I’ll fully admit that I had no idea what to expect when I ordered this cassette. I had heard of EAZYBAKED through Twitter and had a vague idea of what type of music they made and I knew that it was vaguely something similar to what I was into, but if I’m completely honest, I went into this experience completely blind. I hadn’t listened to any of their previous work, or any of the work by the two collaboration artists for that matter.
That said, I’ve come to the conclusion that this debut album from the Orlando, FL based bass music duo was well worth the purchase after having listened to it front to back (and on shuffle) at least half a dozen times since it arrived in the mail a few weeks ago.
Throughout the ten enclosed tracks, EAZYBAKED outlines a style of bass music that is spacey and deep but also doesn’t lack for chunky riddim-style hooks or aggressive growling basslines.
From the meditative, twinkling keys of the intro track “Innertwine”, to the halftime banger “Goon Mentality” and the laid back chunky melodies of the closer “Distant Voices”, EAZYBAKED takes you on a journey on this album through ten unique tracks that showcase a wide variety of soundscapes while also retaining a central, consistent aesthetic. Among several stellar 140 tracks there are also a number of interesting tempo shifts which serve to keep the flow of the album fresh.
The tracks on this album don’t feel crowded, regardless of how much or how little may be going on in them at a given point. This space, along with the excellent ambience and pad-work brings to mind the memory of distant basslines that ring out in the night as you walk along a dimly lit trail, ultimately leading you to your final destination which is a crowded dancefloor in the middle of a forest where you can see the silhouettes and shadows cast by the trees, but never the trees themselves. The mood can be ominous, but is never oppressive and, while intense on the senses, there is an urgency about you being there that makes you want to stay.
This album features two collaborations, one with VCTRE, being “The East” and one with Of The Trees, being “Sapped”. Both collaborations are excellent but my preference is “Sapped”, with its croaking bassline and ominous melody. That said “The East” seems to be the more dancefloor oriented of the two songs so who’s to say which will get more play from me in the future. Of the whole album, my favorite track is “S.O.T.E.”, a chill halftime stepper overlaid with gentle strings and a contemplative melody.
All in, I would consider this to be a worthwhile purchased both as a fan of dance music in general, and as a DJ. “Intertwined” by EAZYBAKED had added some unique and new 140/dubstep to my digital record bin and having gone into this experience with no real expectations, I was really happy with what I got out of it.
In the event that there happens to be an EAZYBAKED tour date in Toronto, then I may be interested in going.
If you want to purchase “Intertwined” by EAZYBAKED you can pick it up on Bandcamp at the following link:
Nickel City Frequencies // Official Website 