U – MMAKEU01

 Label: ManMakeMusic

After only a few month’s wait, the latest release from George Fitzgerald’s on-point label is a vinyl-only 10’ from newcomer U. George Fitzgerald's ManMakeMusic label is rapidly acquiring a reputation not only for quality releases, but also for scouting out fresh talent; issuing hot releases this year from up-and-comers  Leon Vynehall and Trikk. Here the on-point label continues to source new productions with U, whose debut marks the label’s first step away from the dancefloor. He assembles an interesting collection of genre-defying tunes that reflect not just dance music but the twisted memory of it, evoking nostalgia-tinted deconstructions that slip between the gaps of house, ambient and sample-crazed electronica, each drenched in heavy atmospherics and ethereal, lofi vibes.

Eah

On the A-side, main track Eah lurches into a powerful groove with stripped beats and dusty tape hiss. The pitchbent vocal takes the tune underwater before it rises back out with filtered synths and sharp snares; a warped house cut that eschews current trends to create an atmospheric cross-section of the groove. Evil Spirits has a more mournful tone, with twinkling pads setting off low-key percussive touches to moody effect.

Haunted is another strong cut that leads the B-side, setting a Boyz II Men sample against ghostly effects and a shuffling 4/4, while final tune Heaven is the most optimistic of the lot, with an upbeat melody contrasted with a sharp bass buzz that creates an uneasy tension. Unfortunately the track lengths prove a little irritating over repeated plays, despite the individual sound all of the tracks apart from the opener come off as a little sketchy.  Still, the unique and exciting voice of U shines through in all of these tracks, offering something different from the mainstream while still somehow commenting on it all, a rare and promising approach.

7/10