Record Reviews (03/11/23)
Ramu - Imagined Worlds EP [Infinite Pleasure]
The cover art of Ramu’s new EP is a stunner and the music is pretty good too. ‘Native Acid’ is a slightly different twist on the breaks+acid formula familiar from previous releases. There’s a touch of vintage Black Dog to it and indeed it went down a treat alongside some UK techno classics when I played it late last Saturday night at Outra Cena here in Lisbon. ‘D Dream’ is spacier, deriving its main energy from that fat old school snare. The solo improvisation in the break is delightful but I could actually do without the vocal samples. ‘Ready 2’ is faster, reminding me of OCB’s brand of racecar electro-funk, while ‘Imagined Worlds’ stands out as the EP’s lone 4/4 moment. It suffers a little from the over-doneness of that squiggly Youandewan synth line but survives thanks to its forward-pushing beat and bass. There’s something about the kicks that feels so round and satisfying, as if they are surrounded by silence within the groove. Ramu already pulled this trick on the epic ‘Mist Or Cloud’ and here he rekindles some of that same magic. I wish I understood how he does it.
Baalti - Better Together EP [All My Thoughts] + Farsight Remix + SUCHI Remix
Despite being a big fan of Baalti’s ‘Ustad’ (which I put in my Dimensions podcast), I missed the announcement of their debut vinyl release earlier this year. It was the digital only remixes by Farsight and SUCHI, put out this past month, that finally brought it to my attention.
The Better Together EP has five killer originals of immaculately arranged bass and breaks, alternately deep and driving and featuring samples of Indian singers. I played ‘Kirpa’ at the end of my recent set in Amsterdam, as a kind of palate cleanser before finishing the night b2b with Dana Kuehr. But my favourite has to be ‘Wedding Season’, a hectic melange of UK garage and bass that provides plenty of pressure while keeping it funky. Even when things get a bit big-room on EP closer ‘Staying In Touch’ there’s enough character and complexity to keep things on track.
Farsight’s remix of ‘Buttons’ steps the track up over a big wobbling bassline to great effect, with the occasional roar of a tiger for good measure. Then SUCHI’s remix of ‘Spilling’ turns it into a contemporary tech/electro-house banger that feels very of the moment. The water drip noises are cute but I could do without the dramatic break, which feels pretty trite. This is my pet peeve at the moment, actually: ‘big moment’ breaks in tracks that simply don’t need them. Petition to stop them forthcoming.
Sweater/Post Play - Perspiration Nation EP [Pearled]
Pristine breaks from Brooklyn. I was handed a vinyl promo of this when I played at Mansions back in August, but didn’t have the luggage space to bring the record home with me. One insider-traded digital promo later and I’ve been playing these tracks out at most gigs. ‘My Love Inside’ breezes along on its growling bass and sparkly piano line; ‘King Ghidora’ also growls but in a more UK techno way; ‘Spaced N Paced’ flips back and forth between the breaks and the 4/4, and the pads remind me of vintage Herbert; then finally ‘Nice To Meet You Too’ provides a soft landing. Again I think the vocal samples are unnecessary — adding these to the petition now.
(This one is vinyl only)