Free album from I.D. & Baobinga

Our pals over at Bass Music Blog have sent over their album; one I haven’t stopped playing for a couple of weeks now. No doubt you’ve heard of I.D. & Baobinga, two artists who’ve carved out a name for themselves following numerous critically acclaimed and club-smashing productions over the last few years. In 2009, they started up the bass music blog and have just released their new album ‘Bass Music Sessions’ through the blog, I.D. tells us it’s “part of an exploration into how far blogs and such can propel independent artists”. It’s certainly an interesting experiment, one that’s worked wonders for some artists and wrecked others. But by the sounds of this album, it’s not too hard to predict how well it’ll do.

The tracks on it have been played out by the likes of Claude Von Stroke, 2562, Bok Bok, Buraka Som Sistema, TRG, Untold, LVis1990, DJ Friction to name a few

The two versatile producers have crafted an an album that lays bear a wonderful breadth of sounds, a sort-of summation of where the bass scene’s at in 2010. Yes, they’ve kept one eye firmly on current trends – spanning 2-step and skippy percussion, kuduro-styled drums and UK funky rhthyms – but whilst putting their own invetive spin on the various sounds and always sticking to a bouncy, party aesthetic. It’s go from the outset, with the ecstatic album opener ‘Barefoot’, peddling low-slung house beats that bump and clap along to snippets of pitch-bent sirens. At points the album even moves into slow and fast-paced d’n'b territory on ‘Red Dust’ and ‘The King’ respectively.

But for me it’s the percussive, afro-influenced tunes that make the album so engaging. There’s a charm to the ragged looseness of the organic drum beats. My favourite ‘Man Down’ is a fine example, emanating the raw tribalism of say Roska’s alias Uncle Bakonga, but here in a sped-up, dancefloor friendly mould. Elsewhere, on tracks like ‘Inland’, the duo dip into Untold-esque warped bass, punctuated by the hefty clunk of hollow 2-step beats. ‘Hither and Tither’ is another standout track: clamorous yet simple; furious drums set against shaky synths. ‘Still Tippen’ rides a familiar hip hop sample, whilst I.D. and Baobinga display a more restrained side on the clicks and clacks of ‘Hush Up Riddim’. It’s an elated, refreshing ride.
Grab the whole album for free here.
If you wish to donate – what’s a couple of pennies for an album of these standards? – all profits go to Dove House Hospice in Hull, UK.
I.D. & Baobinga – Man Down [pelski highly recommends]

1. BackFoot 05:35
2. White Girl 03:31
3. Red Dust 04:10
4. Man Down 04:11
5. Still Tippin’ 03:34
6. Inland 05:54
7. Hither & Thither 04:54
8. The King 05:25
9. Hush Up Riddim 03:34
10. Raise Riddim 03:27

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