This review covers the house track Frankie Knuckles – The Whistle Song.
This track was released in 1991 as part of the album Beyond the Mix.
The track starts with a synth string and a drum kit. A whistle elements comes in very early on as well. Shortly after, the main whistle some in. From there, the first one plays out with some chords. After a while, the synth string goes away.
From there, the synth string makes a return as the whistle hits some higher notes. After that, the other whistle is layered on top for a period of time. After a while, both whistle elements layer again before the track gradually fades out.
It is quite difficult to really say much about this track in terms of general description. However, one thing to keep in mind is that the melody for one of the whistles is quite complex. That element can last for a considerable amount of time without really repeating. That, arguably, is what really makes this track tick.
The second whistle is a bit more repetitive, but considering the complexity of the other whistle sound, the repetition gives the track structure.
A problem with this track is that there is nothing that makes it stand out in any significant way. So, it makes it difficult to make this one of those highly memorable tracks. This is in spite of the impressive melodic complexity of it. What this track ends up being is one of those laid back tracks that you passively listen to. This isn’t particularly bad, but it is a challenge for this one.
Overall, this is a pretty decent all around track. It has impressively complex melodies and a nice laid back audio atmosphere. It’s unfortunate that it’s one of those tracks that doesn’t have anything particularly memorable. If you want something laid back to throw randomly in a playlist, then this is a great candidate for that. Otherwise, it’s something pleasant to listen to for a while before moving on.
Score
7/10
Drew Wilson on Twitter: @icecube85 and Facebook.
