Trigganom and Serocee all contribute a dancehall patois to the record, further widening its reach.
Over the years Fractal Fantasy has forged strong ties with individual artists and larger crews like Swing Ting, Teklife, Night Slugs and Fade To Mind. On Visceral Minds 2, this global bass music network is presented through a specific lens—one that courts experimentation without ever losing sight of the dance floor.
Tracklist01. Jlin & Zora Jones - Dark Matter
02. Scratcha DVA, Killa P, Sinjin Hawke & Zora Jones - Bussgun
03. Murlo & Zora Jones - FKA Daybreak
04. CanBlaster, Sinjin Hawke & Zora Jones - Speedlight
05. Sinjin Hawke & DJ Sliink - Raw
06. v1984 & Zora Jones - The Zone
07. Swing Ting, Trigga & Sinjin Hawke - Killa Season
08. Thast & Zora Jones - Out Da Kitchen
09. L-Vis 1990 & Sinjin Hawke - Vision
10. La Zowi & Zora Jones - Money Hoe
11. Richelle, Xzavier Stone & Sinjin Hawke - All Black
12. Martyn Bootyspoon & Zora Jones - Don't
13. Famous Eno, Trigganom, Serocee, Sinjin Hawke & Zora Jones - Gunshotta
14. Zubotnik & Zora Jones - Madhoe
15. Zora Jones & Sinjin Hawke - No Shame
16. Heavee, Sinjin Hawke & Zora Jones - Loud
17. NYOP & Zora Jones - Descent
18. BE3K & Zora Jones - Miss Kitty
19. La Zowi & Zora Jones - Money Hoe (Xzavier Stone VIP)
20. DJ Rashad, DJ Spinn & Sinjin Hawke - Monterrey