B-more bass lover and Top Billin associate Al Ripken Jr. just shared a short 5-song EP of beat vignettes for free download, called Blast Off. One of our favorites from the EP is “Game Time,” a slightly less hip-hop-indebted production than the accompanying four. While it still has a bit of that lazer-bass/future-blap/whatchamacallit vibe, Ripken’s tune sounds inspired by more straightforward dance-music genres. The kick still bounces tenaciously and is far less frequent than a standard four-on-the-floor beat, but it’s the other sounds—synth pulses sounding off in the distance, hi-hats clicking on the upbeat, and claps cracking tidily and consistently throughout—that sets “Game Time” apart from Blast Off‘s other audacious numbers.

Game Time

Game Time