A1 Bassline - Intasound

Label: Gruuv

A1 Bassline is at interesting time in his career. With a solid catalogue of releases on a variety of labels, he’s an established name on the scene. His standout Buoyancy/Falsehood single and recent collaboration with Leon Vynehall were both quality outings, along with the steady drip of releases on his own SOURCEUNKNWN imprint, yet up until now the UK producer has yet to define the ‘A1 Bassline sound’. His music always has a rough and raw quality, unpolished and floor-focused, but it’s been too long that we haven’t seen A1 Bassline really rise head and shoulders above his peers. With his latest offering, the Intasound EP for Leeds’ Gruuv imprint, it looks like he’s on to a winner, issuing his most distinctive, focused release to date.

 

The title track is the EP’s most dangerous offering: Intasound is a super-stripped example of how to get the ‘floor moving. An elastic bassline takes centre stage, surrounded by larger-than-life claps and clanks, with the occasional vocal used for detail. It sounds simple but the power of this track is undeniable, an example of no-nonsense club dynamite of the highest calibre. As the EP continues he keeps the goods coming but this is no one-act show – the opener’s raw minimalism is not rehashed across the EP’s central numbers. B-side Jaguar Shark is a lot more colourful – the same rough beat patterns might bounce underneath, but here bright, Lone-like synths clatter, fizz and pop over the top, resulting in a much brighter number. It’s all a question of balance though: the drums are still mixed raw and gritty, so the edge of funk in that late soaring synthline hits the spot perfectly rather than over-sweetening it.

The classy cuts keep coming – even on the obligatory slow-jam A1 Bassline doesn’t give us a formulaic affair. On Lust In Warsaw the mood is spread syrup-thick, as gently insistent synths and stumbling, dubbed-out vocals whisk you away into a blurry fever-dream. After these great original productions, hardware legend Mr G takes to the stage for a remix of the EP’s title track. It’s a canny choice, as A1 Bassline’s style in many ways references G’s raw style and mammoth basslines, yet here on his Ibiza Dub Mr G comes up with a surprise. Eschewing the original’s hefty bass-bounce, the dub focuses on the details, building a deep soundscape of menacing atmospherics and metronomic hi-hats. While it lacks the dancefloor potential of the original, as a focused mood-piece it’ll have you coming back for more. As a whole Intasound makes for A1 Bassline’s strongest release to date, as he securely strikes a balance between rawness and richness in his sound, settling into a voice more unique - indeed more exciting – than he ever has before.

7.5/10

Laszlo Dancehall – Gave Up

Label: ManMakeMusic

Following the success of his superb Gold Language 12” on ManMakeMusic, Leon Vynehall makes a welcome return to George Fitzgerald’s tasteful imprint alongside collaborator A1 Bassline under the guise of Laszlo Dancehall. For their debut, the pair offer a set of crunchy house burners perfectly attuned to 2013’s lofi house trend. The title track is the winner here, as a colourful synth melody leaps ecstatically over a chugging kick-clap combo. It’s no wonder this number has turned up in a lot of DJ’s crates over the last few months; the clipped loops make for a restrained euphoria, never overstated, delighting in repetition alongside the delicate touches of clipped vocals and subtle filter play.

Second cut Ain’t No Time digs deeper, with an insistent whirring taking the place of melody, strung over propulsive claps and hi-hats. While it lacks the breathless hook of Gave Up, this track's propulsive energy would prove irresistible for the 4am crowd. Unfortunately final track Manley Harrison comes somewhat undone by its 8-minute runtime. The slo-mo percussion and low-key vocals make for a subtle ride that ultimately isn’t quite substantial enough to justify the track’s length. Yet still listeners are unlikely to feel let down by another on-point release from ManMakeMusic, and the joyous title track should be worth the asking price alone.

7/10

October Dance Roundup

We’re now entering the dark depths of winter, and so what kind of blogger would I be if I didn’t try my hardest to supply you all with tunes to keep you dancing through those cold nights? I’ve collected together twenty one of my favourite dance tunes from the last month or so, downloadable as a playlist from mediafire here, so let’s get going.

Classixx - Into the Valley feat. Karl Dixon (Julio Bashmore Remix)

First off is a clear contender for track of the year in Julio Bashmore’s euphoric remix of Classixx’s Into The Valley, running classic Chicago house stylings through a thoroughly modern filter with everything you could possibly want from a dancefloor stunner; ecstatic keys, emotive vocals, and one of the most irresistible grooves around.

Maurice Donovan - Call My Name

Keeping up the retro feel is Maurice Donovan’s (aka Ramadanman / Pearson Sound) throwback cut Call My Name, in which a cloying vocal line is stretched around a straight and bouncy house track that has all the right elements in all the right places.

Coat of Arms - Is This Something

Coat Of Arms’ low-key release Is This Something is probably my most played track of the month, a gorgeous piece of bouncy bass with a Faith Evans sample twisted almost beyond recognition that can pretty much be mixed with anything to sound brilliant.

