Big Dope P – FDBU
Monster 160 g-tech tune from longtime Palms Out favorite Big Dope P, the prolific French producer based in London. This man is the definition of grind–he seems to produce and release nonstop and runs one of the most stylistically consistent labels of the past two decades (next year is the 20-year anniversary of this classic). I’ve never had the pleasure of seeing him DJ, but I imagine he brings a lot of fun to the floor. This is from his upcoming six-track EP, Life Hits Hard But These Traxx Hit Harder, out July 16, and up for preorder now.
Big Dope P – “FDBU”
Sensu & Eloq – Ur Way
Speaking of Palms Out favorites, here’s a new one from old friend ELOQ (August Fenger), whose very first EP came out on Palms Out way back in 2011. Produced in collaboration with Swiss producer Sensu (Jasmin Peterhans), this track really crystalizes the energy of so many contemporary dancefloors: open [again] to syncopation and genre fusion, obsessed with hitempo 2 step/UKG shuffle, and not averse to some bubblegum synths. The press release references Hed Kandi when describing the synth sound here, and that’s definitely on the money, but I also hear plenty of naughties Dutch house and a bit of “Exceeder” in there. I’m here for it. This is out now for streaming, but Sensu and ELOQ were kind enough to let me share the mp3 with you all here.
Sensu & ELOQ – “Ur Way”
Ekforce – Chiaroscuro
Last but not least tonight, two tracks from French artist Ekorce (Kyrian Nicolay-Kritter), whose name I had not run across before now. When I heard these, it was evident there was some deep technical talent behind them–but I had no idea where to place these musically. Not that categorizing music does anyone much good, but I find it difficult not to do so automatically when I hear something–but I lacked the right references here. It isn’t that any of this sounds particularly unfamiliar–it’s plasticky, rubbery, twangy downtempo electronic music, all really pleasant sonic qualities in my book, but it just doesn’t quite sound like anything I’ve heard before. Ekorces’s bio describes it “oscillating between Psybass, Psydub, and Psychill,” which admittedly are all genres I’ve essentially never heard of (I assume they’re all from the Psytrance family?). The closest reference point I have that gives a little idea is Vapor Twitch, or whatever Cashmere Cat and his friends were making in the mid-2010s (I think it got called “Future Bass” which is among the most reductive and meaningless genre names ever coined), but neither of those quite fit either, because Ekorces’ album is much more varied than those references would imply–and at times quite restrained and deep. Whatever this is, it’s really good. It makes me feel a little like I’m inside one of my daughters’ bouncing balls. Both of these songs are taken from Ekorce’s newest LP, Chiaroscuro, which you can grab on bandcamp; you can also download one of the tracks below, or find it all for streaming.
Ekorce – “Blur”
Ekorce – “Page Blanche”