Opinion: Swarvy’s “Scotch” combines old and new sounds
Philadelphian experimental electronic beat maker Swarvy recently released his first LP of original, sample-free music on Feelin’ Records. Entitled “Scotch”, the album contains ten tracks and features the musical contributions of bassist Jerry Thompson III and band mate Ryan McKenney.
Philadelphian experimental electronic beat maker Swarvy recently released his first LP of original, sample-free music on Feelin’ Records. Entitled “Scotch”, the album contains ten tracks and features the musical contributions of bassist Jerry Thompson III and band mate Ryan McKenney.
For those of you unfamiliar with Swarvy, he is known for his bizzare, often incomprehensible production techniques. His previous releases display his skill in sample manipulation, in which he takes a pre-existing piece of music or sound and chops it up into a number of segments, then rearranges the pieces and alters it beyond recognition with effects and well — let’s be real, I actually have no idea how he creates the sounds he does. He has affectionately termed his unique creative process “poaching”, and he has used it to forge an audio aesthetic that is undeniably and distinctly his. His music is profoundly weird and psychedelic and full of life, and he consistently outputs albums that are interesting and unpredictable to listen to.
“Scotch” contrasts with Swarvy’s previous work in that it utilizes no external samples; however, it certainly retains Swarvy’s distinct vibe and production style. The tracks are generally short and simplistic, consisting primarily of fuzzy basslines and warm electric pianos that interweave to create jazzy and funky grooves that remind the listener of music from more far-out times. The melodies are creative and catchy, and the entire album has the endearing feel of a few close friends jamming together in a basement — except it’s all extremely tight and well orchestrated. Swarvy’s masterful editing really glues everything together to ensure that each track is full and punchy and overflowing with delicious textures.
Overall, I feel that Swarvy’s “Scotch” shows incredible promise and I eagerly anticipate more original compositions from the man who I believe is one of the most consistently fresh producers out there.
You can stream and purchase “Scotch” by clicking here.
Follow Swarvy on Soundcloud at http://soundcloud.com/swarvy.
Travis Dorman is a Journalism and Electronic Media major and a music enthusiast.
Edited by Jessica Carr
