Okay my friends, The bullet went through the church
(as we say in good Dutch…)
Intro:
It’s great, and I like that it’s included, though it seems like we’re not supposed to judge it?
01:
Very moody, with a lazy groove and organic progression. Love the surprise of hearing the “1nce again” hook. Super loose and keeps interest throughout.
02:
Amazing. It feels like a warm blanket of sound with lots of low end. Love the keys, and the chosen ATCQ acapella is fire. The drum programming and keys improvisation make this an instant #1. Hard to beat. 3 points
03:
Hard beat. Eerie jungle atmosphere combined with crow sounds. I like the breakdown and build. The vocals are kind of intimidating (in a good way).
04:
Funky af, with a live feel and lots of personality. The punch-in effects are applied masterfully.
05:
I like the jazzy sample selection. Very much on point with the theme—it could be an original from the '90s.
06:
Love the drop in the beginning. The feel of this beat is great, so damn tasteful. The Busta Rhymes part is amazing, and the bird sound to end his bars is the cherry on top. 2 points
07:
Simple but effective, very much on theme. Nice, tasteful chops.
08:
Great build of tension in the intro. Love how the keys fade in quietly before the drums drop. A very tasteful beat with stank face all the way through. Funky panning and full of personality. The hook is haunting yet lovely.
09:
Another banger. The samples work so well together, and the rhythm’s anticipation is great. So many layers create a super nice atmosphere.
10:
Love the intro, and the hard acapella, especially the “come on.” Soulful guitars and awesome breaks. This one’s tough to beat. And those scratches at the end are the cherry on top! 1 point
11:
Love the organs. It feels like the entire composition was built from the ground up using single sampled notes. Great job.
12:
This one feels cohesive and well-put-together, with a classic soundscape. I wanted to hear it play out longer.
13:
Great outro beat for the tape. Love how it ties back to the intro with the rhythm guitar sample. Were they made by the same beatsmith?
14:
Fantastic beat. Love the drums, growling bass, and the delay on the howling monkey.
15:
The melancholic sample in the intro is beautiful. It contrasts nicely with the haunting main beat and sped-up vocals. If the sample is still there, it’s hard to find, so great work on recontextualizing.
Favorites:
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02 – 3 points
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06 – 2 points
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10 – 1 point
Honorable Mentions: All the rest!