[rating=7.00]
On his tenth album, Noise vs. Beauty, Lorin Ashton’s message to the public is hinted at through the title. In a recent fan Q&A, he discussed “the spectrum between highly opposing extremes like the noise of pop/mainstream EDM (which I feel alienated by) and the beauty of deep, meaningful music which stirs your soul.” Fittingly, this album dabbles in several different subgenres, resulting in some generic-sounding songs and some club-rocking bangers that will set the crowd off come time for his fall tour.
Utilizing a slow tempo and the soft, smooth voice of W Darling, the sweet love song “You & Me” is destined to be a live sing-along for the artist’s eclectic fanbase, optimal for a slower segment of a Bassnectar set. On the other side of the spectrum, “Noise” (featuring Donnis) is a hip-hop hybrid with the trademark gnarly bass drop whomp that his fans have always worshiped. Additionally, the lyrics directly reflect Lorin’s longstanding attitude toward mainstream music: “If you sayin’ I changed / it’s clear that you never knew me.”
On the other hand, “Hold On” (featuring Tursi) isn’t immediately satisfying — the intro shows far more promise than the song actually fulfills. Once the drop lands and Tursi begins to sing, nothing seems to meld like the start of the song. Unlike many other tracks, this one won’t soothe listeners or get the crowd moving — it’s one of few dead-ends on the album.
The best Bassnectar songs take listeners on a journey,” and that comes to fruition once again with “Ephemeral.” The energy Lorin extracted into this piece sprouts off the speakers, runs through the listener’s body and forms as a goosebump on the back of the neck. Conjuring a vibe of serenity and peace, this emotional ballad is destined to play a huge role in his epic live sets.
