Dynamix II – Arrival Of Bass / Purple Beats

We can not talk about Electro Bass (the mix of Electro with Miami Bass) not to mention Dynamix II, just as it is difficult to speak in Miami Bass without remembering the legacy of Dynamix II.

In a sense, the Dynamix II sound can be seen from two different perspectives within the Electro Bass spectrum: on the one hand, a perspective focused on Electro, Miami Bass and sometimes Techno, in instrumental format; on the other hand, a musical perspective of Electro Bass with an emphasis on Rap. Incidentally, in this particular line, Dynamix II brought to increase its music some really incredible emcees like Kidd Money, Breazy Beat MC, J-Nasty-T and Alex J.Weir (T. Boyz D.L.).

In the specific case of this record, the incredible Alex was responsible for the rhymes, the raps. And he presented here a material with his own language, a personal style of rhyming, of structuring the verses, full of word play and lyrical skills. This is clear on both tracks, with the "Purple Beats" track being my favorite. The Dynamix II (David Noller) designed the beats of SP1200, with emphasis on the bass, as well as the great cuts and scratches, very characteristic of the style of Miami in this period. Sometimes I wonder if tracks like this would have had more recognition if performed in NY, that is, in the cradle of hip-hop. The more creative side of the Miami Bass is still underestimated and unknown within the very universe of Hip-Hop.

In Brazil, for example, the Miami Bass more focused on what we call "Booty Rap" had more impact, that is, easier to be assimilated by the general public. From 1989, in Rio de Janeiro (in some cases, in São Paulo), the Miami Bass received its adaptation in Portuguese, in a style that received the confused name of "Funk Carioca". This style drank a lot in the Miami Bass of the 80's, was greatly influenced by the long drums of 2 Live Crew, for example, but little brought of innovation for the genre. Yes, the Brazilians confuse Miami Bass with Funk. This has been happening for more than 30 years. The Miami Bass arrived in Brazil in the mid-1980s at parties where it played Soul and Funk. He was "sold" as Funk in those 80s parties, at a time when, outside the US, most people had few references to hip-hop; but this naming error perpetuated to this day. Whoever finds it strange what I'm saying, try to listen to a compilation called "Funk Brasil" - is the first compilation of Brazilian Miami Bass, with versions in portuguese for classics of Guccy Crew II, 2 Live Crew, among others. The correct name would be Rio Bass or Brazilian Bass, would not it? :)

In contrast, however much the "Funk Carioca" tried to imitate the Miami Bass, in Brazil there were never emcees rhyming in this way, with the creativity that Alex rhymes in this song. In the same way that we do not have someone in Brazil that rap with the metrics similar to the records of Cut It Up Def. However, there is another chain of Brazilian artists linked to Miami Bass. They chose to build an instrumental Bass Music work, with more connection to the roots of Miami Bass, to Electro Bass, than with the so-called "Funk Carioca". In the 90's, I could name DJ Nazz and Bass Crew. In recent times, Hugo Bassman, Astoria Bass (Dj Skrok), Dj Heliobranco, DJ Tom Oliver, among others, fill this musical strand. They have recorded records in partnerships with Miami Bass pioneers such as Maggotron, Alex (T Boyz D.L) and Jock D.

Today, for example, we are further away from the '80s, the Miami Bass, records like that. What we have there is Trap, in the USA, and "Funk Carioca" in Brazil, bastard sons of Miami Bass, the repetition of the formula. But the musical design of Amos Larkins II's Dynamix II, among other aesthetes of the Miami Bass, is still alive, exuding influences around the world.In fact, the legendary Amos Larkins, the father of the Miami Bass, never imagined that what would be an error of course or an accident would become a musical aesthetic followed by many people. His mistake in recording a song with excessive bass became a musical element of the Miami Bass, the essence of the musical style of the South Florida. There is even a philosophical background to this, something related to Socrates that the experience of error, in the pursuit of knowledge, is a constructive experience. Dynamix II, DXJ, Jealous J, Jock D, Debonaire, among others, followed the "experience of error" and defined the aesthetics of Miami Bass.

Purple Beats (Original Album Version) Tough as nails Tough as nailsTough as nails from 1990!!!!