Mercury - You Lift Me Up

Still holding onto those upbeat vibes we have Mercury’s September release You Lift Me Up, where diva-licious vocals are styled and chopped with classic garage trimmings and some gorgeous bassy synth-work. This is an absolute banger.

Visions of Trees – Novocaine (Melé Vocal Mix)

Next is a lovely vocal mix of Visions of Trees’ endlessly surprising Novocaine, where a great vocal line is twinned with stomping bass in a track full of great micro-edits and details in order to keep it well-paced and engaging right the way to the close.

A1 Bassline - Falsehood

A1 Bassline’s releases have been fire recently, and the recent Buoyancy / Falsehood is no exception. The A-side’s bassy glory is well worth a listen, but for me this darker B-side stole the show. Here great percussion vies for attention with choppy footwork vocals, before dropping into one of the best builds I’ve heard all year.

DJ Godfather – Make That M.F.

Moving on to other genres, this piece of dirty ghetto techno has had me moving all month long. Joining the ranks of the likes of DJ Assault, DJ Sluggo and Maurice Joshua, here Percolator-style bounces supplement knife-sharp handclaps under that commanding vocal line.

Boddika – Acid Battery

One of the more remarkable tracks on Scuba’s excellent DJ Kicks this month, Boddika’s cold new acid take relies on treated synths, skittering percussion and paranoid searing synths to fantastic effect.

Distal – Mamanimal

I kind of put this track in because I’m still unsure whether I like it or not, but it’s definitely worth a listen. Clipped from this month’s Frite Nite Surreal Estate collection, this mutating track settles from a stuttering bass number with precise and textured percussion into an uneasy synthline, before abandoning all of this completely for two minutes of an epic synth build and powerful beats. Has to be heard to be believed.

Brenmar – Temperature Rising

First pick of this month’s bassier numbers goes to Brenmar’s gorgeous and sexy release from his newest Let’s Pretend EP. A fantastic vocal line glides smoothly over light percussion and deep bass stabs, while a constantly shifting synth-field always keeps the song firing at all cylinders. This is one not to miss.

Jack Dixon – Clear

Another gorgeous cut from up and coming Jack Dixon, this is a light and airy cut with distinctive bass stylings. A nice vocal line echoes off into a warm and bouncy track that has the real potential to get dancefloors moving.

Sepalcure – I’m Alright

Coming out as the B-side to their forthcoming single Pencil Pimp from the NY duo’s self-titled debut out this month, this is a great sign of what’s to come. Really laid back, the vocals court light synth-work showing Sepalcure’s trademark skill and bass know-how.

Jack Dixon – Coconuts (Disclosure Remix)

Another Jack Dixon cut, this time remixed by White Noise favourite Disclosure, this has had a lot of playtime on my laptop in the last few weeks. Disclosure take Dixon’s slow and sexy tune and draw those vocals and beats out as far as they will go, crafting a fantastic tune in its own right.

Arkist – 23 Summers

(Not on youtube but included in the download)

The always on-point Arkist crafts a sinuous groove across bouncing synths and vocals that are just out of earshot, showing his consistent ability to put a warm and funky twist and contemporary dance music.

Addison Groove – An We Drop

Another track culled from Scuba’s DJ Kicks release, this is quite a restrained cut for the normally intense producer, but it’s recognisably Addison Groove in the acid-house stabs that rule the latter half of this great tune.

Gugu – Rollin

Following this year’s Afro-Cuban EP with a release on DVA’s recent Some Things Never Strange EP, Gugu stole the show for me with Rollin. Deceptively simple, the bounciest of basslines rules under sharp beats and a great vocal loop.

Kahn – Tehran

The B-side to Kahn’s last Illy single, Tehran sounds totally unique, with distinctive Eastern trappings running over the top of a pulsing dance tune. Definitely one of the best tunes of the month.

Najem Sworb – Severance

(Not on youtube but included in the download)

French producer Najem Sworb’s last single was one of the best I’ve heard in a long while, and this A side more than proves why. Through what is essentially techno he creates a busy and rich soundfield, layering mutating synthlines over a head-bobbing beat and irregular percussion.

Floating Points – Danger

Floating Points’ last experimental 7” won’t be to everyone’s tastes, but it certainly held my attention. This is micro-dance at its smallest, beats sounding like rips in the musical fabric interrupted by a tiny swirling synthline that makes for quite a cerebral listen. You might find it hard to fit this into a mix, but its definitely worth a listen.

Mosca – The Way We Were

The first track from Mosca’s free 5000 Followers EP (released to celebrate a Twitter landmark), this is a track of unusual quality for a free release. The word here is groovy, and Mosca ties soothing vocals over warm keys and tops it all off with a Wu-Tang skit. What more could you ask for?

Nicolas Jaar – Don’t Break My Love

Fresh off the press, Jaar’s free EP (available to download as of this week) shows Jaar is still on form, and he’s looking in more interesting directions than ever with his sound. What is largely an experimental percussion piece unfolds at its own hypnotic pace, with organic sounds complimenting each other gorgeously. It all finishes with an intoxicating loop that you’ll wish went on for much longer.