Spacebudda – Time. Sounds from Tha KubEHole Vol.1
Spacebudda – Time. Sounds from Tha KubEHole Vol.1 – EP Review
“Awwww wait a minute – you recording all of this right now?” #ifitsoundsTHISgoodyoubetterbelieveit!
That’s what you’ll hear right before “Mother. Jungle. Woman.” kicks-in to what’s real from the music to the microphone and this record by Spacebudda gives you your first sample of the empowered vibe and poetic funk goin’ on – this is colorful…this is lively…this is ART y’all, straight up. Spacebudda enlists the talents of Asa Lovechild to bring the magic to the mic – and what else can be said – this was an extremely wise move! She’ll take on the vocal duties for the majority of these cuts on Time. Sounds from Tha KubEHole Vol.1 – and it doesn’t take more than five seconds of hearing her sing to know exactly why that is – she’s sensational to the nth degree. This whole song sounds like a genuine case of everyone involved being inspired by each other to bring their absolute best to it…and at the end of the day, it’s every bit as stunning for its wild entertainment value as it is for the remarkable professionalism that exists at the core of this collaborative effort as well. We’ve got people that were absolutely meant to make music here on this Spacebudda record – and just mere seconds into “Mother. Jungle. Woman.” makes that crystal clear – you just don’t run into musicians as INTO IT as these cats are right off the drop – and it makes all the difference in the world for us as listeners. LISTEN to these harmonies! LISTEN to the heights the LEAD reaches! LISTEN to the insatiable psych-funk vibes goin’ on and how addictive they are – LISTEN to the insightful commentary being made throughout the lyricism – LISTEN to the powerfully poetic spoken word art bring created at the end with the wild guitar solos goin’ on in the background…I mean c’mon y’all…this is a master-class on how to put personality into music and make a first impression that knocks the socks straight up off your feet, even if you’re standin’ on’em at the time! Taking you through the audible history of culturally-infused sound right from the roots to the expressive & artistic vibes that stand out just as much for the craft as they do for the execution – Spacebudda and Asa Lovechild make an extraordinary impact on ya and get the entire planet onboard with this first track; resistance is as futile as you’ve ever encountered folks…trust me – you don’t even KNOW how addictive the music you’re about to hear on this record is going to prove to be – but within a single spin, you will. Because once you give it a single spin, you realize there IS NO giving this song just one solitary go around – you’ll want this wild throwback vibe rotatin’ in your record players for years & years; dig that cool cats.
Speaking of cats – how deadly is the beginning of “Kitty” you ask? It’s as brilliant as brilliant gets dear readers, dear friends – believe that. You’re probably gonna find that Spacebudda ends up with a ton of comparisons to early Zero 7 from back when Sia was still rockin’ with the crew when it comes to this cut…but even just saying that, as rad as that might be to hear a similarity with – it’s still NOTHING like experiencing “Kitty” for yourself, you feel me? I am straight-up ENAMORED with the musicianship and art on display here – this is an awe-inspiring cut that fully proves Spacebudda not only has the vibe you wanna hear, it’s altogether next-level. Rozz Nash slays this track as your featured guest on the mic – like, SLAYS. IT. – are you hearing me? “Kitty” is one of the best songs I think I’ve ever heard in my LIFE, nevermind just this one record – and if that doesn’t encourage this collaborative crew to keep the music they’ve got goin’ long beyond what they’ve accomplished with Time. Sounds from Tha KubEHole Vol.1 – I’m not sure I know what else I could possibly say that would. The guitars and drums alone at the very start should instantly have you interested…the CONTROL on this vibe is just pure joy to listen to – the professionalism and art radiates from every single pore of this song…interesting, mysterious, enticing, vibrant, soulful…”Kitty” is all that & more. Don’t get it twisted & don’t get me wrong – Asa Lovechild throws it down with authority when she’s on a track – but this performance right here from Rozz Nash will definitely make you wish we got her on a couple more to balance out the lineup a little bit more – or at least give us another crack at getting something else that’s as straight-up amazing as “Kitty” is! This is like hearing Alternative R&B/Soul fused together as one…words cannot express how much love I’ve got for the writing, for the performance, for the final results…to me, this cut deserves ALL the awards this year. Every which way you tilt your head, “Kitty” spills the milk of absolutely mesmerizing music into your ears…for as subtle & slow moving as it genuine is – to hear how intense & bold this becomes…I mean…I said it, and I meant it – I’m awestruck by this track 100%; it’s brilliantly creative, slickly addictive, and undeniably compelling.
I think what might have probably sold me the most on Time. Sounds from Tha KubEHole Vol.1 overall though, was actually the cut that came next, called “Water.” I know what you’re thinking. How can I just go ahead and claim “Kitty” was one of the best songs I’ve ever heard in my entire life, and then say that it’s actually “Water” that ends up being the clincher? I’ll admit – it probably seems like a pretty strange comment…I get that – but consider where I’m coming from. On any given record, when you’ve got a song that comes after what is a clear-cut, significant, or monumental highlight, it sets up a massive challenge for whatever might come next. By all accounts & measures based on what I’ve told ya here – “Water” should have outright FAILED – but I didn’t once ever feel the strain of leaving such an incredible tune in “Kitty” and gliding my way right into “another world” on “Water” every single time I spun my way through this record. Spacebudda just has an outstanding grip on how to make music connect to the mind, body, and soul – and sensual cuts like “Water” explore stunningly sensory vibes that you can feel. Credit to Asa as well – she won’t ever let ya down, and proves to be a consistently reliable asset on the mic, track after track – what she’s been bringing to the music of Spacebudda has been nothing short of remarkable. “Water” keeps its shimmering & sparkling cool from the start to the finish – but make no mistake y’all – this track is as hot as hot can be at the very same time when you consider the lyricism and the vibe from the vocals – it makes for exceptional contrast and an all-out stellar song to listen to. With production that’s every bit as on-point as the production – you gotta hand it to Spacebudda for the impeccable attention paid to the finest details from the lefts to the rights – this is music that stands out for all the right reasons to begin with, but the dedication to the details makes this material outstanding. The real point, is that “Water” held up where it probably shouldn’t have at all, speaking volumes on behalf of the strength in what Spacebudda creates and just how effective this combination of talents is.
