EP REVIEW: The Adventures of Mr. Fox

Ever since KOAN Sound first signed onto one of my favorite record labels, OWSLA with their EP Funk Blaster I've been intrigued by their style. Kind of a...electro-funk thing going on. Funk Blaster was a fantastic EP and I highly recommend going and having a listen, especially to the namesake track on the EP. But while that EP was fantastic it was still rather sophomore-sounding. Them basically getting a handle on their style. But with their newest EP, The Adventures of Mr. Fox, they really push the envelope and show what they're made of.

So, ladies and gents, The Adventures of Mr. Fox.

1 - 80s Fitness
  This is an interesting track. Very stylistically appropriate for its name; it incorporates retro-sounding elements (especially in a Daft Punk-esque disco dance break in the middle) into it, while maintaining a the electro-funk that's characteristic of KOAN Sound. One part I especially like is the buildup at the beginning (and near the end) with the main melody doing a get-up-and-go crescendo up to a very distinct groovy main lead that punches through and fits perfectly behind the beat. I love too what they do with their main leads, how they make it ripple and glitch out as it goes to keep it fresh. Excellent track.
"Bounce your body..."

2 - Eastern Thug This track is probably my least favorite on the EP, simply because some of the synths they use in the song give me a bit of a headache and it can get a little annoying. The synth that really bugs me first comes in at 1:00, and it almost sounds like a processed tiger growl or something. It disappears and reappears throughout the track, though, at least. Other than that I find this track enjoyable. Very hard-hitting and has a great groove, especially in parts 1:54 - 2:11, and is basically the kind of song you'd play while wearing sunglasses and driving a hot car. Not for everyone, and even not for me unless I'm in the right mood, but it's cool.

 3 - Sly Fox
  This track, for me, was totally love at first listen. From the first second of the track you can just tell that something good is coming. So classy and funky in the kind of way that makes you want to throw on your fedora and pinstripe suit (yes, when I listen to this song that is how I envision myself). I love the feeling of the song...the only way I can describe it is with the name of the song. Sly Fox. The song generally has this feeling of slyness...one eyebrow raised and a charming smile in sound form. I find it difficult to write positive feedback on something I like this much because it simply becomes a jumbled mess of nonsensical fandom. If you don't listen to any of the other tracks on this EP listen to this one. It is the best track on the EP, and in my opinion the best track KOAN Sound has ever produced.
"Well, shall we dance?"

4 - Introvert This is one of those songs I really don't know what to think of. It's just so...out there. I mean, I like it...it's just that when I listen to it I get this uncomfortable feeling of incompleteness. It feels like something is missing...and just generally feels...awkward. But maybe that's the intention, given the name of the track. Overall though I like the chilled out feeling of it, with the soft piano chords and almost flutelike sounds floating alongside in the background. I'm not a huge fan of the breakbeat; it becomes a little obnoxious, and the mild growl synth going along with it doesn't help. But it seems like that kind of gives it the edge it needs, and when I try to imagine the track in my head with a different beat it wouldn't work. In the end, it's no Sly Fox, but still good!

There are three remix songs on the EP; I will not review these in detail. I will simply evaluate them based on whether or not they are simply good remixes of the original track, based on 3 categories:

Style Integration
The remix artist must integrate their style with the style of the artist/track they are remixing in a way that makes sense. This is rather broad, as it can apply to anything from feeling to structure, but again it must make sense. I'm sorry but a Korn remix of an Owl City song is not going to work.

Creative Interpretation
Let me put this as simply as I can - if you draw the Mona Lisa as a stick figure it'll make some people laugh but most people won't pay any attention to it.

Musical Quality
This one is tricky because opinion and quality can sometimes conflict. The best way to explain this is the difference between a great work of art and a comic book character. The masses will more likely enjoy the comic book character because they understand it. And though by comparison the comic book character is juvenile that does not make it necessarily poor quality. As such this is probably the most biased category as it's my own opinion of the musical quality of the remix itself; however, if the song meets the other two categories then this should come naturally.

3/3 = GREAT
2/3 = GOOD
1/3 = MEH
0/3 = BAD

1 - 80s Fitness (Reso Remix) Rating: 3/3

 2 - Eastern Thug (Neosignal Remix) Rating: 2/3

 3 - Sly Fox (Opiuo Remix) Rating: 3/3