Following up on the first "Beets" record I got exactly what I was hoping for. The first was short, too reminiscent of Nujabes and showed a spark of a unique sound which has blossomed on this record. NYC producer Biro has put together a second, short, installment of instrumentals clocking in at just seventeen minutes. "Frontusis" and "Ergo" two lush, melodic, sleepy Jazz Hop numbers that are decent but once again emulate the Nujabes style to the point of deception. They are great instrumentals, but the other six tracks all follow Biro's unique sound and further experiment with the vocal chops that made his tracks stand out on the first record.
Putting the best first, the record kicks off with two unforgettable beats, "Since You've Asked" flirts dangerously with compression as the baseline, kicks and vocal samples compete for volume, pushing one another back and forth, poised in an entrancing manor. Between the beat and bass two female vocal lines harmonize and play off one another as Biro chops and churns the lead vocals to end the audible lyrics with half cut words that play a charming melody with a quite genius touch to it. "Prismatic" follows with an upbeat moving track full of groove and jive with a zany melodic lead that hits hard like a hook. The song eventually breaks to a smooth, phased vocal cut that build the atmosphere up for one final kick of the zany lead before a seamless u-turn transition leads into "Round 1".
With the other tracks on this record Biro demonstrates more of his unique chemistry for matching chopped up vocals and samples. On "Herocratic" we get a taste of a break composed of chopped piano and synth to craft a new tune that sounds like a straight cut on first listen. These strengths are blossoming and Biro is showing much promise, the production was tight and consistent for a short collection of instrumentals showcasing his talent. Beets 3 is out, its longer and I'm now rather excited to hear what it has to offer!
Favorite Tracks: Since You've Asked, Prismatic, You Were
Rating: 5/10