Alex Coulton – Adventures In 4x4

Label: Hype Ltd

Jamie Russell and Alex Jones’ Hypercolour imprint had an impressive 2012, ending up on a number of year-end lists (including our own), as a result of their on-trend House tastes and a sharp eye for new talent. On top of all this, the pair run a dizzying array of sub-labels, including Losing Suki, Glass Table, Hype Digital, and the vinyl-focused Hype Ltd. The latter opens the new year with the fullest release yet from Mancunian producer Alex Coulton, who you might remember from last year’s superb twitcher Bounce on Livity Sound sister imprint dnouS ytiviL (clever, eh?)

EP Clips

Along with a precise 12” on Idle Hands, Coulton displayed a taste for the darker, experimental side of the dancefloor in 2012. As the title suggests, his first EP-proper treads more percussively simple ground, and the results suggest that it was a canny move. The dancefloor standout here is opener Dance, Max, a powerful cut where big stabs penetrate a punchy percussive field. It’s a simple tune, but sure to get the dancefloors moving, with a deft pitchbend applied to the synths across the second half of the track. Third tune Function is the other floor-killer here, with thicker, darker synth-work and a more muscular percussive workout providing a groove best suited to the 4am crowd.

Second tune Submerged is, as the title suggests, a deeper cut, where dark atmospherics and dubbed out Techno chords create a subdued and moody soundscape. So far the listener is left with an impressively polished and dangerously dancey set of 4/4 constructions, but Coulton has yet to really push the boat out creatively. Thankfully we have lush closer Fade Realization, which ramps up the BPM with fragmented percussive snatches and throbbing bass hits. It’s a gorgeously textured piece where bright synth swipes shine out of the darkness, showing Coulton has more than the straight dancefloor on his agenda. Having shown early promise with his tasteful early releases, here the young producer increases scope and proves he’s got the skills to stand out proudly from the crowd, both on and off the dancefloor.

7/10

 Noted House fan Josh Eves has been quoted by various sources saying “Hypercolour are really, really good.”