Kicks n Licks - The Expedition

Kicks n Licks are probably one of my favourite bass acts at the moment.

What I like about this San Diego duo is that they have such a clear sound and they don't try to do too many things at once. Less is more with these guys and I always respect that.

Their self released EP The Expedition has been one of my top plays for the week. More props to them for making this beauty a free download because it is definitely loaded with quality tracks. 

I really liked the fact that they have a variety of bass tracks on their EP. You will find dubstep, drum and bass and even a trap track on the EP. It definitely shows their flexibility as producers. The EP will show their Hip Hop roots come through into a well crafted bass EP. It is always great when producers combine other genres into their work.

While listening to the EP I must say that the their sound reminded me a little a bit of Adventure Club with the melodic synth work. 

The feel good drum and bass banger After Hours and the hard hitting title track The Expedition are definitely the best tracks off the EP in my opinion. Even the trap influenced Hit Em' With The Horns surprised me with its well crafted, punchy sound. 

This EP will satisfy any bass lover, it has something for everybody. Definitely worth checking out.

You can download the EP for free off their website.

Specimen A - Rock Star EP

The first time I heard about Specimen A is when I came across their track Unforgettable on
YouTube. I was very impressed with the brutality and the melodic nature that was present in the
track, so I decided to check them out and lo' and behold, they had an EP that just came out. My
curiosity always gets the better of me when it comes to listening to new music so I decided to go
grab the EP.

Rock Star (Explicit) starts the EP off with a very intricate chromatic distorted guitar arpeggio which
adds to the rock theme of the whole EP. Suffice adds the Cypress Hill-esque rap vibes to the track
which just adds to the brutality of the track. The drop of the track brings in this sort of muscular
power which balances out the melodic lead and the very intense drop.
The vocal parts are not too overpowering and is well synchronised with the rest of the track.
Arpeggios pretty much dominate this track which is already a big plus in my books. The melody is
also one which is quite impressive, infusing metal, with neo-classical and electronic elements is
very intriguing.

All or Nothing opens with an Egyptian sounding intro melody and leads into heavy tribal-esque
drumming which serves as a great build-up for the very melodic drop. What really impressed me
about this track is the melody. To use an Egyptian sounding melody and get it right to not sound too
distant from the rest of the EP takes some doing.
Unforgettable feat Nickita is definitely going to be a hit amongst dubstep DJs. The vocal prowess of
Nickita adds a pop element to the track which is very well balanced by the very brutal drop. What I
like about this track is that it is not as grimy as other dubstep releases, This track reminded me a
lot of the Pegboard Nerds sound and their use of intricate synths. Unforgettable is definitely a track
that I'm going to rinse at my next gig.
Closer feat Miss Trouble is the best drum and bass track on the album and it is definitely one of the
highlights on the EP. The drums are definitely the winning factor in this track. The pendulum-esque
drum work is quite impressive and ties really well with the vocals and the overall melody. This track
will definitely be a firm favourite with DnB DJs for its ferocity and its melodic quality. I love how the
vocals are not very present but they come in at just the right time, this is great because it allows for
more focus on the music.
This EP is extremely in your face and opens and ends with a bang.With the insane melodic drops,
the intricate chord progressions and the well infused vocal parts, it is definitely an EP that
succeeds in its production quality.

Specimen A have succeeded in delivering an EP which is well produced and succeeds in
combining melodic harmony with technical brutality. There is not much variation on the album and
they have not tried anything new but I have to recommend the lads on their awesome production
abilities, it is crisp, flawless and they know what works well together. It is definitely an EP that will
go down well with any listener that enjoys music on the rough side. Definitely a buy that is
worthwhile.

The Rock Star EP is released off Funkatech Records and is available on Beatport.

Check out Specimen A on Twitter, Facebook and Soundcloud.