Instrumental Breakdown: John Stone - Now You Know

Instrumental Breakdown - John Stone - Now You Know

So, instrumental breakdown? Here’s how it works - I’m going to be listening through John Stone - “Now You Know” a sixteen instrumental project currently available to stream/purchase through all major digital outlets. As I listen I’m going to write alongside with a live instrumental breakdown. Me unedited thoughts as I go. With that, let’s go!……..

Enter 01. The Command - a introduction building off what I gather will be a project with often G.I. Joe references thrown in, this intro covers a wide range of sounds & builds into different layers with this enticing opener. When I got 02. Springfield - it brought on the type of beats I personally can get lost in, the piano/synthy vibes get my head bobbing & anxious to hear the remainder of the project. Onto 03. Blue Lazers beams of music I like the way these instrumentals are vibing, this one is a more mellow laid back sorta vibe, the guitar comes in later & add it’s own element. Smooth laser beams!! 04. Destro - oh great cobra, enter the haunting voice crafting the entrance of Destro. I love how this one started off & right when I thought it was tapering off that eery ghost chick sounding voice kicks back in. Throw a hook in there this one is my fave listen this far in. Here comes 05. The Battle - the flutes come marching in, after a while it kinda felt repetitive with the flute for me, this one I would need to hear some vocals over after last track being my fave, this was prob my least fave this far in. Just me though, I know some people who would love this one. March forth into 06. Knowing - this one drives the tape forward & I’m digging it - the hook portion of the beat I presume gave me a halloween sorta Frankenstein type vibe. this one was cool. Next up 07. Red Lazers - ahhh, this one gives us some more dope sonic lazers, I love the the variety of instrumentation that transitions across a lot of these records so far, a good mash up of sounds in this is one my top listens nearing the halfway point. Onward 08. Zartans Logic - I feel like I’m tunneling through caves and chambers inside an old school video game fighting to the finish. In the middle of this beat exploration session & we’ve had a variety of different directions, but one thing has been consistent. John Stone utilizes a variety a different instruments and layers in a very unique way. The way a lot these beats build & change have me imagining lyrical stories peaking over them. With 09. Dreadnaught - another highlight rises, this one is smooth, a little more straight forward but the hook comes in & overall I can imagine a variety of emcee’s taking an approach to this. Title track time 10. Now You Know - I do know, I know I’ve stumbled across a dope collection of beats at this point, minus The Battle - ten tracks in & my attention has been kept & my interest to hear more continues. When it comes to instrumentals I like stuff I can imagine crafting too - and I’m down with these. The title track keeps the momentum going and eager to close out these next few songs. Luckily snow season has finally passed but 11. Snow Shadow - now this felt like more of a battle theme to me, or something I might hear at a beat battle, I visual an army karate kicking fools with blasters spinning in circles. Nah but this one is nice, I like the way it developed. With 12. The Saga Of Snake Island - chill, relax, slow down, this one strolls along with silky sounds, a mellow landscape of sound. yes. to this one too. Quick, quick bring on 13. The Quickest Kick - this vocal sample & lead in this one pulled me in off the bat, it sounds like an epic soap opera unfolding, some bad vs evil type menacing. I love the way the hooks come thru on a lot of these records this is another one, subtle but gives the song character. This one stands out to me. Let’s take a trip to 14. The Hood - couldn’t write well listening to this one, freestyled for the hell of it. the melody piano whatever element that is - If your listening I think you know what I mean just had my mind flowing. I want to hear how this beat was utilized asap. Another standout track. Two in row! The last non bonus track is 15. Fireflies - funky, bouncy, & electric guitar drenched. those three elements combine in a dope way. Lastly 16. Bonus Track - hmmm. not sure what to make of this. i’m wondering if there was some sort of concept behind it - or technique. I felt like I was listening to tv static with someone scanning items at a grocery store blended in with background noise. yeah don’t know what to this about this I’ll have get with John to see the meaning behind this one!

UPDATE: The hidden track is all the tracks playing together at the same time....BOOM!

Well that’s it, my live listening session slash instrumental breakdown. I listened to a lot of these two or three times before I moved on to the next track to & I will say my overall impression is very positive. I love the range of sounds, the creative approaches to mashing those sounds together & the sound bytes added character. Honestly only two songs & that odd bonus track that I could’ve done without. The rest of the project had me caught in a vibe, bobbing my head, or wanting to belt out some lyrical adventures myself. Standout picks would have to be Destro, Now You Know, The Quickest Quick, & The Hood. It’s a thumbs up for me, & if you like to freestyle, zone out to instrumentals, or value creative production I strongly suggest giving it a listen as a whole. - COMMi$$ION