Since starting this blog nearly two years ago, I’ve had the privilege of seeing the beginnings of a handful of talented producers, progressing from sketchy clips on Soundcloud to having their material featured on fully fledged labels. One of those producers is Cartridge. I’ve witnessed his work gradually grow into the striking quality it is now. His rise has not gone unnoticed, with an EP due on the formidable Encrypted Audio very soon. But first, it’s Foundation Audio‘s turn to showcase Cartridge‘s latest creations. ‘Snake Charmer‘ EP features three of his most polished works to date ranging from aggressive bass focused angles to the lighter vibrant melody lead production.
The title track ‘Snake Charmer‘ opens the EP where Cartridge demonstrates his knack of seamlessly blending the rough with the smooth. From a wavy melodic bass-line matching the snake charming flute lead, the track grows into a rougher, punchier beast helped by an incredible switch that you don’t have to wait too long for. The humorously titled ‘Dad Bod Dubstep‘ follows, carrying pure weight with plenty of filthy texture. Cartridge flawlessly controls the space and bass aspect of production on this one, minimal yet full bodied featuring some of the more curious sounds on the record. The finale ‘No More‘ sees off the EP in a dizzying fashion. A super trippy oscillating bass line and hard kicks make up the aggressive low end with a glitched out flute like lead rapidly following along. A perfect frenzied roller to conclude any record and like a good meal, it leaves you satisfied yet wanting more.
For a debut EP to consist of three knock out tunes, all equally killer, it’s quite something. A feat that even the most experienced artists struggle to manage. So for someone like Cartridge to pull this is off who’s only at the beginning of his journey, it’s all the more impressive and comes as no surprise to already see his name appearing on high quality, high profile labels.
FA038 is out Sunday (11th August) and is available from the Foundation Audio Bandcamp.
Check out Cartridge on Soundcloud.
Check out Foundation Audio on Soundcloud.