Tracklib's Sample Breakdown series is one of our favourite things on YouTube. Breaking down legendary tracks like Daft Punk's One More Time and Burial's Archangel, the series visualizes the sampling techniques used by gifted artists and producers to provide a fascinating insight into their creative process.
Tracklib has released a new bumper edition of Sample Breakdown this week that breaks down what they believe to be the most iconic sample flip of every year since 1990 in a single video.
Focusing specifically on electronic artists, the video charts the history of sampling from Deee-Lite's Groove Is in the Heart all the way through tracks from The Prodigy, Fatboy Slim, and Moby to the modern day, breaking down samples from Four Tet, Jamie xx, Bicep and Major Lazer before ending on Fred Again's leavemealone.
Tracklib hasn't only put together the video to "celebrate the past", it says, but also "to find the talent of tomorrow", inviting music-makers across the globe to create the next iconic sample flip and win a cash prize of $10,000.
The winner will also get their track released on Ninja Tune, a record label that's home to Bicep and Bonobo, among many others, and they'll have a Sample Breakdown video produced based on their submission.
Tracklib is a platform that enables producers to discover, sample and license original recordings without the hassle and cost of the traditional sample clearance process. To enter the competition, you'll need to write and produce a track that samples a song from Tracklib's library of over 100,000 songs. If you're not a Tracklib subscriber, you can access a free 3-day trial.
"Tracklib is all about the art of sampling," reads a statement on Tracklib's website. "We aim to give sampling the recognition it deserves, and provide a platform for producers to be able—for the first time ever—to sample freely, without obstacles.
"Electronic music has, together with hip-hop, been the cultural foundation from which sampling flourished. That's why this video and competition exists: to pay homage to that evolution and its contributors, while also paving the way for future talents to shine."
Find out more and enter the competition on Tracklib's website.
