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Morgan Zarate
Hookid EP
Hyperdub
HDB044 / 12" & Digital
January 25th 2011
Promo only available as digital download
Morgan Zarate is best known for pushing r&b and hip hop into new spaces, taking influences from the US and UK and creating raw, emotional and psychedelic beats. On this first EP for Hyperdub, his production steps up in tempo, and the influence on his music of grime and dubstep shines through.
He started on this path in early 2000 when he released the now classic Curvatia as part of the influential group Spacek. He has since produced their critically acclaimed sophomore album Vintage Hi-Tech, and following on from that has worked with soul legends Raphael Saadiq and Amp Fiddler. He’s produced for Ghostface Killah, Dilla's favourites Frank n Dank, Musiq Soulchild, Eska and has worked on campaigns for Nike and others. Most recently his production unit The Shining has
been playlisted on Radio 1.
Hookid is the first 12'' from his forthcoming solo album, which is slated for a 2011 release on Hyperdub. The EP starts with Hookid, a half time grime/dubstep influenced track where swirling and bumping synth melodies try and find space in between congas and hard hand claps.
On Buy Bye dense melody and rhythm splash and pulse, half-heard through a tight mesh of slip-sliding compression like a flashing strobe light through swirling coloured smoke, the effect is intricate and highly psychedelic.
The EP ends with the more straight-forward SP. A simple, urgent sounding synth melody that sounds like it’s been recorded from a 3rd generation cassette of a John Carpenter soundtrack, is built over a hissing rhythm – it’s unusual and memorable in its brevity, like a sonic logo for a mysterious organization from a science fiction film.
MORE
URB: Mix & Interview (Jan 2011) - LINK
Coke Machine Glow: Review (Jan 2011) - LINK
KCRW: will be broadcasting a Mix Friday January 21st
NORTH AMERICAN PRESS CONTACT
Gamall Awad, Backspin Promotions, New York: g(AT)backspinpromo.com
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Funkystepz
Fuller / Hurricane Riddim
Hyperdub
HDB049 / 12" & Digital
February 14th 2011
Promo only available as digital download
Funkystepz are a collective of house producers from North London, with a show on Rinse FM and a string of self-released, underground hits under their belts. They're definitely some of the producers to watch out for this year. After a period of trial and testing on dubplate by DJs like Kode9 and Marcus Nasty, this first release for Hyperdub, doesn't mess about.
Fuller is a dance floor destroyer of a very British vintage. Hard without being rigid, with a cold, elastic sense of melody that bounces and snaps around the midrange between the bass and snares. Tempered by an occasional organ stab, it's one of those tracks that will lively up any club straight away, doing away with the forced euphoria of alot of contemporary dance music, and instead honing the harder to come by skill of energetic intensity and building anticipation.
Hurricane Riddim takes the listener through a number of contrasting moods simply but effectively. Opening with heavy orchestral stabs and military snares reminicent of classic grime, the addition of a complicated, snaking bassline gives the track a jump up feel, and the 8 bar aggression gives way to sections of orchestral calm and sad but bouncy piano melody.
MORE
FACT: Mix & Interview (Jan 2011) - LINK
NORTH AMERICAN PRESS CONTACT
Gamall Awad, Backspin Promotions, New York: g(AT)backspinpromo.com
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