Triggers

Sub Swara – Triggers
Reviewed by Sadie O., 10/14/10
Electronic dance production duo from New York. Their first release was definitely on the Ragga-Dancehall tip, this is kinda international club/Hip Hop, so it’s added as Hip Hop rather than Reggae, which would be a real stretch… Several fine guests, some of whom are vocalists. Lots of blats and farts and burps – huzzah!
Vocals on tracks 3, 6, 10, 12, 14 only. Might be an FCC on 3.
1. 5:33 **chimes for 20 seconds, then buzzes and slow syncopated groove. After a minutes gets a funky blatty crawl on, which is a huge improvement. Ends with bongos.
2. 5:39 **buzz and chimes, then funky plinks and gronches, builds energy. No lyrics, a few yells
3. 4:34 FCC?? Might be “fuck”, can’t really tell… **hip hop rap by Dead Prez, tough buzzy electronic boom bap.
4. 5:33 *chords, chirps, whoozles. Very slow boom bap after a minute. Fades, gets random zoozes, siren. Fades, then a fast zoozy club beat.
5. 5:29 ***slow, exotic sounding, with helicopters and menace. Gets funky, complex and cool. A bit of flutes and anxiety later in the number.
6. 4:51 FCC: “shit” **belches, squeeps, big beats and drama. Rap starts almost 2 minutes along.
7. 4:51 ***emphatic piano intro, turning into great slightly downtempo funk shuffle with beatboxing (maybe that’s Shamik’s contribution?)
8. 5:33 **electronic whooshing, vibrating osculatrices… Lots of variations, cool rhythms.
9. 4:20 ****super funky midtempo riddim with horns, a real hip-wiggler. Less blatty, a bit Brazil-Caribbean sounding.
10. 4:12 **** female fractured singing in Brazilian Portuguese(?)… a bit uptempo funky percussion-based groove, rather like a sophisticated Baila Funk. Nice.
11. 5:22 **zooms and tweeps and vibrawoobles; very slow 4/4 backbeat.
12. 4:00 *****shufflety-links that morph into super-ooper funky midtempo bop with Lyrics Born. Holy shit, does it get any better than that? Nope! Not until the big drums start halfway through, and then it does!
13. 4:37 ***midtempo funky boopy stuff with wheezles and farts.
14. 4:26 **pretty female singing (singer apparently formerly with Parliament), rather downtempo relaxed lopassed electronic stroll.