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Album of the Month: EATBRAIN008
Drum and Bass | Monday 30th September 2013 | Alex
Ukranian artist Nikolay Bogomolov, aka NickBee, has steadily been rising over the last few years and, today, releases his Eatbrain008 EP which is huge. Having been producing drum and bass music since he was but fifteen years old, now twenty-one, he is really developing his sound into his own unique format.
While his Facebook page reads, somewhat unsurprisingly, as though an incredibly large fanboy wrote it, there is some truth between the hyperbole. NickBee is hugely talented; as one reviewer pointed out, it is not simple to take a drum and bass song from the standard 160-180bpm down to 130. That shows an appreciation for song structure that is lacking in a lot of this genre’s produce.
In ‘Apollo 18’, NickBee shows us that he can patiently build a song with a delicately faded intro and sharp, energetic drums which immediately grab your ears and press them to your headphones/speakers/otherwise. The drop after the rising cow bells will have your head nodding for days, too.
‘Animal Rage’ builds in much the same way that ‘Apollo 18’ does. Steady build up, consideration for musical structure, and with an almost cautious creep. That all changes after 22 seconds. Here there is a much faster jump straight to the point. It jumps in much the same way as someone might tentatively knock on a door, then kick it straight down after having had no reply. There is a peculiar swirling quality to this track that seems to disorientate the listener to keep them dazed while the bass line leaves them confused - a potent combination.
‘Gain The Energy’ does exactly as it promises. It blitzes through the song in a way that the previous two tracks wouldn’t have suggested, a bold move but certainly one that pays off for the EP as a whole. Certainly, the biggest dance tune off the album and one which will live long in the memory.
Finally, ‘Blackline’ is one of the most laid back drum and bass tracks. DNB BLOGS’s James Woods gives this track the credit it’s due in terms of the masterful tempo reduction, but it’s a track that can be listened to on all occasions; shaking up the dancefloor, chilling out, mowing the lawn if you so desire.
This EP could prove to be the stepping stone for NickBee as it is a hugely complete piece of work. It shows a young producer really finding his sound at point where he can prove to be experimental while still staying true to himself. Expect big things in the future from this one.
https://www.facebook.com/NickBeeAudio?fref=ts
https://soundcloud.com/eatbrain/nickbee-animal-rage-eatbrain008
Alex Taylor
