‘Walking Vibes’ - Mr. Sante
Delving into ‘Walking Vibes’ by Mr. Sante
Mr. Santé started his production journey three years ago. In his words he was ‘bored as hell without any of my music instruments’ so he decided to experiment with some samples that were on his computer. This lead to his first beat, 'On My Way’. Having played in bands previously and being heavily influenced by the screamo scene, Mr. Sante was surprised to find himself so taken with Beats, saying ‘Taking a sound that already exists and making it your own, was totally insane to me but it makes me feel so good!’ With this new found enthusiasm he took the name Mr. Sante (or Mr. Healthy in English) because it fit into his caring nature but also because it resonated with the music he was making. ‘Walking Vibes’ represents his first two years of making beats but how does this set the scene for things to come for this young producer?
As you get into ‘Walking Vibes’, it becomes clear how fitting a title it is. This album is akin to a gentle stroll on a sunny day conceptually. It is a lazy meander on a Saturday afternoon, with the sun on your back and nature all around. The balance between concept and context is perfect here. The beauty in Mr. Sante’s expression of the concept is its gentleness. Mr. Sante isn’t some militaristic scout leader on ‘Walking Vibes’. Rather, he simply suggests a direction and lets the listener drink in and enjoy the majesty of the musical landscape. Take album opener ‘Today’. The beat opens with gentled strummed guitar and then breaks into a a bouncy, boom bap infused jam. The sounds of birds and nature permeate the track and it feels like the start of something wonderful. ‘Today’ sets the scene gorgeously. Overall the concept of ‘Walking Vibes’ is simple, pure and executed gorgeously with a deft touch. No mean feat.
Bolstering the concept is the production on ‘Walking Vibes’. Overall the beats are beautifully crafted within the theme. The sample choices are gentle but express a conceptual power that feeds the overall idea of the tape. The melodies are gorgeous. Lush and full but light to the touch like summer rain. The drums back up the chops effectively too. They are never too overt or hard but still play out with a satisfying heft. Mr. Sante handles the rhythm section as carefully as the melodics. To this end it creates a pretty bespoke vibe. Each tune feels handcrafted and you can hear the dedication to each song’s story on ‘Walking Vibes’. Part of this is the way Mr. Sante approaches creation:
‘Every song I make is different since every time I make music I'm feeling different. Every beat’s gonna have their own vibe, even if there’s similarity between each of them, This gives me the option to put them in any order that I want. Like I could have a really smooth start that'll make you smile and feel relaxed then to go to a "harder" or more serious vibe then to go to something more sad etc. My music is really cinematographic to me so when I'm doing a mix or a compilation, I'm going with the flow of what the songs reminds me of.’
Another huge factor that could be overlooked on ‘Walking Vibes’ is the power of the atmospherics. On this project Mr. Sante brings the outside in. Throughout the tape he connects the sound of nature to his beats. These background nuances breath life into the tracks. ‘Flowers’ is the best example of this. From a lovely intro vocal, the track blossoms with a swell of vibrant strings. The rain and sounds of growth underly this lush soundscape and subconsciously paint a picture in the listeners mind. The atmosphere on ‘Walking Vibes’ is an essential component but rather than distract, they simply suggest. They implant Mr. Sante’s interpretation of the theme into the listener’s mind which allows ideas and feelings to be bloom.
‘Walking Vibes’ is all together a lovely project. The concept is simple yet beautiful. It’s a concept or theme that could’ve been overplayed but Mr. Sante avoids this with his natural creation and curation process. The production is suitability natural as well. Mr. Sante handles his tunes delicately but with great skill. Balancing weight with flow effortlessly. Tying this all together are the fantastic atmospherics. The background sounds are smart, subtle and add so much to ‘Walking Vibes’ without ever overpowering the main ideas. Taking some time to enjoy ‘Walking Vibes’ is well worth it. The complete and natural concept underlies the depth of intelligent and sympathetic production here. It may be cliche but lock into this on your next adventure in nature and let the vibes simply soak into your mental.
Listen to ‘Walking Vibes’ here: