Despite not being a prolific live artist in the city, producer GrumpiestCub works tirelessly in his cave on a myriad of different beats and textures. Recently a new project by the name of channel surfing was released on his Bandcamp and I’ve spun it in the background a number of times already. It’s not particularly long, with most tracks gravitating around the sub two minute range, but every track attempts to be involved and individual. The results have grown on me quite a bit with each listen, letting the nature of the tape shift from that of furniture music to an avenue for more attentive and thorough analysis.
I wanted to write about channel surfing because despite wearing the outfit of a traditional collection of beats, it boasts a lot of layers to peel with every listen through. The short presentation of each idea gives the tracks the feeling of paintings, all riddled with different color palettes, contextual story telling through vocal samples and a thoroughly involved layering of elements. The producer’s signature personality stays true throughout every sonic palette, which helps provide a connective thread despite the shifting tones and styles. channel surfing feels carefully thought out; it’s charming the whole way, whimsical at times, actively smooth to the ear, and a ride I’d heartfully recommend to any lover of beats.
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Listen to channel surfing via Bandcamp below:
The St Louis Music Report 