Stan SB | Anyone Out There

Yes, I know this album came out three years ago and the artist changed his name.  I'm reviewing it anyway because it's so good.

Background

Stan SB, who now produces under the name Fox Stevenson, is mostly known for his simplistic yet energetic tracks that feature his own voice.  "Anyone Out There" was his debut EP and his only release larger than a single before making the switch to Fox Stevenson.

Review

Listen to "Anyone Out There"

"Anyone Out There" is nearly 3 years old, but it's stood the test of time well and is still a fantastic blend of energetic club bangers and pop vocals.  Similar to a trend appearing currently in electronic music, complex production and a clean mix weren't necessarily the focus of this EP and they took a backseat to pure musicality and creativity.  In addition, the real gem of this release and the one thing that stays constant is Stan SB's satisfyingly deep lyrics and creative vocal melodies.  "Dead" is the EP's opening track and starts off "Anyone Out There" with a high energy drum and bass (D&B) beat and bright chord stabs that support Stan SB's melancholy vocals.  "Flat Foot Face" follows suit, although with a half time feel its technically Drumstep, not D&B.  Still, its catchy vocal lines, gliding synths, and huge sub bass never fail to bring boundless amounts of energy.  Stan SB proves that he can swing in "The Process," another high energy track, this time in Glitch Hop flavour.  The drop is a tasty mixup of jumping saws and sliding basses, which are joined by Stan SB's vocals, which sit on top of the mix nicely.  As if he couldn't stay away from 174 BPM, the song speeds up at the end and finishes on a drum and bass beat.  With "Anyone Out There," the EP's title track, Stan SB returns to the tried and true D&B that he loves so much .  Similar to "Dead," this is another melancholy D&B track with a head-bobbing, glitchy melody that support Stan SB's vocals.  "We're Alive" is another different song, feeling the most EDM-ish of all the singles.  It features a simple vocal hook that leads into a bass-heavy dubstep drop, the first and only of its kind on "Anyone Out There."  While it doesn't sound like traditional dubstep by any means, but the sliding top-heavy wobbles and sparkling lead synth are well within Stan SB's comfort and anything more "normal" would feel out of place on this EP.  "Stratosphere" closes out the album with a, you guessed it, uplifting D&B track.  It's very pop and almost sounds like something off an Owl City album, but it is noticeably more energetic.  One of the more interesting allures of this track is the break, where Stan SB messes with the vocals to create a lyrical melody that isn't actually comprised of any words.  To this day I can't figure out exactly how he got that sound, but it's probably a combination of vocal glitching and cutting out vowels.  No matter how he did it, "Stratosphere" is a nice, happy way to end the EP.

The mix is a little quiet on Stan SB's EP, but luckily, that's fixed with a slight tweak to the volume fader.  Aside from that small note, "Anyone Out There" is a drum and bass storybook narrated by Stan SB's soothing voice.  Stan SB manages to, with this release, combine the traditional EDM that we all know and love with a softer, more pop-based style thats refreshing to hear in a world of overplayed club bangers.  It's truly a creative notion that would take a few more years before people tried experimenting with this idea.  All in all, a fantastic album to listen to if you like vocal driven, high energy tracks.  8.5/10

Fox Stevenson

Stan SB eventually changed his name to Fox Stevenson to bring a more mature name to his image and to break away from the D&B that he was so commonly associated with.  Under Fox Stevenson, he's released a handful of EP's and singles, and has even gone on to create his own record label, CloudHead records.  He's branched out from so much D&B and explores a wide variety of genres now.

Notable Remixes

Stan SB | Anyone Out There (yh remix)

It's hard to remix Stan SB (or Fox Stevenson, for that matter) properly, as his style is so uniquely his own that it's hard to get his vocals to match anything else, but yh manages to bring the same energy and style in a new and unique way.  The vocals are slightly desynced from the track in the middle break, but aside from that his remix is fantastic production wise.  The heavy bass hits combined with the melodic strings of the verses make for a diverse, rich track that's a joy to listen to.  Two years with a download lick "coming soon," though.

Stan SB | Anyone Out There (Maduk Remix)

Maduk, while still keeping it in D&B territory, takes the track and makes it slightly more chill.  Strangely enough, he manages to retain the energetic feel as well, but it works, and the big, dissonant chord drop is enough to breathe new life into the track.  It's chill, and not chill, and energetic, and not energetic, but that's characteristic of D&B. and Maduk has done a fantastic job of reimagining the song.

Interested in doing your own remix?  Stan SB released all the stems for "Anyone Out There."  You can find the stems to all six tracks on his FaceBook page.  So go ahead, and remix to your heart's content!  I know I will be.