Backbeat Candy - I'll Destroy Music [Album]
 

I had never heard of this house music collective from England until I got this CD, so I was interested to know what type of music was going to be thrown my way. Firstly I took a look at the BACKBEAT CANDY website for some much needed info.

It turns out that this collective comprises of Guildhall School of Music students and graduates, and in fairness, they have an impressive range of talents. The album features no less than ten artists, all skilled and highly proficient musicians in their own right. I’ll Destroy Music features trained Opera singers, Beat-boxers, Music Programmers, Soul-Singers and Oboe players.

To be fair, I was expecting something truly monumental from this album, there was even a tag on the site explaining how Backbeat Candy attempt to produce “Epic Dance Music.” Couple this with the fact that Backbeat Candy have made this album to support a charitable concern, and is free to download as Mp3, I was ready and willing to pop my Altsounds Recommends cherry for this young, talented and highly musical House outfit.

Alas the music, on I’ll Destroy Music is nothing but trash. It seems that the brains behind the project is, Gregory Felton. Felton is the producer and main song-writer. My advice to Gregory is to perhaps look elsewhere for inspiration for his “Epic Dance Music”, because I’ll Destroy Music is nowhere near Epic. Felton is probably still quite young and the music is quite well produced, with neat programming and high energy. The problem lies with the mixing and the quality control. This is Disco House at its worst, with songs that are really poor, in both their idea and their concept. Track Two "Sweetsour Charity", even has the lyrics sung by male crooner Matthew Featherstone “so I’d take on the power, but I can’t even get a girlfriend”…..kind of says it all really.

Track Three "Lust", has a provocative title, but sounds more like an 80’s Whitney Houston R’n’B record. This may be a joy for some, but just not for me. I just couldn’t see these tracks being played in any self-respecting night club, and the vocals dominate the mix so much that if they were played up loud, the average singing, and unnerving lyrical content would be too much for most. There are a couple of ballads on "I’ll Destroy Music", in what appears to be an attempt to break up the monotony of the Disco House, but these are badly timed, and inefficiently realised.

There is not much more I can say about Backbeat Candy. Backbeat Candy are undoubtedly a highly talented group of individuals, with a lot of skill and knowledge between them. They perhaps just need to look deeper for their musical inspiration and take in some of the better purveyors of really good house music, like Daniel Bell. Backbeat Candy need to restrain their dependence on vocals and utilise their obvious musical talent in a more futuristic way. All that remains to be said is that if this is what Guildhall School Of Music call Epic Dance music…………….