While we are all aware of dubstep, when the blurb for Mind Palace by Buck Wilson spat out the term “Post Dubstep”, my priapism for wubs certainly peaked.
And straight away, like a bunch of ninja amphibians bursting out of a sewer drain. We are slapped with the sonic delights of TMNT. A delightful mix of early 2000s overtones I could see Craig David or Flowdan or Roni Size, flowing and/or crooning over this track like hype-fed demons. Also, don't lie, I know you just sang Craig David’s name a-la Bo Selecta!
Anyway, it's bouncy speed-garage groove, coupled with its throbbing bass line. would fit perfectly into an era where chavs spent more money on their sound systems than they did on their rusty motors. And this track taps into that simple yet punchy sound.
The bass-driven shuffle continues with lurker, which has this dub/dancehall blend that is so reminiscent of early uk/euro dubstep that takes me to the myriad of London venues where the soundsystem never stops. Hell, for the first time hearing this track, I was swaying to the beat in the middle of my room with my eyes closed, like it's a portal to those countless nights where I would feel the pressure waves from the huge speakers blasting this stuff.
Actually, it gives me vibes of a track that would be on a “Smoking Beats” compilation CD from the late 2000s. Which I know is a weird pull. Okay, what I'm trying to say is this track would be further enhanced with a lung full of THC.
And if the first two tracks didn't put you in a filthy mood. Go Psycho is here to whip you into a bass-driven frenzy. And I love the play between the almost morse-coded bassline that accentuates the metallic synth licks, and the titular screams to go indeed psycho. All come together in a wonderful booty shifter that is as addictive as it is layered. Once again, it may sound simple, but the more I hear it, the more things I find. Like a dembow needle in a haystack made of dembow beats!
Smile You’re On Camera is the go-home track, and wow.. You can tell the artist behind this project is a musical sponge. Layering all the sounds/vibes we have experienced so far and throwing it back into your ears like a sub-bass’d hardoken. And this whole track list feels like it should have been on the soundtrack to an SSX game. Because every time I have fired it up for this review. I have this carnal need to carve up some fresh pow-pow man... Whatever that means?
My neurosis aside, Buck Wilson certainly put me in their Mind Palace, and it's a place I would happily give five stars on Yelp!
In less silly words... me likey