Max Bottaro

Sounds sick, looks… different.

Although you wouldn’t expect it from his appearance or the way he speaks, Ronald Jenkees (a fitting name, sorry Ronalds) is probably one of the most undiscovered raw talents in beat-making. Despite coming across as a mildly retarded, squinty eyed, geeky-whiteboy, his beats have incredible energy. His style reminds me somewhat of Ratatat, another underground acoustic group. Jenkees style remains genre-less, however, as he is fairly versatile across all musical medians.

What really impresses me about Jenkees is that much of his keyboard work is done “free style”, meaning he doesn’t have anything written down before hand, it just flows like Jazz. I’m not sure if his thick glasses and seemingly idiotic personality are part of his image, but it definitely adds to his appeal and gives his beats some personality. Check this out and see what I mean.

I think he exaggerates his eccentricity for theatrical purposes, but it is an effective way of branding himself. Regardless, you can’t say he isn’t smart. You can take a look on his site and see that from a technical standpoint, this guy has it down to a T. http://ronaldjenkees.com

As for people who think that making music over electronic program is “cheating” or not real music, I’d have to disagree. These programs are so complex that their mastery is a feat in and of itself, comparable to the mastery of an instrument. It also takes a deep understanding of music to create these beats.
I hope to hear more from this guy in future, I like his style (or lack there of).