Nirvana - Love Suite. DJ Shadow fans will immediately recognize this as the sample material for “Stem/Long Stem,” but this piece goes much further than the harp riff he extracted for the song. Born out of the UK progressive rock scene in the ’60s, Nirvana entered the music world as a fusion of conceptual pop music, using classical instruments as well as baroque style string arrangements that gave their music a unique vibe. They are often linked with other pop acts of the time, primarily the Beach Boys and the Beatles, but to my ear, Nirvana stands out as being more innovative in the recording process by relying more heavily on effects and timbre rather than an all-encompassing focus on melody and lyricism. “Love Suite” is a short film of sorts, having 3 distincts scenes and a theme that ties them all together. Enjoy.
