MUSIC PRODUCER

ATUM ON THE BEAT

Discography

A Collection of Unreleased Tracks

2021

Concrete Lament

Alternative Indie

2022

VELVET BASELINES

Garage

Discography

A Collection of Unreleased Tracks
Street art

2023

Conspiracy

Jazz

Musical note painted on the ground

2023

DEEP STREETSCAPE

Sampled Garage

Grafitti

2024

Alchemist

Jazzy Boom Bap

Street art

2023

WHISPERING MEADOW

Neo Classical

GEORGE SCOTT

IS

ATUM BEATS

George Scott

Independent music Producer
Listen Now on all Digital Platforms

SNOWEDUNDER

As part of the grime remix series, I juxtaposed the hardcore and aggressive vocals of JME and Tempa T with a soulful smooth saxophone with the release: SnowedUnder.
This is my one of my biggest songs with over 130,000 streams on streaming platforms and over 1,000,000 views on social medias.

During the intro of the song, I let the start of the sample play out, leading to a chop playing with a kick for 4 beats in a row leading into the first verse.

The usual technique of sampling in hip-hop is taking a 4-8bar phrase of a sample and looping it making minor adjustments, but in this beat for the verse, I took snippets of the sample and played it like drums, having a different sample trigger for each drum hit. This technique gives the whole beat a good bounce as the drums and sample play cohesively together. As mentioned earlier, I layered my own drums above the sample, without it sounding too busy by applying a sidechain to the sample so that whenever the kick plays, the lower frequencies in the sample are cut for a short time. Usually, producers either sidechain the whole sample, or even take out all of the low end out of the sample completely, but I chose to just sidechain the lower frequencies to preserve the authenticity of the sample.

Occasionally, I let the sample play out in order to give the listeners variation within the song and help maintain their attention. Letting the sample play out especially works with bridges, as it gives the listener an indication of when there is a short break in-between their verses.

To conclude, the track’s innovative structure and sound design not only pay homage to the roots of grime but also push the boundaries of genre fusion.

day1serious

“Day1Serious” seamlessly blends the timeless allure of jazz with modern production finesse, featuring a rich tapestry of sounds that showcases my innovative approach to music creation. Utilizing Serato Sample for sampling, I captured the essence of jazz in the song’s intro, leading into a captivating stutter effect in the last 4 beats before the verse. This effect was meticulously crafted by repeating the same sample chop on each beat, each chop descending by one semitone, synchronized with the deep thud of an 808-kick drum on each chop, creating a compelling buildup.

For the verses, I employed a tresillo rhythm in the first bar, chopping the sample and overlaying it with my own 808 kick patterns to infuse the track with a robust, resonant foundation. Instead of a traditional snare, I opted for a rimshot in the second bar, providing a crisp, distinctive backbeat that complements the kick. This rhythmic pattern, punctuated by the unique timbre of the rimshot, repeats throughout the song, introducing variations in the sample chops to weave a rich, textured sonic landscape.

Adding to the complexity of the rhythm section, I incorporated a shaker, playing in the background with a tresillo rhythm, enhancing the track’s layered textures and reinforcing its rhythmic drive. The use of an 808 kick not only underscores the track’s deep bass foundation but also pays homage to the cultural significance of the 808 drum machine. Revered in music production circles, the 808 has left an indelible mark on various music genres, from hip-hop to electronic music, celebrated for its distinctive, bass-heavy sound that has shaped the sonic landscape of contemporary music.

Through “Day1Serious,” I aimed to not only explore the fusion of genres but also to honour the legacy of iconic musical tools like the 808, blending them with cutting-edge sampling technology to create a sound that’s both nostalgic and refreshingly innovative.

SPIT2KILL

I crafted “Spit2Kill” with the intention of blending my unique style with elements of grime music, resulting in a contemporary sound infused with my personal touch. The track kicks off with a compelling sample, complemented by a custom synth I created using the VST plugin Serum. To achieve the desired texture for the synth, I used a sine wave modulated by frequency from the second oscillator, set it to mono, incorporated glide for fluidity, and applied a filter to soften its brightness, enhancing its smoothness. The grime influence is pronounced in the drum patterns, featuring a deep kick, a sharp snare, and an open hi-hat, all meticulously engineered to drive the rhythm. I employed sidechain compression to dynamically lower the sample’s volume with each kick, weaving the elements together seamlessly. Additionally, I infused the track with various grime sound effects, enriching its sonic palette. This approach not only highlights my adaptive technique but also underlines my commitment to crafting a sound that’s both innovative and reflective of my artistic vision.

