The music is best appreciated at night in a long car ride. Truth be told, though, any confined space is bound to do. Details are not of the essence. So long as the the volume is raised, and distractions are limited, any of Firmeza's tunes can be appreciably heard. These are songs that demand the wide-range of warehouse usurped by a sound system just as well as the privacy of a therapist's office. Contradiction appears to be a running theme. Frustration is merely everpresent and abound. Alas, DJ Firmeza will not rest until singularity between dancefloor and music is achieved.
A member of the Piqueno Djs Do Ghetto (PDDG) crew, Dj Firmeza makes music. Granted he is not PDDG's sole producer, the 22 year old Firmeza sets himself apart through confidence. Influences are many but the desire to create an individual style speaks for itself. An unmistakable credo is heard in his songs: patience is rewarded. The same qualities that elevate a Firmeza track above the field are the same as those that relegate it into oblivion. Their aesthetic is timeless - aside from the odd bandoneon or steel drums - modern flavor is largely ignored. The beats are hypnotic and each Firmeza song bears a signature: a single element is assigned authorship over a track. Like the 'b' in d'n'b, or the subwoofer work in deep-house, it is all about the song within the song. This unique sword has two edge, however, and the audience can be consumed or made passive.
As the beat of "Terrorita 4000" gains its bearings, "typical" and "different" come to mind. The unembodied vocal sample labors over its syncopated, "Cha...cha...chachachacha" portion. This rhythm seems atypical because rather than a fast-tempo kuduro, Firmeza has opted for a slower, tarraxinha tinged rhythm As the introductory segment concludes, a baby cries, a yell is heard, and the song proper begins. Suddenly, the predominant male vocals do not seem as rigid as a sample would indicate. An additional ten-seconds pass before the tag drops, and a child proclaims "Dj Firmeza na casa." A second pair of vocals, male grunts, are incorporated before the sound of automobiles alerts listeners to the upcoming transition. Firmeza's fondness for subtle alteration is heard in the two-bar descending bassline. Both vocal samples adapt accordingly; at times veering further into improvisational territory. As before, the section ends with a seemingly random extended sample - sudden female laughter - and the 4/4 bass returns. The original segment is nearly looped except for the original, stubborn male vocals refusing incessant repetition. A soulful run credited to the female voice and a crash cymbal return the song to a take on the second segment, now featuring a one-note synth. With the outro beginning prior to the three minute mark, the song's free sound liberates it from a structure that appears akin to A-B-A-B. Overlooked, all the while, is the neat thirty second length of each verse. "Terrorista 4000" is a dense and difficult song that challenges it audiences. Do not be detracted by the idea of multiple listens, this is a very good song made in Firmeza's style.
- John Noggle
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