[New Release] Explore hip-hop beats from Japan with Concrete Sun 🌅

Nico_NI

It’s that time of the year again! A new hip-hop expansion just dropped and it’s coming straight from the Japanese underground scene 🇯🇵

Expertly crafted by local artists, it includes traditional instruments like Taiko, Koto, Shamisen and much more. Get on a journey with ethereal synth presets and crispy drum kits from the Land of the Rising Sun.

Concrete Sun was made in collaboration with adaptrook, DJ RENA, Itsuka (Charisma.com), midicronica 716, Phennel Kolliander and SPIN MASTER A-1.

Get inspired by what Concrete Sun has to offer: a whole new world of sampling and production techniques with gripping presets. This walkthrough shows SPIN MASTER A-1, one of the Expansion creators, diving into the Expansion’s unique sound 👇

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VUIjilXCJYs

Get Concrete Sun here.

ozon

Sounds quite interesting even for musicians not interested in Hip Hop! 😎

Tigersharc

I'll be picking this one up... 😎

Kaiwan_NI

@ozon says

Sounds quite interesting even for musicians not interested in Hip Hop! 😎

Agreed this one is something else.

Kaiwan_NI

@Tigersharc Have you tried it out? How do you like it?

Tigersharc

I'll be picking it up this week. I just got my new production desk last week. So I spent the weekend moving all my gear and old furniture out, building the new desk and setting everything up again.

Nico_NI

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/29414#Comment_29414

Such a pleasure to clean and refresh the studio, nothing best to spark new creativity!

Tigersharc

So I did buy both Ignition Keys and Concrete Sun. I don't know how these weren't released as a set like previous Play Series and Expansions. These two go together perfect. Once again high quality and thought I feel went into these new instruments. I think these two along with Young Phantom/Deft Lines are my favorite right now. These four are what I'm interested in using. I understand I'm really paying for presets, but for me personally I don't like tweaking stuff and forgetting ideas. Concrete Sun is very versatile in that it has boom bap and the typical commercial hip hop sounds but with added percussion elements that make the kits and sound stand out. When I say typical commercial sound, I mean that in a good way. These drums sound like something you would hear on the radio or whatever your preference may be. As far as Ignition Keys...... I was stuck playing the default sound for a while. I really like how the instruments sound on this play series instrument. Personally I think the best, usable play series instrument so far. Just my two cents with two thumbs up....😎

Nico_NI

https://community.native-instruments.com/discussion/comment/30468#Comment_30468

Great to read your feedback @Tigersharc. Indeed Concrete Sun and Ignition Keys were not meant to be released together, but they definitely seem to be really interesting as a combo 👀