Jon Gooch a.k.a. Feed Me has been one my favorite producers in the bass music scene ever since ‘Feed Me’s Big Adventure’ came out on Christmas Day 2010; well now Calamari Tuesday is finally here and despite all the hype surrounding the debut release on his newly formed record label Sotto Voce, Feed Me has further cemented his place not only in my heart, but also among the upper echelon of producers in the world.
The album starts off with a bang with a track that made me feel like I was floating through outer-space so if that was Gooch‘s goal with the aptly-titled ‘Orion’ then mad props to him on that one! Featuring jazzy drums and even a organ breakdown, this tune is definitely one of the most innovative on the album and proves to be an incredible way to begin the journey.
Next up is ‘Death By Robot,’ which debuted on his Death By Robot EP earlier this year. This track shows off a less complex, more vocal oriented side of Feed Me’s repertoire and he pulls it off incredibly well.
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The third track of the release, ‘Lonely Mountain,’ is definitely one of my favorites off the album; the intense buildup, virtuosic guitar-like synth solos, and gut-wrenching basslines scream classic Feed Me all while still managing to keep things feeling incredibly fresh. One thing that Feed Me has really mastered, which he proves yet again with this track, is his ability to build anticipation for a dubstep drop; the first half of the track is your standard electro-house fare, four-to-the-floor beat at 128 bpm, but in the back of my mind I knew Feed Me had something up his sleeve. As the song progress, I knew exactly what was looming in the background and once dubstep breakdown came into play, I couldn’t wait to hear it through!
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Next up is ‘Ebb & Flow’ featuring Tasha Baxter‘s incredible vocal work. Feed Me‘s previous collaborations with Tasha Baxter, ‘Cloudburn’ and ‘Strange Behavior,’ were always some of my favorites and ‘Ebb & Flow’ is no different; I knew there was going to be one absolutely filthy dubstep banger on the album and this one is definitely that and so much more.
The fifth track on the album is ‘Rat Trap,’ which Feed Me used as an opportunity to show us that he knows how to “run the trap” better than anyone else out there. The sub-bass, piano embellishments, tight drums, and chopped vocals are intricately and expertly woven throughout the entire track; I don’t say this often but this song seriously slaps!
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Next up is a beautiful electro tune called ‘Dazed’ that much like ‘Relocation’ from his Escape From Electric Mountain EP, shows off Feed Me‘s softer side. The subtle synths, sweeping orchestral movements, and ominous, yet incredibly powerful piano chords make for one of the most beautiful soundscapes I’ve ever had the pleasure of losing myself in.
‘Ophelia,’ is a dubstep ballad featuring incredible vocal work from Yadi, a fantastic brass section, and enough reggae vibes to singlehandedly put the ‘dub’ back in dubstep for good. I’m thrilled that Feed Me included tracks like ‘Dazed’ and ‘Ophelia’ on the album because of their ability to showcase the subtle intricacies of his more downtempo productions.
If you ever needed any more proof that Feed Me is the king of bass-heavy complextro than look no further than ‘Chinchilla.’ This masterfully crafted track might be one of the most energetic and funkiest tracks known to man; Feed Me really knocked this one out of the park!
With the next two tracks, ‘In the Bin’ and ‘Fiasco,’ Gooch gives us some funky mid-tempo glitchy goodness, which is something that I haven’t really seen much of from him in the past; I always knew he was capable of pulling it off but it’s really nice to hear it in action on Calamari Tuesday.
Next up is his collaboration with Crystal Fighters, which I’m sure you’ve heard already unless you’ve been living under a rock. This track never fails to put me a good mood (just listen to it and try to be sad at the end I dare you!) and Feed Me has been known to close with this song so as to end on an especially uplifting note.
Every time I listen to the 12th track on the album, ‘Short Skirt,’ I can’t help but feel like I’ve been transported to the a 70’s disco with light up dance floors and I mean that in the best way possible; this is some seriously groovy stuff and I can’t get enough of it! Next up is ‘No Grip,’ which might just be my favorite track off the whole album. The intro might be one of the most soulful things I’ve ever heard and once the drop comes this record never ceases to blow me away; I like to think of this song as the spiritual successor to the fan favorite ‘One Click Headshot’ and there’s no doubt in my mind that ‘No Grip’ will soon become one of his most requested tracks as well.
With ‘Onstuh,’ Feed Me‘s masterful and incredibly intricate sound design make this tune one of my favorites off Calamari Tuesday; the way that the funky basslines, pumping drums, and powerful synths seamlessly blend together make it literally impossible for me to sit still while listening. Those of us who have been following Feed Me over the years have been patiently waiting for this track ever since his first upload to YouTube back in February 2010.
It makes sense that he was waiting for the right moment (his debut full-length album) to release this seriously epic track to the masses; if I were him I would’ve held onto this one too just to make sure it was perfect and it definitely comes close!
The aptly-titled ‘Last Requests’ featuring the extremely talented Jenna G‘s vocals, closes out the album with a more somber, yet incredibly beautiful take on his signature brand of electro and I thought this was an ingenious way for him to end such an incredible journey!
I cannot commend Feed Me enough for the way he put together Calamari Tuesday; from start to finish, each song flows naturally into the next and the album manages to maintain a consistent theme without feeling even remotely stale. Calamari Tuesday embodies everything Feed Me is all about and it helped remind me why I fell in love with his music the instant I discovered him. His sound has such a unique personality thanks to his signature blend of energetic electro-house and devastating dubstep; when you hear Feed Me, you know it’s Feed Me. In my mind, what Feed Me did with Calamari Tuesday is akin to what Kendrick Lamar did with his now infamous verse on ‘Control:’ he threw down a gauntlet challenging everyone in the scene to step up their game and get on his level because otherwise he’s going to leave them in the dust when he launches into the stratosphere. Honestly I wouldn’t expect anything less from the genius behind not just Feed Me, but Spor as well. This album is hands-down my favorite release of the year and I don’t know about you, but I can’t wait for my second helping!
Make sure you support Feed Me by buying Calamari Tuesday HERE!
Feed Me is the man.
This album is truely something special…Ebb and Flow is by far my favorite. He was dropping it in his live sets while he toured so it’s great to see him finally release it
Best song for me is rat trap.
Dumb q: any idea when it comes out on Spotify?
I don’t know how to describe this incredible album, it’s really awesome <3
I cried a couple of times listening to this.