Bump In The Hump Sneak Peek: Drainpuppet - dark water

One of the great pleasures of hosting Bump In The Hump is discovering new artists. It happens every week, nearly every day. Often times these are mere stumble upon moments, and because of the all-new focus I don't necessarily play these discoveries right away. I'll log the name in my continually growing database, follow their socials, and hope I reestablish the connection when I see their name again. That was the case yesterday when Hamilton's Drainpuppet dropped the lead track "dark water" from her forthcoming third album aether light, which closes out the elements trilogy of Firewater and AIR_EARTH. Due out August 28th on one of my favourite labels, DESKPOP, if this lead track is any indication the album will be expansive, inventive, delicate yet powerful and beautiful. Intelligent dance music indeed, catch it in the mix on Bump In The Hump tonight and pre-order/stream here.After the long weekend you might expect a lack of shows this weekend, however that is not the case as I've got tracks looking ahead to sets from Kontravoid, Dombresky, Shiba San, Sydney Blu, Hot Chip, Dustin Nantais and more. Attlas, Memphis, Pusher, Slooze, and STUND stay hot in the summer with yet more new music. Finally, fresh off Veld there's new releases from both Lukav and Rezz. Don't miss all that and more live from 7-9 PM EDT via Radio Humber or cataloged via Mixcloud here.

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Vince Kaichan - Midsummer Days EP

New for your Friday consumption comes a jazzy, chiptune masterpiece from California's Vince Kaichan, called Midsummer Days. Its six tracks are all stunning examples of dynamic, flowing, mid-tempo jazz. Centered in a chiptune environment, it is a delightful depiction of a laidback, virtual reality video game; it's fluid and never ending, yet never boring. It can be yours now, for free on Bandcamp. Vince Kaichan's framing of each track with strong, distinct, identities and imbuing them with traveling, playful jazz rhythms makes for an incredible ride through Midsummer Days. Each track plays a role, placing the listener in a dazzling artificial landscape. The EP succeeds with its rich delivery of overwhelming nostalgia repackaged through jazzy manouvers, able capture our subconscious.

"Shangri-La Dreaming" begins the theme of reverie, painting a peaceful picture of a most heavenly waiting room; a loading screen you don't mind for a change. It's also our first insight into Vince Kaichan's fluid feel for not only combining multiple instruments, but playing them so wonderfully, laying down brilliant solos. The pan flute in this first track is the pièce de résistance, yet only a tease of the beautiful instruments and melodies yo to come. "Mirage" washes over you like a haze. More upbeat, it sweeps along with marching percussion and evaporating solos, dissipating into the hot air.

"Cruising Deep Pacifica" is my favourite of the bunch with its awesome MIDI bass, sparkling star guitar work and twisting, dreamy synth background. The combination of each soloing instrument and backing melody is breathtakingly beautiful, working together in such sonorous harmony. "Sunshower Meteorite" perfectly depicts the depth of space, with its seemingly barren, dark recesses. The brilliance of this track is however the piano work that lifts and lightens our soul, defiantly shining through the dark bass.

"Harvest Moon" really takes the weightless feeling to a higher level, so much so, that each bouncing melody sends you vaulting, dozens of feet into the sky. It leaves you with an overwhelming feeling peace and ease of mind. This transitions perfectly into the last track, "Hopscotch '97" which really drives home the ethos of the computer produced, pop jazz EP. It's fun, funky, and full of radiant joy. It may be the perfect track for surfing the internet, feeling unfamiliarly like a sea-based Mario or Mario Kart level. If you're still reading this, I'll let you in on a little secret, if you download the Deskpop backed EP from Bandcamp, you'll receive a bonus track, "Ice Tea Lemonade." Like the drink, Arnold Palmer, it is tremendously tasteful and easy to consume.

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FLOOR BABA - EVERLASTING

Perhaps one of the most well composed tracks of the year, FLOOR BABA's "EVERLASTING" is truly a work of art, weaving his wizardry, crafting an extremely enjoyable pop track through the combination of hip internet sub-scenes. Forthcoming from sophomore album NEON DEATH, set to be released on his own DESKPOP label. Being so 'pop' driven (contemporaneous, voguish and singularly focused), the way FLOOR BABA is able to successfully combine the wide range of genre tags (3 of each #wave #hop #post + a #future) is with world record precision, as though flying through a video game with all the cheats enabled. Cheekily christened, "EVERLASTING" moves so effortlessly from level to level getting the most play out of the game experience. It's as though each new playful, jazz-element added represents a new level supported by the chiptuned background. From it's initially dim, rising vaporwave beginnings, airy gamewave opening screen, bright psychedelic bells, to the funky future drum fills and just right jazz fusion combination of elements, FLOOR BABA crafts an excellent storyline.

I am continually amazed at the unique qualities and styles of producers that the world is seeing right now. While some may lament the rise of the so-called 'soundcloud dj,' I love the internet community because of the inherent ability to guardedly share yourself in ways you wouldn't otherwise in public (good or bad). If the internet can foster the confidence of just one otherwise unwilling yet talented producer to share his or her work, I believe it almost inevitably has a positive outcome, as someone, somewhere, is bound to enjoy it. The reality is no music could possibly suit everyone, but there certainly are tracks that can be appreciated by the masses and I believe FLOOR BABA has one on his hands with "EVERLASTING."

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