Musicians and producers have often been criticised for reproducing a certain sound too often. Within the last year, Dev Hynes aka Blood Orange produced songs for Mutya Keisha Siobhan (MKS), Sky Ferreira and Solange. Common to all was a dreamy atmosphere centred on stark and exposed versus warm and textured percussion. Whilst I was obsessed with the MKS single, others insisted the sound was recycled off-cuts from his previous work. I am studying for a degree in Music, so I'm not incapable of understanding that there are some uniform elements (as mentioned previously). What I am confused by is the suggestion that each composition should be at opposite ends of his sound scape.
Another producer I listen solely because I'm obsessed with the sounds they create is S. Maharba. I described this:
as being 'what creation would sound like'. It's this multi-layered collage where elements are trying to fit together but sometimes the lines where they meet are a bit rough. It's nature in a sound; he literally has running streams and twittering birds in his songs. But that's exactly what I like about his music and that's why I listen. If he started producing Jason Derulo-worthy tracks next week I'd be pissed.
As a Music student, I have (supposedly) been trained to know a piece written by Beethoven by ear. Equally, I hope I would know the distinctive 'wall of sound' Phil Spector was renowned for in the 60s. I find it confusing that I shouldn't want to be able to identify his production when I hear it. The reason artists choose to go to a producer is because they have identified a specific musical character and want to adapt it to their personal project. I.e. they want to sound like that person put their stamp on it. You don't see people upset at a Timberland production because they want it to sound like Timbaland made it and they want you to know. Take Mike Will as another example: on every single (damn) trap-informed song he makes them say he made it.
I know this is a poorly executed argument, but the point I'm attempting to make is that you may begrudge the similarity of a producer, but it takes greater skill to have a diverse body of work that has a thread of unity sewing it all together than to create in unconnected bursts and hope that your audience hasn't noticed.
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