Senojem - Old Tomes 6

Listening to Seno’s music is kind of like cave diving - it might be somewhat narrow and claustrophobic on the surface, but you’ll quickly find vast riches through the crystal clear waters. I believe they’re one of the last remaining legends of the second generation of this beat scene, and was a core component of its origins, with their first tape still available on Bandcamp dating back to 2017. No doubt there’s more pivotal projects than the one I’m focusing on today (like the incredible three-split tape with ÆSK and kame), but they’re on the very definition of a creative streak right now, dropping 13 tapes this year alone, ranging from about ten minutes to some drawn out to almost an hour. The crazy thing is, they haven’t changed all the same signature characteristics of their beats over the years. Loose kicks and rattling snares occasionally accompanied by a perfectly-placed hihat, funky sample cuts that range from slinky guitars to glistening synth chords, all wrapped in a certain aesthetic that sounds like it’s never even heard of a DAW. I feel their beats sound deceitfully easy to make; head-knocking and groovy but containing a level of intricacy within that only a seasoned vet of the style could accomplish. See what I mean - listen to how the kicks pair up perfectly with the core hits of bassline on ‘Sweaty Palms’, or how they use a breath inhale as a looping percussive element on ‘Into the Unknown,’ quite literally breathing life into an already-pulsing beat. You could really pick any example of these across his dozens of projects, but I’m just glad we’re living in a year that still has Seno making the same amazing stuff they always were. Although the sound’s moved and bent over the years, we need people like them as a direct reminder of where this sound came from in the first place.

KEY BEAT:

Fire Inside - hands down one of my favourite beats from them, diving deep in those shimmering waters in a moment of pure ecstasy, punchy drums paired against glittering synth lines to envelop you in an endless loop.