Thomas Lang playing "Finish Line" from the album "ProgPop"
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The verse-groove is inspired by music from Mali, with Thomas bridging 2 pedals with each foot in order to get kick-drum and splashy Hi-Hat sounds in unison.
The 5-stroke roll on kick drum and Hi-Hats on the "4 and" of each bar leads into a group of four 16th notes on the "1", giving the groove a heavy vibe on the downbeat.
On the last 16th note of the "2", Lang plays a heavy accent on the Gong-drum, which in combination with the busy, repetitive, low rumble of the kick drum gives the groove a distinctly tribal feel.
The "off-beat" HiHat drives the groove, giving it almost a dance-feel on top of the African-inspired rhythm. The chorus-beat is an "upside down" groove, where Lang plays a HiHat pattern in 3/4 with his feet on double Hi-Hats, while playing a heavy Funk-beat in 4/4 with his left hand between Gong drum and snare drum.
This is a poly-metric and poly-rhythmic layer of two rhythms where each individual layer is complex by itself and in combination with the second layer becomes an intricate rhythmic structure, with different cycles and loops stacked on top of each other.
In all its complexity, this chorus beat still sounds and feels great, not overbearing and self-serving.
"ProgPop" is available on iTunes - click on the Apple Music link on the release page of the album.