Native Instruments has released season two of its audio-visual cookbook Native Sketches, the result of a simple challenge posed to a handpicked global roster of emerging producers and beatmakers: Create a new musical idea using only instruments and effects from KOMPLETE 11 and MASCHINE.
Each of the 25 tracks is accompanied by generative visuals from Berlin-based filmmaker Rainer Kohlberger, and an in-depth description of the production process from the artist themselves.
Contributions to this season come from a diverse group of artists, representing a full spectrum of beat-focussed genres – from London club producer Sega Bodega and French collaborator Coucou Chloe; to North American hip hop heads like Prezident Jeff and FrancisGotHeat; and Asian bass-music breakouts Jason Hou and EGL.
Many of season two’s contributors are best known for productions they’ve contributed to other artists’ releases: TRAKGIRL is behind the trap-infused R&B of Jhene Aiko’s “Overstimulated”; Stwo and FrancisGotHeat have both worked with Drake; and the latter has produced for Roy Woods – as has Prezident Jeff, who also counts Wiz Khalifa, Stormzy, and Majid Jordan among his credits.
All 25 producers have supplemented their Sketch with a self-penned description of how it was created. From abstract concepts to individual presets, each one offers a fascinating glimpse into the unique creative process of each artists.
Native Sketches is a testament to the benefits of adopting a faster and more streamlined creative process. By limiting the sonic palette and working to a tight deadline, many producers find that they achieve results that not only approach the quality of more time-intensive creations, but that also contain interesting ideas that may otherwise have been filtered out. Taken as a whole, the series is proof positive that less can indeed be more.
More information: Native Instruments
