Fade
The Beat Strangler
Administrator
illest o.g.
Straight out of Cologne, Germany, LitmanOne's latest mixtape "True Level" features ten beats that any Hip Hop head should check out. I decided to give it a listen and was pleasantly surprised at what I heard...
Kicking things off with a smooth track, "On My Shit" carries the listener through a head nodding atmosphere. The kick drum is solid and certainly doesn't muddy up the track along with the very subtle bassline. It would have been nice to actually hear more of the bass because it compliments the other instruments so well.
"Sparkler" is similar to the previous track in that it's smoothness with a solid drum track. The synth used is solid but it's the various horns used on both the left and right sides that help this track along.
On the next song, "Kings Toe" starts off with an eerie vibe to it. It ends up being a laid back track but actually I was expecting something much darker here. Maybe some strings would have been a nice addition, but regardless, I could definitely see a rapper over this one.
Now it gets a bit more serious on "Imperial LeBaron" with the very heavy low end. Again, it seems like another dope track that is just missing vocals. A bit of piano and flute round out this beat but some subtle scratches would be a welcome addition as well.
On "Jewel Toned Shades", it begins with a very smooth synth. The keys that go on top of it are very nice but to be honest I think this beat would be best with just the main synth carrying it since it sounds so dope. I wanted to hear more of that synth coming through!
"Mock Combat" starts off very dark with its low-end keys and a bit of strings in the background. What's good about this beat is that it has the snare and hand clap combo but guess what? The kick is missing! The whole time I was waiting for it to drop in but it's just not there. However, that's a good thing because the kick isn't even needed since everything else sounds good on its own.
"Hemoglobin" comes in with sombre keys and a very nice low end. The kick and bassline go so well together and Litman nailed it. When a producer can get the kick and bass note to be in the same frequency, it's butter. This track though is one of my favorites on the mixtape, as it's very smooth.
The next track, "Snake Meal" changes things up a bit with a vocal sample that should have been used more. It cuts in and out between the vocals and some piano and horns. They all sound great, but it would have been even better if they were somehow all together, rather than fighting each other for the same space.
"Deception" actually sounds like "Snake Meal" done much better. The vocals, horns, bassline, and everything in between work very well together. The bassline is very good I would love to hear it as deeper bass instead of the one used. But it's the horns that sound the best here, and I would have loved to hear more of them.
The last track, "Smoke and Mirrors" sounds like a last-track for a mixtape, as it just has that type of vibe. It's both smooth and creepy at the same time and would be a great backdrop for a DJ to scratch over.
Final Thoughts
LitmanOne definitely has something here. This mixtape is very well done but it does have its shortcomings. For one, all of the beats on here are perfect for a rapper or a DJ. Second, he's going in the right direction but I think all he's missing is a bit of polish on the final product. The basslines could be thicker and tighter, and the mixes could use a nice layer of compression to really make everything "pop".
I recommend you check out this mixtape, whether you want something to nod your head to or if you're a rapper looking for some beats.
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