Ryan Hemsworth - "Afterglow"

After a relatively quiet stint following the 2014 release of Alone For The First Time, Canadian producer Ryan Hemsworth has a gorgeous new track out called "Afterglow". The composition features guitar, vocals, and electronic elements from Hemsworth alongside swelling cellos courtesy of Keira McArthur. The beat starts out minimally, but gradually adds in a roster of auxiliary clicks and thwaps, culminating in a heaving, hi-hat infused trap cadence. The wistful melodies, inscribed in the swirl of cellos, synths, and disembodied cooing of Hemsworth, evoke a strange feeling, a dream-like mix of contented bliss and longing. No word as to whether this is part of an unannounced project, or just a one-off that Hemsworth has been stewing on.

-Tom Fullmer

Ryan Hemsworth- Last Words

It's no secret that Los Angeles is home to some of the most interesting names in beat music (*cough* Brainfeeder *cough*), but the talent doesn't stop with Flying Lotus's wonderful label. Among other worthy mentions in the scene is the Wedidit collective, home to producers such as Shlohmo, Groundislava, RL Grime, and our current focus, Ryan Hemsworth. The latter dropped his Last Words EP earlier this week, and it is available to stream above via Wedidit's Bandcamp.

The first five of the release's nine tracks showcase Hemsworth combining colorful, danceable hip hop beats with a somewhat emotional touch. The juxtaposition of large, club-like drums against evocative, atmospheric sounds prompts me to suggest comparisons to a contemporary like Clams Casino, albeit if such a producer was less abstract and more colorful. Differences aside, both artists certainly have a knack for making instrumental beats sound dramatic. From the chopped, seemingly reversed vocal sample on "Colour & Movement" to the operatic samples on "The Happy Mask Shop," Hemsworth's music has no trouble feeling climactic. The remaining four tracks comprise remixes done by Shlohmo, Supreme Cuts, Baauer, and Sam Tiba & Canblaster. Each remix displays its creator's personality well - take, for example, the brooding beat and pitch-shifted vocal sample of Shlohmo's reworking - yet is loyal enough to the sound of the EP to keep it from feeling cohesive, ultimately rounding off a very solid collection of songs.

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