This is week 22 of Stephen’s Selects!
It’s an eclectic mix of closing eyes, psychos and waves of hope!
I’m on a big contrast kick at the moment. I feel like my ears are constantly seeking out the light and shade in music. It’s always there, whether intentional or not, and it helps to keep things interesting.
I hope you enjoy this week’s playlist and if you do… let me know!
Here’s the YouTube version:
And the Spotify version…
(Please note that the tracks listed above are part of a live Spotify playlist and are updated weekly. They might not match the information below!)
Now, without further ado, here’s the breakdown of Stephen’s Selects #22: February 24th – March 1st…
- potsu – ‘im closing my eyes (feat. shiloh)’
– I really like how the vinyl crackle at the start gives the song a vintage sound but then very quickly pulls you out into a clean production.
– The kick and snare samples are very nice. You’ll notice that the snare samples alternate between a short and sweet sound and a bigger reverb-full sound.
– The same can be said for the vocals. They go from being filtered and then to big and full.
– The vocals and guitar are gentle and soothing, while the drums are loud and punchy. More contrast!
– Overall, the production is really good on this. - MASE – ‘Psycho!’
– Love the guitars!
– There’s something really great about the almost mumbled intro and electric guitars. They then contrast with the more full vocals and trap beat at 0:24.
– The vocals are given an edge with some tasteful distortion. The more projected the vocals, the more pronounced the distortion. That helps to support the vocals over the beat and helps them cut through.
– The production on the drum pattern in particular is worth listening to in detail. The various patterns and transitions are interesting and help the energy of the track ebb and flow. - Miscél – ‘One’
– Again, this is another great example of how unorthodox samples can create a lovely atmosphere. The beginning of the track is padded out with ‘atmos’ sounds until the drum beat and guitars enter.
– The bass is a highlight for me. It’s full, round and helps to support the whole production.
– The main chords themselves are sweet and you can hear the piano keys moving which is quite lovely.
– I like how lo-fi the rimshot sound is. It’s a big contrast to how fat and round the kick drum is.
– Despite it being a mix heavy in harmonic distortion and lo-fi qualities, the guitars have been kept incredibly clean. - Halcyon Fields – ‘Waves Of Hope’
– The slowly building choral intro is nice here! Reverb helps to keep it pushed back in the mix.
– The lead vocal is able to shine with creative use of effects and the lack of “competition” with the other vocals.
– Bass plays a big part in this mix and helps it build over time.
– The combination of synth and acoustic guitar stabs also help to build the tension.
– As I’m sure you can hear, this entire piece is about the constant build up and release of tension over time.
– Do you think the choral vocals and the lead vocalist are all the same person? Sounds like it to me. - Grimes – ‘Delete Forever’
– The opening of this song reminds me of ‘Wonderwall’ or an early 00’s Travis song.
– How thin are those vocals?! Does it reflect the hopelessness of the lyrics? I would personally like to hear more body in them.
– Again the contrast comes into this when the big kick and bass enter the mix.
– Notice the distortion in the pre-chorus at 0:30… it helps to add tension in the build up to the chorus.
– I like the editing on the hums at 1:11 to make them sound like an instrument. That can be done manually in your DAW or with a sampler.
– There’s an audible click in the mix at 0:56. Don’t leave bad edits in your music! - Lewis Capaldi – ‘Before You Go’
– Despite what you think about the music, I’m sure it’s easy for you to agree with me that Lewis Capaldi has a great voice!
– Considering how big it could have been played, the pre-chorus and chorus are underplayed and understated.
– Verse 2 increases in intensity with low pulsing drum pattern and a 4 on the floor beat. Harmonies are also introduced to “thicken” the vocals.
– The second chorus is a little bigger but the urge is again resisted to indulge in huge pop production.
– The transition into the ‘C Section’ at 2:33 is done nicely.
– As well as being a talented musician, Lewis Capaldi is also hilarious. - Ashe – ‘Moral of the Story’
– The vocal line has a “musical style” to it.
– The overall production is quite theatrical and feels much more narrative in style than a lot of songs.
– Vocals in the verse are up front but the “ooohs” are pushed back in the mix with heavy reverb.
– “That could be a load of shit” at 2:08 is a great line!
– By the end of the song, this has evolved into a big pop production with cinematic style drums entering the mix. - Tones and I – ‘Dance Monkey’
– This is a huge song at the moment and I like the interesting vocals.
– Straight away, you can notice that there is no bass in this track until the pre-chorus. That helps to add emphasis as the song marches on towards the chorus.
– The kick drum also comes in at that point to support the low end and build anticipation.
– Notice that the chorus is quite understated and the elements change quite a lot from those in the verse and pre-chorus.
– Verse 2 has different instrumentation again and chorus 2 is much bigger. Contrast in action!
– Chorus 3 is huge with big layered vocals.
– Why do you think this is such a big hit at the moment? - FINNEAS – ‘Shelter’
– FINNEAS is better known as Billie Eilish’s producer and brother.
– He originally wrote this song to send to Avicii.
– The intro style of ‘Shelter’ reminds me a lot of Ed Sheeran’s ‘Shape of You’.
– The theme of the song is interesting. That he’ll only feel safe and sheltered when he’s with his lover… even though that might not be the healthiest thing for him.
– If you compare the verse vocals with the chorus vocals, you’ll once again notice that the verse is quite sparse and up front, while the chorus is big and layered.
– It’s also worth comparing the first and last chorus, so that you can hear the differences in production and the density of the mix at each point. - Thundercat – ‘Dragonball Durag’
– I love the sound of this song! It doesn’t sound at all like it was released in 2020. It’s a strange, new soul/jazz sound with a psychedelic twist.
– Thundercat is a phenomenal musician who has contributed extensively to the work of Flying Lotus and Kendrick Lamar’s incredible To Pimp a Butterfly.
– If you listen closely to the lyrics, they’re pretty funny!
– The vocals are mostly sung falsetto – which isn’t easy.
– The mixing in this track is really nice. Nothing “sticks out” and it all blends beautifully.
Take some of these notes away, make your own and implement what you’ve learned when you’re making your own music. I have no doubt that they will help you.
Remember that if you like what you hear, then please hit that ‘Follow’ button on Spotify and follow the playlist!
Now, I’d love to know…
What did you like about this week’s playlist? What have you learned?
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