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As I listened to Dropped Frames Vol. 2. by Mike Shinoda, a thought occurred to me: If there is one thing consistent between the most remarkable eras of art and music, it is that great art is often made during times of unrest. Perhaps this is because artists are inspired to express more deeply in response to living through such harsh times themselves; perhaps it is because people seek out and bond with art more readily in reaching out to feel in touch with community. I bet it’s a lot of both.
Mike Shinoda, the multi-instrumentalist founding member of Linkin Park, has been among the many artists finding new ways of reaching out to fans online during the pandemic. He found Amazon’s Twitch streaming platform, available to Amazon Prime members, to be the perfect way to interact with fans while spontaneously creating music. The first results of this uniquely collaborative community experience can be heard on Dropped Frames, Vol. 1, released on July 10, 2020.
Less than a month later, Mike has already given us Dropped Frames Volume 2 in what is expected to be a trilogy. Being a capable keyboardist, guitarist, singer, and producer, there are few limitations to what Mike id capable of creating, even in isolation. For synth enthusiasts, there is plenty of ear candy from his collection of analog and digital gear including the beloved Roland Juno 106, Roland Boutique JP-08, and Teenage Engineering OP-1, among others.
Both albums are a blend of energetic modern beats, natural and synthetic textures, and an overall joyful, positive vibe that is itself a testimony to the resilience of the human spirit during these trying times. Highly recommended!
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Categories: Synth Music
