Noah Slee and DJ Cam Quartet

Well, I'm back! It's been about a week or so since my last post, but I am so pleased about the music I am bringing to you going forward. This past week was South by Southwest, SXSW, which is a huge festival in Austin. For a week, we get to celebrate the most innovative and exciting new things coming up in technology, film, and music. I had the incredible opportunity to attend some of the SXSW Music events, and my goodness, it was spectacular. I've seen so many new artists and I am very excited to share these new players with you.

So start off this exposé, we have an artist from New Zealand. Noah Slee is an artist who has been on my radar for a while, and I couldn't believe that he came to SXSW! Unfortunately, I was unable to see him perform, but that won't stop me from talking about his music. Noah Slee brought his cool soul to the SXSW stage, and I have to admit that Austin is so much better off by knowing his name. His musical style is not unfamiliar to us. Noah Slee has this smooth way of blending traditional soul with more experimental sounds and genres, giving us an intoxicating array of songs and sounds. The electronic production he uses on his tracks, gives each song an individual flavor and soundscape. No song sounds the same, and each one has a different story to tell.

This song in particular, has more of a focus on blending soul with contemporary R&B. This is a style of music which I sometimes feel is oddly under represented. This is a beautiful track to slow down the pace of the day, allowing the listener to just take a moment and vibe. This track gives us a really good sample of how much Noah Slee is capable of. The meticulous production of smooth and soulful melodies is impeccable.

This song is actually a rework of a famous 80's song. These kinds of covers can always be dangerous for artists. The cover has to offer something fresh while also being an enjoyable listen, especially for more popular songs. But Noah Slee has taken the original song and made it his own masterpiece. Hearing the way he is able to turn the original track into a seductive and smooth slow jam is more hypnotic and ambient than anything else. Somehow, Noah Slee is able to create a gentleness while maintaining a lush and even keeled voice. Even the falsettos are perfectly pitched and are of a more molasses quality- sweet and rich.

What I found so enticing and neat about this song, is the way Noah Slee structures the instrumental background. The song starts out as this stripped down, sensual sound. We get something that is subtle and soft, like the crackling of a fire place. It is comforting and soothing, while also being warm and relatively simple. But towards the end, he turns up the percussion and adds a bit more beat and rhythm to the track. It is as if he is breathing life into the track so that it may evolve into an upbeat sound. And the best part lies in how effortless this rework is. It never feels like Noah Slee is trying too hard. His rework takes a song which is almost 30 years old and renews the life of the song. It is pretty clear to see why he simple had to be featured in SXSW, and why I had to discuss his music.

Today's instrumental track comes from a DJ who bring presents us with some of the best sounds of jazz and hip hop, and a neat little bow tied around it. DJ Cam Quartet has found a delightful blend of the genres, coming to a medium between the genres. There isn't one which overpowers the other, rather, the sounds weave in an out of each other. The entire sound is meant to be intertwined, and DJ Cam Quartet molds the two different sounds into the soundscape we have now. I hope you enjoy the music and please feel free to comment!



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