Maverick Soul – Chandra LP Sampler

Chandra: It is not unusual for the title track of an LP to set the tone for the full release. To be the guiding light along the way as you journey through each track. This release has that in droves with Chandra. It leads off airy and inviting. A crisp break and a wash of keys bring you in until the drop hits you, and you are moved along with a filtered amen, a modern take on the mentazm synth stab, and layers of bass that move back and forth in a swirl of controlled distortion. Amid all of this, a warm, comforting pad washes over the top with female vocal stabs to add balance and depth. It conjures up images of being adrift in the cold depth of space but with the comfort of looking back to see the Northern Lights dancing across the earth. Either way you can get lost in this one as it moves between the light and dark with perfect balance. Just like the rest of the LP.

Covert: The title is very fitting for this one. This one is the creeper track of the sampler. The smooth blend of vibraphone and shuffled step break gives way to a very restrained moving and morphing bassline. The elements create a mood of driving in the dark of night along a deserted road only to find you are passing fields of dancing lights and a sky full of stars. While this one is more subdued then the others, don’t take it lightly of skip over it. You will be discovering layers on this one as well for a while!

Ganesha: From the first notes of this one you know it is going to be special. Those trademark warm Rhodes keys set the tone and it just builds from there. Small horn and string sounds add texture as a beautifully crisp gated snare gets the head nodding. As with the other tracks on this sampler, there are soulful female vocal parts that bring it all together. As this unfolds, an almost angelic saxophone riff gets morphed into a vibraphone pattern that dances with the warm and soothing sub bass that moves under it all. The subtle nuances and musicality in this one will keep you going back and noticing details for a while. If you are a fan of Big Bud or Good Looking rollers, then this one is for you!

Silhouette: If you have ever wondered what it would feel like to wake up on a late spring morning with the windows open, a comforting breeze making its way through the house, then drinking a cup of tea and hitting the streets with a heart full of passion, then this is the track you have been looking for. This one is loaded with wondering piano notes, light synths. As it makes its way, in unfolds with elements of a more upfront song but all the while staying uplifting and forward thinking. This is yet another example of Maverick Soul’s ability to move effortlessly between light and dark, often at the same time and maintaining a complex balance the whole time.