Virtual Crate Digging: Under the Influence
Folks are always asking about what’s new and upcoming but, as shown by the vital and venerable culture of crate digging, looking backwards can also yield unexpected results and reveal hidden gems. And boy oh boy do we have some hidden gems. Let’s dig through our virtual bins of vinyl and see what we find.
Oddball Mixtape With Extra Shot of Personality
Under the Influence (UND-014) is an album that seems to defy categorization. The description for this album is a few simple words: fun, goofy, bizarre, tipsy, altered. When you partner those keywords with the drunken neon lights and Vegas-like artwork, it spurs the curiosity.
What does that really sound like?
With over thirty tracks and a variety of genres, the door is left wide open. What I found was an album that feels more like an incredible mix-tape of library tracks that are just a little off-kilter. The oddities are more subtle than you’d think, giving tracks that extra dose of originality that can help a spot shine.
“Drip Drop Damp” starts with an overly filtered keyboard, sounding more like a talkbox guitar on steroids than a keyboard. But when the funky beat and bass enter midway through, it all makes sense. It’s really just a super chill, mid-tempo funk track with a unique lead. A similar effect happens with “Preparedness Kit.” The track centers around a building, oddball rhythmic pattern using a prepared piano (a la John Cage) and upright bass. The result is light, catchy, and wholly unexpected.
On the other end of the spectrum is “Bedazzled Personal Assistant,” a pop track that could be off an early Depeche Mode record, but really leans into the mega-cheesy riff for the entire 32 seconds. With “I Spy Rasta Sly,” spy/surf rock gets partnered with a hint of Reggae offbeats and somehow it makes sense, adding that extra touch to make it stand out.
This list goes on and on, covering genres like country, hip-hop, rock, cartoon, and more. Under the Influence should be treated like a mix-tape or playlist. It’s an album to go to when you have a production that embraces the oddball and needs a splash of personality to perk up the ears of the audience.
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