Since I’ve been collecting music for as long as I can remember, a lot of these aren’t going to be hyper-recent, but that doesn’t mean that they aren’t good! This track is coming straight out of 2015 and provides the blog with an introductory infusion of Drum… And… Bass! One of the things that I like about drum & bass is that it takes a relatively simple, yet characteristic, percussion backing and still allows for tracks to feel new and fresh. This is something that I feel house music suffers from. I’m not hating on house–there’s plenty of good house–but even with my (self-diagnosed) ability to decode music I find house tracks blending together in uniformity of sound.
What was I talking about? I think I had a drum & bass track to show you guys. This one is from Feint, an absolute legend in the d&b game (I wasn’t sure if I wanted to shorten “drum & bass,” but damn, “d&b” looks pretty sick visually). Feint hails from Manchester, England, the mecca of d&b, though he’s actually a bit of a latecomer to the game. His first tracks released in 2011, about 20 years after d&b started tearing through the United Kingdom. Nevertheless, he puts a modern spin on the genre that would make the grand masters proud.
This track, “We Won’t Be Alone,” features Laura Brehm (pictured) who has a perfect voice for d&b in my opinion. I have to further analyze the key features of her vocals in order to pinpoint those traits which I find so well suited to the genre, but for now, I’d say that it’s a certain “angelic” quality that allows her voice to conjure images of grandeur, such as a massive Lord of the Rings style battle.
Obviously Laura’s vocals are the centerpiece, but I really like how the song builds. Note the “beeps” coming in at 0:23 which transition from a supporting instrument to the lead treble element throughout the chorus then back down again for the second verse. The ebb and flow of that note progression can be very satisfying if you identify it. This song would be great for any electronic party or even a workout. Show that Stairmaster who’s boss!
For more of Laura’s voice, we actually have an acoustic version of this song showcasing her piano skeelz. However, the combination of her voice and the piano just don’t seem to play well together. It may be the simple fact that this is a piano adaptation of an electronic song, but weirdly enough, I feel that the piano adds a harshness to her voice that isn’t present in Feint’s version and other songs she features in. Yes… I know that there is a truckload of post on vocals in electronic music. Yes… her voice here is otherworldly and I couldn’t ever hope to do 1/100th as good, but I still think she pairs much better with d&b than acoustic instruments.