VELVET
BASSLINES

Street artist painting colorful monster graffiti on public wall

I created this track, wanting to merge my soulful jazzy style with a more modern and urban approach, so I decided to fuse jazz along with garage. The song starts of with a pad I had made in a synthesiser, along with a royalty free saxophone loop which I downloaded from the internet. To create the pad, I took a sine wave and increased the attack, lowered the sustain and increased the release. I did this to make the sound les static and add more ‘movement’ to it. I also automated a filter with an envelope, so that the filter opens up and closes slightly when the sound is playing. I then added some effects such as: Chorus, Delay, EQ, Reverb and Compressor. I used the EQ and reverb to make the sound ‘deeper’ and then I used the compressor to tame the transients. On the Saxophone, I also added some EQ as well as some delay to make the sound more dreamy and softer, so it can fit in the mix easier. I also added a grand piano that played a small topline to add some accent to the instrumental. After 4 bars, the electric piano and bass join in. I was aiming for the electric piano to sound vintage and warm so: I added a stereo pan that automated panning left to right, as well as a ‘wah’ effect and some room reverb to add some ambience. To make it sound ‘warmer’ I added some chorus, air distortion, some EQ, and some wobble. In the lower end of the frequencies, I had 2 types of bass playing. One of them was a subbase which I made from a sine wave that played a repetitive smooth baseline. A long with the subbase, I added the classic ‘Korg M1 Organ 2’ sound which has been used across many songs in the house and garage genre. I made sure to not have the 2 different bass sounds playing simultaneously as I didn’t want any muddy distortion or any phase cancellation. For the drums, I used a kick from the Roland 808 which was a famous drum machine used in urban music. I also included a rimshot as well as a lot of top end percussion. In the arrangement, I took out some parts of the drums and melody etc to build tension.

CONSPIRACY

Street art

“Conspiracy” is an original jazzy funky track that I crafted from the ground up, drawing inspiration from the slick and stylish aura of the Ocean’s 11 trilogy. The song begins with a hypnotic bass line enveloped in a low pass filter, setting a groovy foundation that’s both deep and compelling. Accompanying this are heavy percussive drums, given clarity with a low cut, and embellished with the crisp shimmer of open hats, laying down a rhythm that’s irresistibly engaging.

As the track unfolds, it revisits the initial bass and drum pattern but evolves it—removing the low cuts and incorporating record scratches, a nod to hip hop’s rich legacy. Record scratches, historically a hallmark of hip hop, symbolize the genre’s innovative manipulation of sound and its culture of repurposing music to create something entirely new. This element infuses “Conspiracy” with a sense of nostalgia while celebrating hip hop’s enduring influence on music.

The composition then transitions into a mesmerizing interlude featuring a jazzy organ and an electric piano, both treated with the RC-20 VST and tape saturation to imbue them with a warm, vintage quality. The RC-20 plugin is renowned for its ability to mimic the warmth, noise, and character of vintage recording equipment, making it the perfect tool for adding depth and an analog feel to the track’s digital production.

A unique addition to the song is the vibraslap, introducing a distinct percussive texture that enhances the track’s complexity. Following this, “Conspiracy” showcases a dynamic drum solo, crafted using the Addictive Drums VST. This solo not only demonstrates technical prowess but also adds an explosive energy to the composition, bridging the worlds of digital precision and the organic feel of live jazz and funk.

In essence, “Conspiracy” is a meticulously composed piece that pays homage to the cinematic elegance of Ocean’s 11 while celebrating the cultural milestones of music production, from the tactile artistry of record scratching to the innovative use of modern production tools like RC-20 and Addictive Drums. It’s a fusion of eras and genres, resulting in a sound that’s both timeless and thoroughly contemporary.