Showcase your own beats and get constructive feedback from fellow MPC producers
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By Bantu Tue Jul 25, 2023 3:47 pm
Hi,

My music is produced using only an Akai MPC Key 61 standalone. Then, audio mixdown into MPC Software with a few free VST mastering effects. That's it, keeping it simple. Any feedback appreciated.

http://bantu-uk.bandcamp.com/album/keys ... gher-state

‘Keys to a Higher State’ is Bantu’s new summer 2023 album, following on from the success of ‘Glints on the Horizon’. ‘Keys to a Higher State’ is designed to take the listener on a journey from start to end. Eastern ethnic flavours, lo-fi beats, and dancefloor disco grooves move through to world dance and intelligent drum & bass, ending in a euphoric chilled analogue vibe. With touches of the iconic Bantu sound featuring lush delays, classic breakbeats, dreamy melodies, and instruments from around the world. ALBUM DOWNLOADS RECEIVE A FREE BONUS TRACK!

On a personal note, I have really enjoyed writing and producing this album and I hope my passion for music is conveyed in this composition. I sincerely hope my listeners enjoy the album as much as I have making it. Thank-you for your continued support. Please click on the Follow link to receive notifications on all my future releases.

Road to Rub al Khali
Ethnic chillout track Road to Rub al Khali layers traditional middle eastern instruments, percussion and vocals with a strong baseline and lo-fi beats. Rub al Khali is the world’s largest contiguous sand desert located in the Arabian Peninsula. A Road runs through it linking Saudi Arabia to Oman. The song conveys a journey through wilderness surrounded by sweeping sand dunes.

Awakening
Awakening exudes dreamy, chilled vibes with rolling breakbeats and a laidback guitar melody. Conveying awakening from a deep sleep into consciousness. Rain sticks sweep across haunting vocals and a deep bassline accompanied by Udu drum sounds, a percussive clay pot instrument played with the hands.

We Are One
Classic breakbeats feature in We Are One with a downtempo feel and analogue moving sequences. The song is expressing we are all made of the same stuff – stardust. Quoted from Earth How, “Because you are made from matter from the Earth, you are made of stardust from old supernovas. So turns out, you are bits and pieces of star and cosmic dust.”

When We Say Goodbye
Light fading horns blend into analogue synth patterns in this pop styled chill track. When We Say Goodbye is a positive outlook on reflections after a friend or loved one leaves us and we remember them fondly.

Can U Feel Me
Disco beats, rhythm guitar and layered strings will get the toes tapping into catchy vocals and saxophone riffs. Upbeat summer vibes in this dance floor mover, Can U Feel Me?

Mirrorball
Classic disco feels for this dance style stomper Mirrorball. Four-on-the-floor beats drive the rhythm guitar, piano and funky baseline to feed the string riff melodies. Time to move and groove!

Sufi Tanoura
African and Asian instruments feature in this world dance tune. Sufi whirling is a type of meditative dance turning in repetitive circles. The Tanoura is a multi-coloured skirt worn for the Egyptian form of whirling. The traditional ethnic instruments give a sense of spinning and loosing yourself in a trance like state while the strong beats give a tribal feel to Sufi Tanoura.

Ascension
Uplifting, floating chords start this old school nod to intelligent drum and bass. Underpinned by a big classic breakbeat (amen to that), and a fat bassline, Ascension aims to raise you up with atmospheric pads contrasted by raw beats.

Can't Stop
This classic Trance-Dance number has hypnotic arpeggiated analogue synths layered with warm strings over a four-on-the-floor beat and solid bassline. Progressively lifting into the main hook line, I Just Can’t Stop, reminiscent of 90s party tracks. This is one for the dance floor!

Doret Begardam
Drifting, rising pads with ethnic instruments and western style vocals form this intelligent drum and bass track. Doret begardam is a Persian phrase that means ‘let me do circles around you’ and is used to mean something along the lines of ‘I love you so much, I admire you, and I would do anything for you.’

Hope
Big analogue arpeggiated patterns drive this laid-back uplifting chillout track to end the album. Conveying positive vibes, even when all seems lost, we can find a glimmer of Hope.

Artist Bio
Bantu has been on the music scene for over 30 years. Producing albums back in the nineties, then taking a break to learn African traditional rhythms. Now in 2023 Bantu is releasing brand-new albums covering electronic styles in Ambient, Chill-Out, Lo-Fi and Dance with world flavours. Escape from the modern world through music designed to relax or awaken crafted to lift the mind, body, and soul.