The brief was; Reggaeton/Hip Hop remake of a classical piece called Asturias, which I assume is a fairly well loved and known classic. I wouldn’t say this is my best work, but what I did know is that 30 other composers were going to have trouble getting a groove and a decent pocket going in 6/4 or 12/8 whatever it’s in. It’s a weird time signature for sure, but the answer is it’s eethy peethy. Reggaeton/South American music is built for weird time signatures and I’ve worked in all kinds of time signatures, and the truth is, it only takes a few minutes for the brain to adjust from a lifetime of listening in 4/4 and once you’re locked in the time signature is, in effect, invisible. And I bet if I didn’t mention it, no one would notice this wasn’t 4/4.
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Google – Pixel Pro – Palladium On Two
Google just used this track, “Palladium On Two” for their latest hardware/spyware device, the Pixel 8. Palladium On Two is an Afro-Cuban dance music from New York, popular in the 1930’s and 40’s, doused in Mambo, and when they say Mambo, my immediate go to is the Maestro Rhythm King MkII drum machine by Gibson, who’s preset ‘Mambo’ is next level, brain scratcher, aka, the funky sound to Drake’s ‘Hotline Bling’, as sampled from Timmy Thomas ‘Why Can’t We Live Together’. In fact, you can barely hear it in this mix. It’s there though. Background flavor and starting point to another classic.
LA Galaxy Vocals – Ravi Drums
Quick vocal job here. Ravi needed vocals that sounded like a stadium chanting “LA Galaxy” for a set before an LA Galaxy soccer game at their Stadium in, yep, you’ve guessed it, L.A. Multiple layering of as many different variations of singing LA Galaxy into an sm-57, add a bit of reverb, some OTT, job done. His 10 min DJ set before the game was killer and included a track by Knock2 called “Dashstar”, which has a killer drop and well worth looking up.
Toyota
One of the Toyota uses of the track, ‘Freehand’. They seem to be makin’ fun of it. loool. Or rather, Ad creatives making fun of the ubiquitous average white man who can’t and should not dance. Full length version below/scroll down. Also on Spotify under the name Ape X Instrumentals.
Work Day Rising – Ravi Drums
A track for a conference in San Fran and subsequent digital ads. (early version of/the version I like). A collab with Ravi Drums and Steve Wreck, both of which are amazing. Ravi is an amazing performer and producer, killed it on this. I just played a bit of guitar and sung a rough chorus and “whoohoo” hook into an iphone and he took it from there. Adding the amazing voice of Steve Wreck, who sounds like how I think I sound like in my head, lol, but even better than that and changed woohoo into aaaahaaah, which is even better. This is what a vocalist is supposed to sound like. I’ll add Ravi’s contact in ‘contacts’. Great TV/Film/Records producer and all round star talent.
Kia Telluride
Cadillac
Toyota
Girl Most Likely – “Love Sweet Love” – from, like ages ago.
Jackery
Volvo
Volvo
Maybelline
Cameo
Don’t Blink – Gigamon
There is a voice over for this, and it does help the spot, especially as I always use a voice over like a singing vocal, but we’re here for the music, sorry Gigamon. A track called ‘The Industrial North’ – I’m thinking Manchester, UK, late 19th century, industrial revolution, factories, coal stacks, L.S Lowry, etc.
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