5ivlover - ANARQUiA ROXA

 

Released: February 6

This latest album from 5ivlover is a fun grab bag of tracks that range from some more straightforward beats and grove to stuff much more on the weird and wacky side. It’s really a bit of everything hear without a clear overarching theme but enough of it is just so enjoyable that the lack of an arch arching theme doesn’t really matter. On the side of more straightforward, it starts out with “Road to Limerick” which has a more of less standard boom bap kind of inspired beat with some low grumbling bass and airy pads. Then, getting to the more unusual stuff, we have “Caveira YTPMV” with a real off kilter rhythm and a sample that feels abrasive and equally off kilter. 

I think the big strength of this album is just the variety of odd sampling choices and the manner in which a rhythm is wrapped around them. With some of the tracks it definitely comes off as more conventional. But others just feel so lurid and odd, these unusual choices make for something really fun to listen to and will definitely make you say “huh” many times.  The lo-fi aesthetic of it all really solidifies the vibe as well, and not just with the samples either. The overdriven kicks and crispy percussion compliment the weird samples really well, especially with the inventive ways they’re wrapped around the samples. And also, “beat de Jalisco” is probably my favorite vibe on the whole album.