Dance Refill | Music Technology Magazine

DANCE, RNB & HIP HOP REFILLS

It's a mark of the popularity of Propellerhead's best-selling software that so much sample material now appears as dedicated Reason refill packs. And, as if to prove the point, along come three new titles from our Californian buddies, Big Fish Audio. Dance, RnB and Hip Hop might not be the most original titles for three sample CD collections, but given that they cover the areas of dance, R'n'B and hip hop, we should at least applaud them for coming straight to the point.

Each of the three titles offers around 400MB of sample material in construction-kit format. The Dance and RnB collections include 30 Reason songs with multiple parts including REX loops, ReDrum patches, Malstrom pads, Subtractor synth lines and MIDI performances. Also included are NN19 sampler drum maps and NN-XT sampler banks covering such classic instruments as the ARP2600 and OSCar synths (Dance) and Fender Rhodes and Hammond B3 organs (RnB). The Hip Hop collection follows a broadly similar format, but includes 67 Reason songs.

As the accompanying blurb points out, the loops can be used on their own or added to existing construction-kit sequences - and like all Reason files, can be easily rearranged and processed to give them a totally unique feel. That way, at least, you'll avoid the sinking feeling of hearing samples you thought that only you had seen the potential of, neatly welded into someone else's music.

The material included across these collections is generally very useable indeed, though we'd have to stop short of describing any of the three a real 'find'. One also suspects the lines between the three titles have been rather arbitrarily drawn. The fact is, you'll find plenty of very danceable loops on the RnB collection, some pretty soulful
R'n'B-tinged grooves on the Hip Hop collection and quite a lot of material on the Dance CD that could be used across any of the styles.

Given this stylistic overlap, it would have been nice to see the set offered at a reduced price, but at just over £30 each, they still represent good value for money. Each collection is nicely put together, taking full advantage of the enormous flexibility and potential that Reason offers its users. There is arguably more original material around than this, but all three collections should provide countless starting points for your own music.

A trio of affordable titles making full use of Reason's many and varied musical tools and providing a creative springboard for dance, R'n'B and hip hop musicians.

7/10