Heiss: Awake(n) Review
Published: February 6, 2013
By: Alex Silva
Inspiration is more than just mental stimulation, it’s a cultural matrix passed down generation to generation. A gift from the past, you might say because something that already exists, once gone, can continue its vicarious life through others. Music is one of the most precious byproducts of inspiration, pushing artists to explore new horizons and dive deeper into their creative unknown. Boston-native Heiss, better known as Frank Heiss, is the son of a contemporary classical composer and a living example of how inspiration can work.
You may have heard his talents before via his many aliases, from Bionic Harmonic to Tube, HearNow, The Hick Step Massive and even simply as Frank Heiss, but you’ve never heard him as you will now. After many years of producing music and releasing over a dozen albums, the multi-instrumentalist has sealed a cap on his hiatus from the industry with the recent release of his album Awake(n) under his own name.
Inspired by changes in modern music culture, Heiss rebrands himself with his latest work. Awake(n) is a 12-track compilation of electronic originals caked with a thick layer of hip-hop and instrumental influences. Beginning with the first track, “Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There...,” Heiss introduces the listener to his latest mechanical breed of synthesized beats and theoretically though-out lyrics to keep both your body and mind busy. Reminiscent of the freestyle delivery of bands like The Beastie Boys and The Bloodhound Gang, the lyrics flow with a transcendental approach to guide you through listening and experiencing his music.
“Music of Depth and Weight for the Soul. Music with a purpose, to Awaken those who listen,” as noted in his artist biography.
As you venture further into the album you start to become more familiar with his cohesive blend of glitch hop and breakbeat styles which are consistently paralleled with instrumental backdrops. Each track holds its own energy with twelve different sonic landscapes for you to enjoy. You can vibe out to some glitchy 808s in “Outside Your Mind,” enjoy a sensual new-wave ambience in “Shakti,” get down to some jazzy garage step in “Projection Lane,” or get groovy with the funky jamtronica side of “I Kiss Your Eyes.” No matter which you choose to indulge in, they all share on common trait: They all express some sort of extended cerebral enchantment, gripping to your subconscious thoughts and showering them with constructive imagery.
Heiss is not scheduled to perform or tour in the recent future, but keep yourselves updated by visiting his website and download your free copy of Awake(n) from his Soundcloud.
Inspiration is more than just mental stimulation, it’s a cultural matrix passed down generation to generation. A gift from the past, you might say because something that already exists, once gone, can continue its vicarious life through others. Music is one of the most precious byproducts of inspiration, pushing artists to explore new horizons and dive deeper into their creative unknown. Boston-native Heiss, better known as Frank Heiss, is the son of a contemporary classical composer and a living example of how inspiration can work.
You may have heard his talents before via his many aliases, from Bionic Harmonic to Tube, HearNow, The Hick Step Massive and even simply as Frank Heiss, but you’ve never heard him as you will now. After many years of producing music and releasing over a dozen albums, the multi-instrumentalist has sealed a cap on his hiatus from the industry with the recent release of his album Awake(n) under his own name.
Inspired by changes in modern music culture, Heiss rebrands himself with his latest work. Awake(n) is a 12-track compilation of electronic originals caked with a thick layer of hip-hop and instrumental influences. Beginning with the first track, “Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There...,” Heiss introduces the listener to his latest mechanical breed of synthesized beats and theoretically though-out lyrics to keep both your body and mind busy. Reminiscent of the freestyle delivery of bands like The Beastie Boys and The Bloodhound Gang, the lyrics flow with a transcendental approach to guide you through listening and experiencing his music.“Music of Depth and Weight for the Soul. Music with a purpose, to Awaken those who listen,” as noted in his artist biography.
As you venture further into the album you start to become more familiar with his cohesive blend of glitch hop and breakbeat styles which are consistently paralleled with instrumental backdrops. Each track holds its own energy with twelve different sonic landscapes for you to enjoy. You can vibe out to some glitchy 808s in “Outside Your Mind,” enjoy a sensual new-wave ambience in “Shakti,” get down to some jazzy garage step in “Projection Lane,” or get groovy with the funky jamtronica side of “I Kiss Your Eyes.” No matter which you choose to indulge in, they all share on common trait: They all express some sort of extended cerebral enchantment, gripping to your subconscious thoughts and showering them with constructive imagery.
Heiss is not scheduled to perform or tour in the recent future, but keep yourselves updated by visiting his website and download your free copy of Awake(n) from his Soundcloud.
Tags: Downtempo
