Mstrbstrd is a project led by audio collage artist hailing out of the Pacific Northwest. The effort was born out of the Covid-19 shutdown in March 2020. Wanting to give a voice to the oppressed, the artist’s debut release Please Stand By tackles topics that need to be addressed to the world. At a time when we need this most, Mstrbstrd has released a set of relevant tracks that is a call “to the greater good” and for change. Through smooth soundscapes featuring samples from George Orwell, Otuwatoyin Salau, Fidel Castro and Dr. Cornel West, the album is a heavy bash of electronic, dance and hip hop.
Please Stand By starts off with a bang with “Lovely Place To Be (ft. Sun Choke),” where some beats give an overall tribal air. Some guitars and drums give this track a disconcerting feel. The mash-up of vocals and electronic and acoustic instrumentation offer up an edge of dissonance. The discord projects a very off-kilter vibe. Some keys clash with warbling synths on “The Party (George’s Nightmare).” Spare guitar riffs also sound off. The electronic modes are glitch-y and take the song to newer heights with their sound. An announcement adds an immediacy to the track. Atmospheric synths and the tricking in of a xylophone gives off a very airy vibe on “For Oluwatoyin // For Tony (ft. Oluwatoyin Salau).” The nice ambience of the song flows underneath a Black Lives Matter rally. The smooth music contrasts to the fiery message, highlighting the words to amplified effect. The lone strains of a psychedelic guitar pave “Kill Your Masters.” The sound overall felt very mellow and laid-back. The electronic beats add an exciting proponent to the sounds. Percolating beats add some traction to “_Loading_Screen.. (Please Stand By).” Some synthetic horns add a pulsating and jazzy feel. The track also has a great trance and techno vibe to it. On “Busy” some robotic vocals give this song a very dance and EDM feel. The sounds are amped and energized. The keys offer this track a slight funky groove. Some keys chime in on “Life’s A Bust.” Spoken word vocals are executed in a robotic fashion that underlines this fresh electronic track. With a very chill and smooth feel, the background vocal harmonies flow through with a very invigorating vibe. On “Passing Trends (ft. Sundays),” a trailing guitar solo is a nice addition to the song. Together with the hip hop-based beats the sounds felt very psychedelic and groovy. The vibes reminded me of ‘70s era rock music. A sample from Dr. Cornel West adds to the urgent themes on “Thank You Dr. West (ft. Dr. Cornel West).” The beats underline the compelling message, adding to the overall immediacy. This feels like a relevant way to close the album. The album mixes trance and electro instances in this cocktail blend of cool and chill beats with electronic-based ambience and organic instrumentation. Overall, the sounds felt very experimental with the artist overdubbing samples and spoken-word like vocals into the urgent-themed tracks. Filled with hypnotic hip hop beats and a bold and daring flavor, Mstrbstrd’s debut is a great introduction to his brand of hip hop, spoken word and pop mash-ups. The artist announced on his website that all proceeds will be donated directly to charity.
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