Huxley – Bellywedge

Label: Hypercolour

Tring’s Michael Dodman, aka Huxley, burst onto the scene in a big way last year, following up the early success of 2011’s Shower Scene with the tasty Out Of The Box EP and, most notably, the excellent all-out house monster that was Let It Go on Hypercolour, which charted on our own year-end list of 2012’s best tracks. The latter half of 2012 saw Huxley’s sound holding strong but refusing to change, with a series of remixes and an EP that didn’t quite live up to his early promise. A year later Huxley returns to Hypercolour on strong form, and while he’s still not really going for variation, these two offerings are the young producer’s strongest pieces since his last outing on the taste-making label.

Little Things

Bellywedge kicks off with tropical notes and skipping hi-hats before syrupy synths and a strong vocal (à la Shower Scene) lead up to a strong drop, a sub-bass rattling rhythm that dominates over earworm vocal snips and a boisterous bassline. It’s a more stripped-down affair than one might expect for the producer, and it feels at times like a key element is missing from proceedings, but Bellywedge functions due to its ruthless efficiency, providing a generous dose of just what the dancefloors crave.

B-side Little Things is a little more interesting, and ultimately the more exciting cut of the pair. A skipping 2step pattern builds up to a series of arresting, metallic stabs that introduce a deep, intoxicating garage burner with tight drumwork, an irresistable bassline and sweltering vocal cuts. After a good but slightly unimaginative A-side, it’s gratifying to hear that Huxley can still knock up a surprise without sacrificing the raw scale of his unashamed big-room sound.

6.5/10