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G Jones Takes Us into (Cyber) Space with “That Odd Ep In The Pit Of My Hard Drive”

August 19, 2015 By RaverRafting Staff

We knew it was coming. Ever since we were treated with the New Beats 2015 Mixtape, it was inevitable that a huge release from G Jones was in the works. While the West Coast bass producer has been steadily releasing singles over the past 6 months, he finally let slip late in July that he planned to release an entirely new 11-track ~~album~~ EP for free. Having personally witnessed Greg tease this new content throughout his 2015 appearances, this day honestly couldn’t have come soon enough. Well, it’s finally time. Make sure to fasten your seat belt and keep all wiggling extremities inside the spacecraft, as G Jones takes us on a sonic journey from the reaches of outer space to the depths of his external hard drive.

“That Odd Feeling In The Pit Of My Stomach”, as the title suggests, sets the vibe for the the entire release as something very out of the ordinary. Assuming Greg doesn’t struggle with acute gastrointestinal pain, this is likely an homage to that unsettling sensation felt when something just isn’t quite right. The track itself directly mirrors this sentiment, as the listener is bombarded with dissonant synths lines and wonky vocal stabs. Choosing to open the New Beats 2015 Mixtape with the same track, it’s clear G Jones has just as big an affinity for keeping his audience guessing as he does for making them move.

“Verve” and “Broken Glowsticks” continue right where the intro track left off, both possessing infectious and snappy percussion layered beneath a masterful array of 808s and gritty bass lines. “Apollo,” a clear heavyweight amidst the EP, was the first single fully released for download off the new compilation and has been making waves within Greg’s sets ever since. “Millennium Falcon,” which features Greg’s 8-bit partner in crime Doshy, perfectly showcases the result of when two broken bass producers collide. Utilizing an spine-tingling lead similar to “Work All Day” alongside a squelchy, yet jagged, bass line, this track is as disorienting as it is powerful.

“Lavender Town,” a song G Jones released a short clip of last December, is nothing short of phenomenal. Utilizing a very similar chord progression to the music greeting a player who entered the fictional Lavender Town in classic Pokemon games, Greg succeeds both in form and in function by creating a nostalgia-laden banger sure to leave your conscious reeling. What’s more is that “Lavender Town” perfectly encapsulates the eerie and sinister feeling that the original Pokemon games embodied (Lavendar Town possesses Pokemon Tower, a seven floor graveyard which contains the restless souls of deceased Pokemon), while still remaining an incredibly volatile track. If spooky bass isn’t a genre, it sure is now. “Ned Flangers,” the second song that G Jones teased us with a clip of a few months back, is another standout track that indeed makes frequent use of flangers to provide the desired wide and sweeping atmospheric effect. This, coupled with the aggressive retro lead and thumping bass, ensure that “Ned Flangers” will frequent Greg’s sets for years to come. We’re just disappointed that no diddly doos were sampled in the creative process.

“Air” sees a collaboration with the Australian up and comer Zeke Beats and features many of the same elements that make previous tracks so tantalizing. Arguably the most broken addition to the entire EP, fat synth lines are accompanied by screeching leads and bustling arpeggios to completely fill the audible spectrum with mind-melting bass. Within seconds of hearing “Syntax Error,” it is overwhelmingly obvious where the track title originated from. For lack of a better description, it seems as if Greg managed to capture the exact moment his computer began to implode (a proverbial blue screen of death, if you will)…and then used it to create a trap song. At least it seems he was able to recover the files from that pit of his hard drive before things spiraled out of control. “Labyrinth,” once again, aptly succeeds in describing the title of the track via its aural structure. Each drop embodies escalating tension that makes the listener feel as if he’s running through a complex series of passages, all the while being chased by a bull-human hybrid that may or may not have a connection to Greek mythology. The outro contains a haunting trail of hi-hats that fade into silence, forsaking the audience of any closure (or escape from the labyrinth) and simultaneously setting the stage for the last track in the compilation.

“Mirage (Ultra VIP),” the final piece of the virtual puzzle, really encapsulates the producer’s growth from nascence to present. With the original release of Mirage taking place almost 3 years ago, it’s is simply incredible to witness the proliferation of “Mirage’s” (and Greg’s) sound from start to finish. While the Ultra VIP contains the same mesmerizing vocal as the original and normal VIP, the bass line was completely flipped on its head (and that’s an absolute understatement). The single, plain 808 has been replaced by a churning, resonant monster that is sure to destroy live sets and unsuspecting minds everywhere it goes, which cements this track as one of the best track Greg has released this year.

Overall, That Odd EP In The Pit of My Hard Drive not only surpasses expectations, it completely shatters any preconceived notions of what bass music must conform to. Discussing genres is useless, as we have been shown time and time again that G Jones’ style is constantly evolving without boundary, making any attempt at classification a misguided endeavor. Furthermore, considering the speed and consistency at which Mr. Jones pumps out new tunes, it’s apparent that the producer does not intend to sit still long enough to allow his style to be abridged or categorized. Indeed, it seems as if Greg has been working on his genre-bending music 24 hours a day (not just 9 to 5).

You can stream the entire EP on G Jone’s soundcloud or download the entire EP from his website. However, if you want to experience these tracks full force (plus his entire amassed catalog of unreleased fuego), do yourself a favor and be sure to catch Greg at one of his upcoming 2015 tour dates: