In today’s Obscure Picks, the focus is 90s, a single by Portable. We don’t have an exact date, but 2020 was the year of release.
Digging the internet, here’s what was said at the time of its release:
“90’s by Portable is a piece composed entirely on a Yamaha QY20 (a book-sized early 90’s vintage digital synth and workstation sequencer), and partially processed through a wah-wah pedal (think Theme from Shaft).”
“Portable (real name, Ray) says he purchased the QY20 from eBay, driven by a recent fascination with the music micro genre, Vaporwave. He fell in love with the device for its unique way of ‘composing in blocks’, forcing him to work creatively within its limitations.”
“The drums, bass and keyboard chords also make their entry through the same wah-wah process, before an audible click leaves the track clean, revealing the laid-back R&B groove, like a sequenced Roy Ayres, with fine analogue drum programming (although the QY20 is digital…). Reminiscent of the soundtrack to the Sega games console hit, Ecco the Dolphin, which is a likely reference you’ll come across when trawling Vaporwave’s ‘greatest hits’.”
“Overall, it’s laid back, rough around the edges, and lo-fi in the beginning (that audible click – surely this is sloppy production!), before going as hi-fi as such vintage digital equipment allows. It’s authentically retro in a good way, and the arrangement is solid, tasteful, and although laid back, has sombre undertones.”
We think this is a cool track. So it’s worth a listen, and shouldn’t die without being savoured.