The most you’d find me conceding to ya is that I probably dig the first three cuts a bit more when it comes to the writing & hooks – but if we’re talking about performances, Asa Lovechild once again comes out swinging for the fence with an absolutely wild one on “Hard Days / Good Nights” – she’s like a one-woman En Vogue all on her own, and it’s seriously rad to listen to her thriving as powerfully as she does on this fourth track from Time. Sounds from Tha KubEHole Vol.1. The reality is, it’s a lot more of a bare-bones cut at the core of its DNA, built mainly on kickass bass-lines and a gigantic thunderous beat to guide you along…just a hint of percussion and Electro elements along with it – and you gotta recognize just how differently this cut could have potentially come out if it didn’t have the vibrant juice that Asa brings to the mic…it would have been fairly low-key and chill, rather than the riotously colorful track that it becomes. “Hard Days / Good Nights” is built on layers of spectacular vocals that have Lovechild rockin’ to the heights of her sensational style, and it’d be impossible not to notice just how essential she is to the success of this cut. She carries serious weight on her shoulder as she grooves to this Spacebudda tune, but she delivers in-full. She needed to knock this one outta the park if it was gonna have vocals to it, and bring a whole new dimension to its vibe – not much else can be said other than mission accomplished, 100%. The bass-lines are worth the price of admission alone – but the confidence in Lovechild’s vocals and the clever structuring of the layers from the lead to the background makes all the difference in the world here…it’s given this track the spark it needed to stand out for sure.
Mind you, you listen to a track like “Them Eyes” and you can certainly appreciate how the music of Spacebudda has always been reliable, inventive, creative, and intensely skillful throughout this whole record – an instrumental was a good move to remind us that there’s just as much goin’ on in the sound of this collaborative effort as there has been personality to dig on from the microphone throughout this EP. You’d never catch me complaining, not one bit – it ain’t gonna happen. I could listen to “Them Eyes” all day long y’all – it’s just superbly played, brilliantly mixed, and completely engaging from the lefts to the rights…you know, all in a day’s work for Spacebudda. For real – I’m starting to get the impression that if there’s a bass kickin’ around, an amplifier, and a plug to connect the two – that’s almost all the ingredients you’d ever need when it comes to Spacebudda’s tunes – we’ve got that Thundercat-esque style of greatness & refreshing creativity goin’ on here, and I’m 100% lovin’ it! I had no problem at all gettin’ lost right into a smart combination of sound like you’ll find on “Them Eyes” – from the pulse that guides the music, to the bass that leads the way, and all the atmospheric elements added in from start to finish, the music of Spacebudda can’t help but stand out for all the right reasons. You want vibrant color, artistic charisma, and real bounce in the music you’re listening to, you’ll need look no further than “Them Eyes” – this track supplies the very vibe you want in your 2021 soundtrack.
Going low-key for the finale, Spacebudda has made yet another completely wise decision in finishing this record…of course, having said that, you’ll notice the intelligent way this entire EP moves from the beginning to end altogether – this is extremely well thought-out music y’all, and the whole lineup speaks strongly on behalf of that fact. “Time.” is an excellent example of the focus that’s been applied the entire time, and sounds like they’ve harnessed a fireball’s worth of intensity into burning bright like a nuclear ember to keep you warm. Asa sounds like she could belt out a note into the universe above at any given moment in the hooks of the chorus, but like the clever collaboration this EP has continually proven to be, they execute like complete professionals, and give the song what it genuinely needs without stuffing it full of something it doesn’t. The whispered hush of intensity & the backing vocals supporting Asa was the way to go for sure…it’s a brilliant way of raising the stakes just that much more without having to bring in something that wouldn’t have suited this vibe. As for the verses themselves – good lord…after all the amazing moments we’ve heard from Asa so far, she STILL might be giving us her best here at the end – it really is that hard to say! I’m all about the energy she’s put into all of these songs where she’s made an appearance to lead the way on the mic – but hearing her take the low-key route for this soulful performance at the end really did get a spellbinding & captivating performance outta her that’s unlike any of the others. All-in-all, “Time.” ends up playing in a very humble, isolated, and intimate way…like it’s the middle of the day and you just happened to walk into a bar full of legendary musicians & exceptional talents gathered together and naturally just jamming out whatever seems to come out, organically, but with that professional touch that allows everyone to get in where they fit in, and slide right into the mix without any interruption to the flow. There’s not a ton goin’ on other than the vocals & filtered bass grooves, but Spacebudda & Asa prove this is theoretically all they’d ever need if it simply came down to keeping us completely entertained. Thankfully, they like variety clearly just as much or more than I do, and that gear has certainly been flexed mightily throughout the lineup of Time. Sounds from Tha KubEHole Vol.1, which gives us listeners the opportunity to be thrilled in a whole variety of exciting & seriously refreshing ways. No punches were pulled when it came time to perform and record this EP – the A-game has been brought to every moment, and as a result, you get a bulletproof lineup of material that is stocked full of personality, passion, and professionalism combined.
Listen to music by Spacebudda at Spotify here: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5847OesaTblle2AZgJQ1dJ
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