Biobird is a one-man Dubstep project, with the main man Caleb Bird hailing from Hamilton. This is his third release, and his second EP, titled Counter Productive.

I'm a big fan of Trap, the younger brother to Dubstep. Trap is a genre that formed from the interesting sounds that Dubstep brought forward combined with the beat and bass of the America South-western Hip-Hop style called Trap. Dubstep relies heavily on a similar song structure to Trap, strong momentum building towards either a bass drop or a hook that overwhelms and excites the listener. Biobird has got that shine in his tracks but it just drops short of really jacking the listener in.

Counter Productive, the title track, is the first up on the EP. The song features an honestly tasty bass track through it, with a cheeky jazzy brass melody overlaid on the top. I feel that this jazzy sound is lost a little under the bass and might've needed to have been brought forward in the mix to really bring it out to add some flavour to the otherwise slightly repetitive bassline. The song really picks up in the last movement, creating an exciting momentum that simmers out at the end with the central melody, again sadly sounding a little flat.

Next up is Soul Drift. This song has a funky beat to it, the drums coming in with a faster tempo this time. However, the bass is very similar to the last track and without a guiding melody over the top, the track sounds unfortunately same-y to the rest of the EP. The melody is there: keys and a few interesting sounds, but they're layered under the overly dominant bass track.

Lost is the following track. While the bass sounds very similar in tone, the breaks in it add some much-needed flavour to the EP. Again, the melody and intrigue just feel over-powered by this behemoth of a bass track. The foreboding choir-like noise that rises in the background also seems misplaced, it doesn't feel like it builds to anything.

And finally, Limbo. This is my favourite track off the EP, as it feels like the most well-crafted of the selection on this release. The drum track is varied and at seemingly a higher BPM than the rest of the album. The melodies and samples are in the forefront and the polish and passion in the track seems to just ooze out. It has a solid build up to the meaty part of the track, coming through with a high calibre arsenal of samples and awe-inspiring flow. If Biobird can offer more material like this, I'm very excited to see where his project goes.

Overall, the EP features very similar basslines that drown out the defining features of the tracks, something that is not at all the case with Limbo which is a shining track in this EP. The final track shows that Biobird has the potential to create some truly tasty tracks and I'll certainly be keeping an eye out to see where he goes with his sound.

• 1
  Head Like A Hole
• 2
  Horror Story
• 3
  Fraser Ross
• 4
  Fur Patrol
• 5
  Michelle Rounds
• 6
  L.A.B.
• 7
  Devilskin
• 8
  Coridian
• 9
  The Boondocks
• 10
  Late to Chelsea

• 
  LOST BiRD @ Space Academy, Christchurch - 15/12/2024
• 
  Just Janie @ Space Academy, Christchurch - 15/12/2024
• 
  Dream Chambers @ Meow Nui, Wellington - 14/12/2024
• 
  The Phoenix Foundation @ Meow Nui, Wellington - 14/12/2024

• 1
  APT.
  ROSÉ And Bruno Mars
• 2
  DIE WITH A SMILE
  Lady Gaga And Bruno Mars
• 3
  BIRDS OF A FEATHER
  Billie Eilish
• 4
  TASTE
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 5
  I LOVE YOU, I'M SORRY
  Gracie Abrams
• 6
  ESPRESSO
  Sabrina Carpenter
• 7
  SAILOR SONG
  Gigi Perez
• 8
  LOSE CONTROL
  Teddy Swims
• 9
  A BAR SONG (TIPSY)
  Shaboozey
• 10
  GOOD LUCK, BABE!
  Chappell Roan

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