My Reality

admin — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0000

Trina Elle is a Canadian pop singer who is trying to make a start in the music business. She is someone with talent, a fun R&B sound, and according to one reviewer, a voice reminiscent of Toni Braxton. Now, I’m not well-versed in the pop and R&B worlds, but I do love me some Toni Braxton. (Who doesn’t?) So, I anticipated being blown away by My Reality. I was sorely disappointed.

Trina’s voice didn’t carry with it the velvety seduction of Toni Braxton, and seemed like yet another carbon copy of the strained and thin voices so prevalent in pop. That said, however, her voice works well in concert with the catchy, repetitive, and rather unimaginative melodies. It was just too common; I was expecting something different, something new, something that would set itself apart from the rest of the modern, commercial pop world.

The first track, “People,” struck me with its message of protest against racism and war. “If I Have It All” deals with the issue of depression and the blessings that people should remember to count. “Fell,” in a decidedly autobiographical, albeit moralistic tone, recounts a period of reckless youth and the consequences. However, the mainstay of this album is the traditional ballad, such as “Crept Up” and steamy dance tune, such as “Stutter” (which, unfortunately, was too Lady Gaga for my tastes).

My traditionalist griping aside, I do have to give Elle kudos for having worked on each piece with a collaborator instead of just singing pieces handed to her. This shows her initiative, and perhaps with more practice, she can turn out more fresh and original pieces. Some of Elle's lyrics already show promise, and I couldn’t help but wish the melodies had shown the same unique outlook.

Written by: Cristin Colvin, February 24th 2010

Fabriclive.47

admin — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 08:29:00 +0000

By Toddla T

Fabric Records

From what I hear, Sheffield England is not a bumping metropolis. From listening to Toddla T, though, you’d gain a quite different impression.

Toddla T, the boy wonder known off-stage as Tom Bell, has been DJing since his mid-teens, is a resident DJ at Fabric, and makes frequent appearances on the BBC radio show “In New DJs We Trust.” His debut album, Skanky Skanky, was released earlier this year, and he produces fellow young British DJs and remixes the likes of Hot Chip.

On Fabriclive.47, Toddla T serves up many of his own tracks and remixes. Compared to the numerous other Fabric albums I’ve sampled over time, this came as a surprise—though a happy one. More accustomed to hearing almost-recognizable samples under old funk tracks and ‘90s R&B jams, TT’s blend of electro, house, drum and bass, and dancehall was a welcome change.

Of particular note are the small things: a random hymn sample that brought back days growing up in an evangelical church, singing “amen” in five part cycles, the women’s voices who fill in where beats just wouldn’t be enough.

It would be easy to mistake skinny white boy Toddla T for a large man of color based on his samples and influences alone. But who says race and ethnicity—or even gender—is directly linked to musical style, aptitude, or production? From the voices that boom from the tracks, it’s tricky to tell much about the young man behind the music. Maybe that subterfuge is all part of the plan.

Written by: Brittany Shoot, October 18th 2009

rhythm and blues

My Reality

Fabriclive.47