ANDRE MARIETTE'S "SOMBER SUMMER" INSTRUMENTAL EP REVIEW

Last month, André Mariette released a short, but very sweet Lo-fi inspired beat tape “Somber Summer.” With five tracks clocking in at just under ten minutes, there are many glossy layers to unravel in the production. André Mariette, producer/engineer and owner of Timbral studios is known for his local powerhouse of production. His sounds reach a wide array; while leaning towards high energy, vibrant but-smooth instrumentals that just have a natural and lively bounce.
With “Somber Summer,” however, André takes a focused route and slows it down on five tracks that sit on top of a solid foundation of Lo-Fi spirit; at the same time, a healthy dash of the vibrance similarly from the bulk of his production work. The blend of the two sits just right as “Somber Summer” takes you on a tour of multiple sounds and emotions in such a short time.
This is the first time I’ve reviewed a beat tape. My approach was to listen diligently and take notes track for track then listen to it again and freestyle along the way. I didn’t make it all the way through in one go. I stopped at the third track, “Seesaw” and had to put the pen to my other notebook. Before starting the first draft of this article, I gave it another preliminary listen. This time I got stuck on the second track, “Wake and Bake,” and had to crank out another verse. This beat tape translates well from introspective silent listening to expressing verbally with freestyle.
The first instrumental, “Lil Diddy,” is a fitting intro. With the run time under a minute, André Mariette slaps together a rich and soulful instrumental. The vocal samples bounce off of the riffing guitar at the end of measures, while the drums are low impact and spread out giving this beat a light and uplifting sound.
“Wake and Bake” is a high paced, slick and funky instrumental. This track puts an image in my head of driving too fast on the freeway as the city lights blur and blend together, gilded with vibrant colors. This beat sets you at ease in the first couple measures, then, proceeds fast out of the blocks. The kicks on this joint are robust and pronounced while the bass chiming in certain areas compliments and smooths out the kick. The stops and starts on this track are incredibly crisp as the whole beat seems to stop on a dime, and change direction with precision. After writing notes on this one, I had no choice but to go back and at least write a verse to this joint.
“Seesaw” is my favorite song on “Somber Summer,” the track changes the mood and direction of the tape. It veers the project off-course to the true somber side of “Somber Summer.” A sultry saxophone serenades you into a melancholy blue, while the lofty piano marries the sax and floats toward the bottom of the beat, ever fluttering its way up before it makes its way back down again. The drums are unlike the majority of the tracks on this project, with various elements used for the kicks and snares. The smaller, more blanketed percussion fills the pockets that the kicks and snares leave behind. With the hollow sound of the snares and kicks, the percussion is haunting, but crisp. This beat provoked the most emotion out of me, and also provoked me to write the full two minutes of the beat.
“Feels Like Fall,” feels like water. A warped sounding bubble sample crawls its way up and down the mix. At the end of measures, there’s this almost subliminal sample. As measures near their end, a sheathing sound glides from out of the mix and sharply narrows and clashes together before it disappears. What I like most about this track is the traffic. There is a multitude of things going on in this beat. Many independent sounds collide or avoid each other in this watery controlled chaos. That chaos can ironically put you into a trance as the unbalanced rhythm perpetually re-balances itself out.
“Pajamas” is the final act of “Somber Summer.” This track helps the project take a strong bow with an over powered, rich bass and an emotionally gripping guitar riff. This track feels like the most ‘serious’ on the project. The kick hits on the 1 and 2 seemingly leaving the 3 hauntingly empty. The vocal sample is tucked high and away in the mix, but consistently rounds off the entire beat, whilst giving the beat more emotional depth. A modest and quick “thank you” are the final soundbites you hear as the project abruptly ends.
André Mariette was able to give a somber summer that, on the contrary, had a wide array of colorful and vibrant rhythms to counter the somber notes. Along with crisp percussion, André Mariette gave us a lot to unpack in five tracks. “Somber Summer” was a serendipitous blend that was a warm spot for on this cold fall.

Check out André Mariette’s “Somber Summer” here:

Also. check out more of André’s many facets of work here:

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Review by: Paul Thorson, Hip-Hop Writer @PaulyT03
Edited by: Andrew Perrizo, Owner @PlaylistTC