10 Oct 2024
UsernamePassword

Remember Me? | Join | Recover
Click here to sign in via social networking

State Of Mind - EP Review: Until The World Ends

12 Feb 2015 // A review by Alistar3000

Auckland drum and bass duo State of Mind are no strangers to collaboration, having worked with the likes of Tiki Taane and PNC to craft some big hitting tracks that achieved a lot of airplay. This time round they’re working with the trio from Black Sun Empire, hailing out of the Netherlands, produce the heavy hitting Until The World Ends EP together.

This isn’t the first time the five of them have worked together, but it is the first (to my knowledge) collection of songs together. And it’s a collection, albeit a small one, that works. The six songs, or five songs and an alternate version of one of them, all work well, and are good examples of what drum and bass should do – that is, make you want to move.

Opening track Until The World Ends, which also features regular State of Mind collaborator PNC, is a great start, with PNC’s vocals really contributing to the strength of the track. Jack Nicholson is also another stand out, halfway through the EP, and is a really driving piece of drum and bass.

The EP closes with an alternative version of Ego from earlier in the EP, turning it from a straightforward track into one with a lot more atmosphere and space and giving it a darker edge. I preferred it to the earlier version, and thought it was a good way to close out the six tracks.

 

About State Of Mind

Founded in 2004, State of Mind is the Drum and Bass duo from New Zealand of Patrick Hawkins and Stu Maxwell

Initially signed to Total Science's CIA label in 2004, the State of Mind discography has rapidly expanded to include labels such as, Teebee's Subtitles Records, Futurebounds Viper label, Doc Scotts 31 Records, Simon Bassline Smiths Technique Recordings, Bad Company, Obsessions, and more.

In 2007 the lads launched their own record label, SOM Music.

Visit the muzic.net.nz Profile for State Of Mind

Releases

Until The World Ends
Year: 2015
Type: EP
Eat The Rich
Year: 2014
Type: Album
Live
Year: 2012
Type: Album
Nil By Ear
Year: 2011
Type: Album
Buy Online @ Mightyape
Faster Than Light
Year: 2009
Type: Album
Buy Online @ Mightyape
Take Control
Year: 2007
Type: Album

Other Reviews By Alistar3000

Primacy - Single Review: Shade Black
15 Oct 2015 // by Alistar3000
Auckland 5-piece Primacy are one of those bands that don’t try and hide their influences; their new single Shade Black is a healthy blend of all that was good about ‘90s rock, and that’s not a bad thing. Starting out with a Tool-like intro that soon gives way to a heavier, chugging riff, the song maintains a freshness and urgency throughout.
Read More...
Cairo Knife Fight - Album review: The Colossus
11 Jun 2015 // by Alistar3000
Having seen Cairo Knife Fight perform live many times over the past few years I’d always been under the assumption they were performing songs from a number of prior recordings. So I was a little surprised to discover that The Colossus was actually their first album (they do have a few EPs recorded), and more surprised to find that long time guitarist Aaron Tokona (AHoriBuzz) was no longer a key part of the band, and makes only a small appearance on the album – with that revelation I didn’t know what to expect when I pressed play.
Read More...
Mel Parsons - Album Review: Drylands
05 May 2015 // by Alistar3000
Back in 2011 I reviewed Mel Parsons' second album Red Grey Blue and enjoyed it – it had some well written songs, was well produced, and was easy to listen to. When I first popped in her latest album Drylands, I thought she’d taken a bit of a different path to the alt-country that dominated her first album.
Read More...
Album Review: Tahuna Breaks Live 10
02 Apr 2015 // by Alistar3000
It’s hard to believe that Tahuna Breaks is celebrating 10 years making music together, although they do seem to have always been around, and I guess if anyone’s going to be keeping a record of how long they’ve been making their brand of funkified reggae, it’d be them. To celebrate the occasion they’ve release Tahuna Breaks Live 10 – 10 tracks spanning their career, recorded live last year at a one-off concert to celebrate the milestone (so I guess the album should actually be called 10 + 6 months).
Read More...
Album Review: Latinaotearoa in Latinoamerica
09 Dec 2014 // by Alistar3000
When I started reading about the concept behind the second Latinaotearoa album it sounded like a good idea and I was quite excited to have a listen to it. If you’re not familiar with the story, Auckland musician Isaac Aesili (Solaa, Opensouls, Eru Dangerspiel, Funkommunity) teamed up once again with Venezualan singer Jennifer Zea, and Brazilian-born DJ Bobby Brazuka, to research and write a bunch of songs in Brazil, then record the album of Latin-influenced tunes in Brazil and Auckland with guest appearances by some great musicians (such as Raiza Biza, Julien Dyne, Riki Gooch and Miguel Fuentes) – what should, on paper, lead to some great experimentation and crossovers of styles.
Read More...
Beastwars Live at San Fran, Wellington 10/10/2014
21 Oct 2014 // by Alistar3000
I was finding it hard to believe that it’d been over 18 months since I last saw Beastwars play in Wellington as I stumbled on down to the newly refurbished San Fran in Wellington last week. I’m not sure why it’d taken me so long to go back to Wellington’s number one metal (or at least heavy rock) band, especially since they’d never disappointed me before.
Read More...
Into Orbit - Caverns Album Review
24 Aug 2014 // by Alistar3000
Wellington two piece noisemakers Into Orbit have an appropriate name for the kind of music they’ve created on their new album Caverns; it’s spacey feeling, often out there and is sure to take off. I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect from the album before listening to it (or even if I’d like it at all), but came away a devoted fan after having it on constant repeat for a couple of days while I explored everything it had to offer (I’m still not there yet, not even close).
Read More...
The Lowest Fidelity - Love Is For Others Album Review
07 Mar 2014 // by Alistar3000
There are three assumptions you'll need to dispel before listening to Will Saunders and the Lowest Fidelity's latest release Love Is For Others. The first is that the Low Fidelity is a band (or at least that they're a band on the recording - there is a live band); Will performs as a solo artist.
Read More...
View All Articles By Alistar3000

NZ Top 10 Singles

  • DIE WITH A SMILE
    Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
  • TASTE
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • BIRDS OF A FEATHER
    Billie Eilish
  • TIMELESS
    The Weeknd And Playboi Carti
  • ESPRESSO
    Sabrina Carpenter
  • GOOD LUCK, BABE!
    Chappell Roan
  • A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
    Shaboozey
  • LOSE CONTROL
    Teddy Swims
  • TOO SWEET
    Hozier
  • BEAUTIFUL THINGS
    Benson Boone
View the Full NZ Top 40...
muzic.net.nz Logo
100% New Zealand Music
All content on this website is copyright to muzic.net.nz and other respective rights holders. Redistribution of any material presented here without permission is prohibited.
Report a ProblemReport A Problem