Twenty-seven year-old Los Angeles/San Diego turntablist and drum 'n' bass (DnB) resident Jayvon presents the up-and-coming laptop generation with the "Next Generation Drum And Bass," even if it sounds a bit cliché. Hey ladies, he's on My Space! There's not much out there on him except a recent history, which includes the fact that his last CD released in 2005, Basswhore, is currently out of stock.
The Sound and Style
Jayvon is noted for his incorporation of laptop and turntables in live performances, but mainly for his "Bass Heavy – Funky – Relentless – Aggressive – Energetic – Ass-Shaking Drum and Bass." Not limited to typical (dry and repetitive) DnB, Jayvon's unique blend of music is refreshing and intriguing. What's different and "fun" about Jayvon is that he seeks out familiar rap, rock, and jazz songs to sample in between and throughout the mix – ultimately producing an album of delightful remixes. The sections in between these familiar songs tend to echo the traditional – stereotypical – repetitive and anxious "panic modality" of most drum 'n' bass. On many DnB records today, I sense a lack of diversity in any changing aspect in the beats or the same old pulsating synth tones. It's a breath of refreshing air to have a fast as hell DnB song just stop in midair and revert back into its original chilled-out, lower BPM format. Then, it's back to the furiously catchy DnB riffs- and so on and so on. The magic touch here – entirely familiar sounds driven forward to the future by the progressive, hi-tech DRUM 'N' BASS beat and massive amount of energy!!
Hot Tracks
I loved the fact that many of the tracks have ??? for the remixer or artist. "It's just like, who knows who changed up the original tune?!" #2, Mobb Deep ft 50 Cent vs. ???, "Outta Control Remix" starts off in "DA CLUB" thinking we are on a soft step hip-hop journey. Well, that is not the case! As soon as there is a break in the beat, Jayvon launches into what he excels at – the Drum N Bass frenzy mode. #8 Pharrell ft. Gwen Stefani vs. ???, "Can I Have It Like That" has the same amount of rock and pop energy that's on modern radio swirled together with the more urban sounds of jungle influence. #9 ???, "Pump Friction" is a wonderful tribute to the original Pulp Fiction dialogue (robbery scene) breaking out into a surf rock & DnB explosion!!
#23, ??? vs. Nancy Sinatra, "Shot You Down Remix" one of the best remixes I have heard all year. It combines the soft and sexy vocals of Sinatra (female version, my favorite!) with the hardest, most cutting beats on the CD. You have to hear this one to believe the juxtaposition that Jayvon creates in many of these marvels. ***Truly, every track here is noteworthy in some way. If it isn't fiery or different or silly or moody, it isn't on this CD.
The Electric Technique
Intermittently dispersed throughout the fierce tracks are delightfully silly samples including "audio-nerd" education (#13), the monologue of the experienced DJ lamenting being new in the music biz (having to pass out CDs etc.), background sounds during a movie soundtrack, et al. Jayvon's mixing is brilliant and creative. The transitions are either completely black & white, such as the movie or ambient dialogue episodes, or flawless, in the manic-paced DnB style.
Next Generation-ally Speaking
Electric is the kind of album that a dreamy person would conceive of
in one afternoon. Like, "wouldn't it be cool if a DnB track just
turned into 'Shot You Down' and then went in and out like that…"
Jayvon's futuristic motif capitalizes on his musical and mental
diversity – he has a really magical way of taking his listeners inside
a heated dancehall then laying us out into aural landscapes of
lounge-inducing sweetness. After several listens, this one-of-a kind
album earned a special place in my desire to reach beyond the mundane
in new dance music. I eagerly await the Next one from a true leader in
the Next Generation…
