After our premiere of “Liberty” by NYC-based producer Wes Paioff aka Ageless, we were eager to see what was next on his fresh full EP release Perfect World.
Our first taste of Perfect World from the premiere we did gave us an indicator of all funked up things to come from Ageless and we couldn’t wait for more. So we got a sneak preview of the album to explore the multiple genres, tempos, samples, and stories inside of this jam-packed creation.
What’s always drawn me to following sample-based music production is the flexibility it holds to tell a story. Ageless introduces us to this album with the fact that our entire way of life is, in many way, dictated by means of currency exchange. It really made me think about how currency exchange has embedded itself in our culture with a somewhat dramatic, somber yet soulful introduction track “Homestead Principle”.
What I love so much about listening to an album for the first time is to listen for the diverse melodic story it tells in which “Frisky Disco” smoothed over my slight pain for the world with straight electro funk. This track keeps the head swaying to the punchy electro-funk snares that Ageless has coined in his old tracks like “The First Time”. Like a delicious dark beer, this track throws down some full-bodied bass synths that took the edge off.
We get a medley of genres in this album with tracks like “Blood Red Dub” featuring Philos Record’s own Daily Bread and “Ice Wine Dub” on behalf of the reggae/dub flavor. I once again saw how well reggae and electronic prodution go together with tracks like these. It's refreshing to have someone bring back a more old-school sound with such hammer beats built into them.
Ageless gives us a creative twist of perspectives on music in the track “Back Again” with moments of chilled out sampling combined with heavy bass – almost giving it a jungle adventure vibe. My ears were amused by the track “Like To Be” for its sultry, mellow feeling only to cut into heavy alien, tipper-like synth work. I am fond of music that keeps me guessing.
In the end, I have to give Wes a virtual high-five for his efforts in composing with sampling and instrumentals in such a unique way. You really see the potential to create music with so many tools through this album. And if you follow Ageless (which you should be doing!), you see that he's spent years creating a sound and approach that we get in various forms throughout the album.
Enjoy the listen through -- Buy the album in the link up top on a "name your price" basis!
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