Atlanta and Paris comes together for AFTR DRK.
AFTR DRK shows two worlds seamlessly coming together to create a fully realized instrumental EP. While for some that may be difficult, Atlanta’s Smart Boy Beatz and Paris’s LawlessProd make it look easy. Their chemistry is evident on each track as they play off each other’s strengths and compliment each other’s skillsets.
This EP has no shortage of excellent sound design and sound choice. Each snare drum, for example, fits perfectly in whatever vibe they created. The drums, let alone the snare, all slap. They’re hard-hitting and grab you immediately. You could look at the whole track-list for examples, but “Run It Back,” “Oui,” “Loud,” and “Insane” stand out as some of the best examples of the sound selection.
The sound design is along the same lines, in regards to quality. Both Smart Boy and Lawless flex their muscles in this category. “Run It Back” and “Not Going Back” are prime examples of how excellent the sound design really is. The lead lines on both of these tracks are some of the best on the entire project.
Many times throughout this project, though, the bass is the star of the show.
This project is sub heavy. The programming and sound design are on full display track after track. One of the best examples is on the intro track Intro. The bass is so crunchy and distorted. The track Loud is another great example.
However, not every track features distorted bass with gliding phrases. Smart Boy and Lawless really show their range in multiple ways on tracks like Not Going Back which is a smooth and dreamy track with some really sweet R&B inspired lead lines. And on the track Check which is much bouncier than the others, and it features some classic sounding 808s, which sound pretty smooth compared to some of the other tracks.
This project is an excellent blend of strengths and styles. Smart Boy and Lawless create a bridge from Atlanta to Paris for all of us to enjoy. Go check this project out if you haven’t already.
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