In its curation efforts Dust Collectors is true to its name. Based in Boston, Massachusetts and distributing worldwide, the label has been releasing for just over one year but their growth and development has been rapid, as the tracklist on this compilation attests to. Some labels specialize in the spacey, some in the especially trashy or avant garde. Others go for a classic sound, and more, like the leaders at Chillhop Music strive for the cleanest, most rehearsed, if you will, presentation of beats. That’s no disrespect, of course. If anything is true, it’s that everyone enjoys different vibes, and audiences vary even within niche musical communities. Although it truly has a bit of all these sounds, their new compilation Seasonal Sounds 5 helps establish the Dust Collectors in the realm of the rough hewn, in-the-pocket, dusty shuffling sound. They aim at and strike this specific nerve in the beats world.

Side B of this compilaiton is a journey. Cinematic horns open the curtain but they’re soon distorted and pitched out. Suddenly a shuffle steps into the silence. Guitar and key samples dangle over a subtle but strong head-nod made for New York City sidewalks. Then comes a cut from New Jersey’s own slr (“sailor”), who has been releasing a ton of beats again in the past few months. B3 finds Stan Forbee of Melbourne, Australia offering “whistle tune”,one of our favorites from Seasonal Sounds 5. His work with the keys, a sort of rhodes-y sound, is his calling card, and he can deftly arrange multiple melodies to great emotional effect. There’s Flitz&Suppe from Cologne, Germany, cut from a more classical cloth and emphasizing clarity and straightforward note relationships. This is followed by a joint from the Grammy-award winner Cookin’ Soul out of Spain then a spin from Danish feels master Axian.

The back end of the compilation opens sup pace for experimentation. Here one finds another stand out rhythm, this one from Bretsil & Soft Eyes. Bret aka Bretsil is one of multiple managers of the Dust Collectors. His work ethic and enthusiasm are inspiring. Before he even receives your Facebook message, the “responding” icon appears. Video chatting with Bret, he mentions that he “used to make electro music that was really bad”. He’s moved by ambient work, especially that of Brian Eno, and these experimental and electronic influences are apparent on “blues”. For a moment, it’s as if one has stepped back in time from the online world of beats into the scenic sonic codex of a Boards of Canada record. This is meditative trip hop that helps the mind bring itself to a single, still point. The beauty of Seasonal Sounds 5, though, is that just a minute later the listener gets hit with a joint from Juma, a whirlwind of brass and vaudeville bounce with a soulful melody and big boisterous bass drum. This 180-degree turn pulls the listener out of Samadhi and back to pounding the pavement.