Ooooohh, someone knows my musical weakspot.

From the opening drum sequence and a truly eloquent vocal, Sunshine shouts out its quality in ten foot high letters. And wait, just wait, until you hear the way the track comes crashing down around your ears at 0:36. A musical orgasm right there folks, form an orderly queue please. As it happens, the rest of the track more than stands its own against that rock solid intro.

Sunshine is one of those tracks that SHOULD make a difference. A bar raiser.

The more I hear it, the more respect I am feeling for this extremely suprising offering from Stephanie. I've heard a couple of her tracks before and been quite impressed but this...this.... words fail me. From production to arrangement this is 100% prime beef, as slick and polished as anything out there and definitely better than most. But it's in the content that this track scores the highest points for me. Musically, Sunshine is a cross between classy pop, world (drum particularly) music and cool electronica all tied together by an absurdly intoxicating bassline that sneaks up on you most pleasantly.

I could probably write reams more of this drivel trying to convince you that this is a TOP RATE, killa-dilla track that deserves to be loved by as many people as possible. But it'd be quicker for you to click the link above and save yourself a bit of time by downloading it yourself. Audio wise, it would be one of the best investments you've made lately. A track that shows an astounding leap in this artists capabilities and that only has me chomping at the bit for more of this kind of perfection.

Wonderful stuff.

I first met this lady a couple of years ago on yet another friendly website but it wasn't until I reviewed her track Sunshine (July 2003 as it happens) that I really clicked with her. I waxed long and lyrical about the joys of that track at the time and a quick play of it before I sat down to write this review only confirmed that view. It's reinforced by the continuing regard I have for Khushboo(reviewed June 2004), a world music track that really lives up to the genre, but that is probably overfamiliar with me these days.

As you can see, we have a history, and a very good one too...

I haven't heard much from her lately but there have been many such gaps between releases in the past so I kinda figured she'd turn up sooner or later. It's especially nice to see her returning to what I believe she does exceptionally - world music. Seeing as most of the stuff I personally work on and release is in this genre it's a given that I would like Stephanie's material and Beijing Beat is no exception. It is not a given that I would - on every occassion - be yet again staggered by Stephanie's incredible knack for a sound spectrum the size of a planet.

Beijing Beat is, as you would expect, replete with tinkly chinese bits and bobs, underpinned by a ferocious - and space changing - rhythmic base that defies even my descriptive powers. Something you just gotta hear before you understood what I want to say about it but am too gobsmacked for comment. Stephanie M's material is generally stuff I would recommend for a long haul, I still have many of her previous tracks and Beijing Beat is sure to join them. The first time I heard Sunshine all those years ago I gave her the equivalent of a Must Hear and I see no reason why the same thing shouldn't apply here...

Must Have.

Steve Gilmore
Soundclick * Songplanet * MP3 Unsigned * Acid Planet * Vitamin C

In the process of reviewing Stephanie's Ad Astra last month, I discovered a track on her website called Khushboo which still sits on my hard drive and I'm still playing it. Along with it's mate Sunshine. It would be fair to say that Stephanie M must be doing something right; my hard drive can be very unforgiving when it comes to 'keepers'. I have known Stephanie for some time and - for a while - I thought she had disappeared back into the real world but no, back she comes for more and this time she's come all super-charged. At least judging by the level achieved with those tracks I have mentioned.

Which is why I was real keen to get this cranked up...

Paper Tigers isn't what I was expecting, but there again that's something I've had to learn about this composer. Fact is, it's a curious melange of elements that shouldn't go together but - absurdly - do it to perfection. No matter which way you slice and dice it Stephanie M has come a long, long way from those first early tracks of hers, and in a direction I would never have credited.

The World Music feel in Paper Tigers permeates every note, from the indian one-string riff, the dubby effects in the intro, a mid-eastern vocal sample. All this wrapped in a deceptively simple drum and bass riff that is so 'by the book' it made me smile. What really helps the track to break out though is the synergy between the two halves of the composition, pushed along remorselessly by that excellently steamy drum track. Excellent stuff, whether you like to world music genre or not; there's something in this for everyone.

Steve Gilmore
Soundclick * Rebel Riffs * Vitamin C * Acid Planet

They say a week is a long time in politics. Well let me tell you that ain't nothing. Out here on the internet a couple of seconds is a fekkin eternity. In which case, I have know Stephanie M for aeons, or at least it seems that way. I was moderating on a very popular music website (kinda/sorta) a few years ago when Stephanie first came to my attention. I listened to a few of her tracks and then she came up on my review list (yes, I was doing this years ago too) and I heard Sunshine (July 2003) and I was hooked. It was her knowing combination of both out-and-out pop and strains of world music that fully sealed the deal and I've been a big fan of her work ever since. Mind you, she's one of those internet folks who seems to drop in and out of the scene with amazing regularity so it's been a while since I last heard anything from her.

Almost exactly two years later I got to hear Beijing Beat (July 2005) and gave it a Must Hear rating and I still stand by that rating. Fact is, over the years, Stephanie has pumped some very tasty beats my way and a great many of them have stuck to my harddrive. Like me, Stephanie seems to love the world music field and I am at a loss to know why she isn't more popular. Her ability to put together sounds she couldn't possibly have heard in real life is scary to the max. Beijing Beat was the first time I noticed she was beginning to make an artform out of what she did (and the reason why I gave it a Must Have) her blend of western and eastern is faultless. Personally, I think her real metier is world music, the rest of the genres she cavorts in are just fun for her - but this is where her soul lies...

Obviously, working in the same field as me, I am bound to like what she does and I'll readily admit that plays a part. It's rare to get people who can really mix genre/worlds in such a seamless way, and that is one reason why I think she deserves more attention. The real reason, however, in her unfailing ability to be able to make something convincing enough, and both Beijing Beat and Azizam carry such authority. Azizam could, indeed, be an outtake from a Bollywood bodice ripper so true to the style is the composer. Ally that skill with an ability to pick a good sound set, and a fine ear for mixing and production and viola; Stephanie M. Over these years I have watched this artist develop from a kinda shy, dance oriented musician into an artist fully aware of her own musical reach and prowess and boy does it show. Btw, it would be best if you wore some shades when visiting her page, the pinkness of the background has been known to be retina threatening...

Great world fusion, lovingly produced. Highly Recommended.

Steve Gilmore
A Proud Member of Soundclick Seniors
Soundclick * Songplanet * MP3 Unsigned * Acid Planet * Vitamin C