A world without mixtapes is the same as a world without any fun.
Pack up the bouncy castle, the party is over.
Although truth the author is not old enough to claim any cognizance of mixtapes in literal cassette form, the above statement shall not be retracted; even if gis generation is related more to P2P programs than TDK's and Peter Gabriel.
Regardless, mixtapes are a means of distributing songs and have adapted with the time. New forms have arisen. Genres vary and styles differ. No two are exactly the same; some are compilations, some are projects with a vision, and some simply never get released (here's looking at Sosa's Mansion Musick). But whether artist driven, or DJ co-signed, the aim of any mixtape is to circumvent the industry complex. The people deserve new sounds. Mixtapes have become so pervasive, news stories have been published on the matter. Capitol darling John Lennon may have said, "Music is everybody's possession. It's only publishers who think that people own it," but new and novels ways of limiting mixtapes are alive and well.
The mixtape below, however, is strange and intriguing all its own.
Titled "Afro House Mixtape 2015," Lisbon's Breyth - real name Cledy Figueira - first released his New Year's mixtape on 3 January. The original thirty minute mix was comparable to Firmeza's "Mix Mandamentos do Afro," though perhaps more accessible. Dotorado's "African Scream" made a presence, as well as an afro-house remix of Justin Timberlake's portion on "Holy Grail." Throughout the tape, instrumentals were interspersed among vocal tracks; keeping listeners and dancers engaged. While the genres were subject to change - afro-house to luso-rap to batida/kuduro - both tempo and tone were consistent. Vibes were energetic and the mood never dipped too low. In essence, the mix served as a recap of 2014 while providing an outlook of the year to come
Alas, the release vanished.
No explanation was needed, because a reason was required. The music was tenderly mixed and lovingly shared, and free to download too. Peculiarly enough, though, a replacement mix arrived over the weekend. Titled, "Afrohouse Mixtape EP 1," with a run time that is five minutes longer. The cover art, too, is distinctly different. Far from adding a song or two onto the original, this second incarnation is a unique creation. The only carry-over from the original is the Justin Timberlake/Jay-Z remix mentioned above; a sign of mostly English language lyrics to come. By and large, what follows is essentially house. Percussion on each track is varied and spirited, and the bass four to the floor, but the overall feel is more indebted to disco and Chicago than Luanda or Lisbon. Tambourine and shaker quietly provide support. Breyth's mixing, however, does not syncopate hard. Melodically, the songs may feature the odd traditional element, but are, for the most part, carried by soft synths reminiscent of South African house songs. A long warm-up aside, the transitions are typically seamless transitions. Detriments aside, "Afrohouse Mixtape EP 1" provides, if nothing else, a welcome introductory set for the uninitiated, or otherwise for fans of EDM at large looking to add variety to the collection (as it is free to download)
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