GNR8R- Full Circle

Artist:GNR8R

Album: Full Circle

Year:2014

Stand-Out Tracks: Pulse, Eye No Ur Boyfriend H8s Me, Remember.

Rating: ⅘

Where to Buy:  https://gnr8r.bandcamp.com/album/full-circle , https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/full-circle/id911103299

A follow up to last year’s ACTIVATE(released under old name Beatraxx) Full Circle delivers a pleasurable listen and will most likely be stuck in your head for days. And with a new name, comes an even more refined sound and an even tighter sense of direction. This sophomore release has a great medley of heavy dance tracks like Pulse, Trancy Sci-Fi soundtracks like 227 and The Forgotten Journey, Techno Classics like Eye No Ur Boyfriend H8s Me and It’s My Funk and I’ll Do What I Want, and he even includes a beautiful ballad Remember.

One of my favorites of the album is Pulse. This hard hitting Electro-House track hits hard with a synth line that would make even Skrillex jealous, and only builds from there as the melody kicks in. With a standard Four-On-The-Floor drum beat, the artist takes full advantage of the open spaces left by the drum pattern. Layering his signature vocoded vocal lines over the before mentioned synth, with a catchy bass line to match, and a stabbing string section entering to break the monotony, Pulse an easy favorite,particularly if you are a DJ looking for new tracks to mix.

227 is another standout track, as it starts out in a very ambient state than gradually lifts into what can be the perfect sci-fi mystery theme. I really enjoyed this track for that reason. It harks back to the early days of electronic music, when it was seen as futuristic and robotic, and even scary in the more dramatic areas. Even in today’s music world, this song provides us with a “sound of the future.” Using a wobbly bass line usually favored by UK Garage and early Dub music doesn't hurt either, as it brings it back to the present. Overall, I’d say if you were looking for a Sci-Fi influenced Dub-Trance track, look no further.

Lastly, I have to mention a completely different track from anything  else on the album, Remember. I had no expectation of finding a ballad on this hard dance album but here it is, a glorious piano chord progression rolls through the song underneath a plucked guitar riff. All I can say for this song is to hear it for yourself.  

I give this whole album ⅘ stars, another hit from an awesome artist who knows what he can do and does it well. I look forward to hearing more, but after hearing what he can do with a ballad I’m now anticipating some piano-heavy tracks on the next album.