Ancient Astronauts - Into Bass and Time

That’s a sick beat! What else you got?

Fairly or unfairly, this is a typical reaction when I listen to electronic music. For me, good music is about a number of things, but above all else, it’s about creativity. What are you doing that the guy before you didn’t already do? And when it comes to electronica and hip-hop—much of which is often sampled from other sources—there needs to be an even greater effort put towards not simply mashing together a collection of other people’s work, setting it on loop and calling it original. In other words, when constructing songs using a variety of samples, there needs to be something that not only distinguishes the song as original but also establishes an identity for the artist.

I might feel differently and cut a little more slack if it weren’t for the number of groups that have been incredibly successful at riding that balance between sampling and originality, all while creating a flavor that is distinctively theirs. Fatboy Slim and The Roots come to mind right away, and even lesser known groups like Thievery Corporation and Jurassic 5 have been able to create that unique sound without abandoning the fundamentals. Even more recently, bands like Disco Biscuits and Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) have taken it a step further by, like The Roots, using instruments in addition to electronics and turntables, while also adding a heavy improvisational element.

Which brings us to the matter at hand: Ancient Astronauts and their sophomore release Into Bass and Time. This little-known duo from Cologne, Germany, named after a belief that extraterrestrial beings visited Earth in ancient times to mingle and trade ideas with early human civilizations, has produced a 15-track “journey” that is long on potential but short on execution. While in total the album does offer a diverse song selection, unfortunately each song doesn't offer enough depth on its own. Most songs start with a solid, original base, but by the end that base has been entirely played out and become so repetitive that it’s lost its initial appeal.

Not unlike their contemporaries, the Astronauts incorporate a variety of flavors through assorted samples and guest artists, all of which do add power and texture to the tracks to which they contribute. The dark and ethereal vocals of Phat Old Mamas on “Bitter Hypnotic” and the Arabian sway of Entropik on the aptly named “Peace in the East” are probably the best examples. So, it is not to say that Into Bass and Time is totally devoid of substance—quite to the contrary, in fact. It is full of substance. It’s just a matter of how they work this substance into its final product, and unfortunately, tracks like “Impossible,” “Eternal Searching,” “Rocket Science” and “Nocturne,” while all possessing some redeemable qualities, need a little more development and flavor added before being put on the table.

*sidebar*Can we please stop with the over-the-top, tell-me-how-I-should-feel self-promotion?! Just tell me what it is and let me make up my own mind about whether it takes me to the far reaches of the earth or makes me dance my ass off or blows me away. Take the description of Into Bass and Time for instance: “Prepare for a kaleidoscopic journey into bass and time! The Ancient Astronauts return once again from the far reaches of the musical cosmos with their stellar new sophomore album.” Really? Or how about the “We present something that the world has never heard before” intro to “Give It to You,” which leads right into a song that feels like something I have, in fact, heard quite a few times before. This seems more typical of the genre than specific to Ancient Astronauts, but regardless, how about adding a bit of humility to your work.*end sidebar*

Into Bass and Time is by no means a throw-away album. Ancient Astronauts have something going, but it’s just not yet enough to distinguish themselves from their counterparts in a field where, frankly, anyone with a computer and some sampling software can make an album. While I appreciate the ear it takes to compile this “kaleidoscope” of sound, just having that ear isn’t enough. What are you doing that the guy before you didn’t already do? I mean, that’s a sick beat and all, but what’s next?

Rating
Overall: 2.5/5
Originality: 2/5
Production: 3/5
Listenability: 3/5

Available at ESL Music, Amazon and iTunes