Glitches, Dissonance, Noise and Excitement
DJ Silv3Ster, an 18-year-old Hardcore artist from Kamloops, B.C., released a track remix "Hype the Core" on the 13th of August. Our first impression was with his WIP "Hyperactive", which was pacey and frantic, nice, if not a little cheesy. This is a more mature single, which he had "crazy fun" with, a UK Hardcore gem, which he insists is completely different to hardstyle.
BEAUTY IN ART:
"Hype the Core" is polished in presentation, like the polishing of a black oxford shoe on a sunny Saturday morning at the barber shop. At turns flurrying and hardcore, Silv3Ster goes for a happy hardcore mood, much like the dizzying frenzy of a rave, complete with samples of cheering fans and ambient noise. Complete with glitchy voice samples and fantastic swelling dynamics, the song's noisy texture transports the listener into "partying realm". That said, much of the song can get over-repetitive, with disjointed piano solos and a very noisy high-end, which makes it hard to hear the definition of the mix.
SKILL AND TECHNIQUE:
Comparison to other UK hardcore is difficult, because I have not included the genre as a group in my music diet. However, it sounds very typical of such a genre, with a steady and booming hard kick. The recent "Whistle Blow" was a more ambient and experimental piece, with dissonant far-away sounds and cloudy reverbs drifting off into the cloudy night. "Anger Has A Place" was an interesting Frenchcore track: a lot faster; a lot harder. So Silv3Ster's compositions on the whole revolve around this intense, fast theme, which, although it may be hard on impact, may lack some subtlety. Not to say that subtlety is unimportant in this genre.
INHERENT MEANING:
The track creates an intense emotion of hardcore partying, bouncing on the floor with a crowd of others at the rate of 190 bpm. It certainly appeals to the ear, and also seems to tip its hat to other works of the genre. However, the swelling dynamics, much like the swelling depths of the sea, seem to wash over me with little effect other than the occasional euphoria. Music that makes a statement, but could be developed further.
UNIQUENESS:
I don't think that this hasn't been done before, but what has been done before has been done well. It is unique in the way that it is disarming, but this can somewhat distract from the piece. What can have inherent meaning to some can come off as somewhat gimmicky to others.
FULFILLED INTENT:
"Hype the Core" succeeds in hyping up the core target of listening, the hardcore fans themselves. The intent is to ramp up the user, which I felt somewhat rising up in my spirit. However, this didn't deepen my understanding on UK Hardcore, it didn't tell me what you were trying to achieve. It didn't make me think, it just brought me along for the ride. I'm looking for music that appeals to my spirit as well as my brain. But that might just be a personal preference.
Benjamin
Friday Daze