VA:
Chilling on the Couch 03
Scientific Records
Like any genre, drum'n'bass is marked by an allegiance to a specific set of conventions, ferocious breaks and a general level of raucousness being two of its most fundamental—all of which makes Scientific Records' Chilling on the Couch series an especially appealing proposition for the way its deep cuts challenge such long-established tropes. Like the earlier chapters in the series, this third installment—the digital release also the Utrecht-based label's twenty-fifth—is programmed with the lounge in mind. Yet while that's true, many of the fifteen cuts retain the genre's punchy rhythmic edge whilst also honouring the chillout concept.
The collection's deep dive begins with a seductively dreamlike remix by Microfunk Crew of Naibu's “Fighting For Attention,” whose synthetic swirl bodes well for what's ahead. Label head Mav then teams with newcomer Sargon Empire for “From Here to Eternity,” its bass growl and lowslung groove neatly offset by sparkling atmospherics, piano chords, and vocal accents. If any of the material seems to capture most indelibly the album concept, it's the two contributions from Marso and Gala, both of which build on classic drum'n'bass skitter with atmospheric textures and vocals.
In truth, many a cut is so rhythmically muscular it's hard to think of it as lounge material. On that more emphatic tip there's “Concession” by Brazilian producer Bungle as well as Parhelia's “Life For Saturn,” which counters its heavy drum presence with a slow tempo conducive to dreaminess and hazy synthetic washes one might typically associate with ambient. Without betraying its drum'n'bass character, Chilling on the Couch strays into other areas, too. The collection gravitates in a dub-techno direction via Eissi's aggressive, reverb-drenched “Star” and also moves into an almost illbient-cum-triphop zone via Halo's “A Few Days Without Darkness.”
As with any compilation, certain tracks stand out, in this case mSdoS and dBase's “Greek Oracles,” for the inspired way the producers weave oboe-like timbres into its serenading design; N4M3's “Tomorrow,” whose sultry vibe soothes in the best way imaginable; and Physical illusion's “Ascent to Orbit,” which, similar to the mSdoS and dBase production, enhances its radiant electronic arrangement with flute-like touches; mention must be made too of Readsense and FlashbackFM's panoramic “Take Me Way,” a lovely melding of soulful electronica, ambient, and drum'n'bass. Par for the compilation course, there are also less enthralling moments, though in this case they're rare; fine otherwise, Seathasky's “Beauty Made in Small Pieces,” for instance, feels overlong when its ten minutes appear near the end of this fifteen-track collection. Such miscues are few, however, and one expects that in all likelihood an equally fine fourth chapter will materialize a few years down the road.October 2018