This second label release is an introduction to productions lovingly slaved over by myself and my studio partner/old friend, Leonidas. We started working together about four years ago and this debut collaborative EP demonstrates our mutual love of classic disco, techno, electro, acid, house and UK bass/dub, to create an EP with one foot in the past, one foot in the future and both eyes aimed squarely at the dance floor.
Much like previous release (Midnight Thunder) Machines, Tapes & Electronic Setups has been getting some excellent feedback thus far, including a great Mixmag review. Check out the audio clips below or listen to the whole EP in full on Bandcamp. Scroll down for selected feedback/quotes and a bit more info about the music.
Selected Feedback ‘Favourite: Jackin Pschidt – An excellent an varied EP, Big support. 5/5’ (Ashley Beedle, UK – Various, Worldwide) ‘All the EP has a lot of originality, driftin and program my favourites. 5/5’ (Bot/Crookers, Italy – Various, Worldwide) ‘Favourite: Driftin – Great to see Hobbes Music taking off. Great EP. 5/5’ (Auntie Flo, UK – Various, Worldwide) ‘Fantastic EP. Particuarly feeling Jackin Pschidt & Driftin…’ (Leftside Wobble, UK – Various, Europe) ‘Thanks man, this is really good. great diversity in there. So much so I am going in again right now. Jackin Pschidt is so good’ (Ben Martin, High Sheen, UK – Various) ‘Thanks for this! Really into Penthouse Dub’ (Dam Mantle, UK – Various, Europe) ‘That’s a solid body of work, more like a mini LP than a EP. I love the warmth of your sound! Program has a very futuristic feeling and could almost convince me to start playing video games. Penthouse Dub is an organic journey into some deep dubbed out outer space, while Driftin has a more ‘classic’ feel to it, with nods to the gospel house sound circa 89, before coming to its own with some killer hypnotic analog goodness. Spellbinding’ (Cedric Lassonde, Beaty & The Beat, London, UK) ‘It is rare these days to get an ep full of tracks, clearly rooted in traditions – sound and aestetic wise – but fresh and forward thinking at the same time… i’m happy to have it in my box!’ (Thomas Pudell, Black Alley, Berlin) ‘I really like Jackin Pschidt: Proper raw, classic acid house feel to it. Synth and percussion both spot on. Pavement K is also a real nice groovy head nodder but with an eerie undertone. Like the half time break-down and then how it shuffles back into double time. Kinda Jimmy Edgar meets Tri-Angle Records. Program is also a pretty sick cut. The drop is dope!’ (Sketchy, Man Make Music/Mixcloud, London, UK) ‘Fantastic stuff I must say! Thank you for sending them on to me’ (Frankie Valentine, UK) ‘Driftin’ really is like nothing else and sets out the stall for this inventive EP… Jackin’ Pschidt is as perfect a piece of acid house as you could find and could have come from the Trax label back in the day. 7/10′ (Mixmag. Full review here) ‘Favourite: Drifin – Very nice production, will try. 5/5’ (Wankelmut, Germany – Various, Europe)‘Favourite: Driftin – I totally love that!!! 5/5’ (StereoHeroes, France – Various, Europe) ‘Favourite: Driftin. 5/5’ (Yuri/Database/Kitsune, Brazil – Various, Brazil) ‘Favourite: Penthouse Dub – Really strong EP full support. 5/5’ (Nick Warren, UK – Various, Worldwide) ‘Favourite: Driftin – uff!!!!!!!!!! 5/5’ (Mousse T, Germany – Various, Worldwide)
A1) Driftin’ employs a vintage gospel sample and a bank of equally vintage synths (ARP Odyssey, Roland Juno 106, Roland SH101, Sequential Circuits ProOne) for a very contemporary, hybrid mix of UK bass and house. This track received early support from Rob Da Bank on BBC Radio 1), has proved popular on Soundcloud and has been dropping extremely well when played out, so we think you’ll agree it’s rather special!
A2) Penthouse Dub is a more spacious composition. Classic disco congas and a delaysoaked guitar line recall the Balearic style of Norwegian modern disco don Todd Terje, then the vintage (Sequential Circuits Prophet T8) synth lines drop… The title is a nod to Heaven 17’s classic album, Penthouse & Pavement - a key reference point during this track’s production.
B1) Jackin’ Pschidt treads a more European path, referencing Belgium’s late Eighties Nu Beat scene via its drum programming and acid line, with a heavily arpeggiated synth for its euphoric main riff and classic Nineties techno claps driving the beat home. A vocal refrain, compelling you to ‘break it down: get into the groove’, is as simple a call to action as any you’ll find in dance music. But, again, it’s the track’s bassline which will really get people moving their bodies: no fuss, few effects, just simple dancefloor dynamics. This mix has also proved popular on Soundcloud and been dropping well when played out. The title is a nod to a certain Chicago legend…
B2) Referencing after-hours parties in dingey warehouse spaces, Pavement K flips the script completely, slowing things down and spacing them out all heavy reverb, plodding kicks and atmospheric toms that ring out like some tribal gong in an old Kurosawa film. The bass stabs are as fierce as anything DMZ have put their name to, while the acid line and skittering hats are closer to early Plastikman. The brief vocal snatches are hardly any less abstract, before more waves of bass wash moodily over you and that familiar voice returns to let you know about ‘a lot of machines, tapes and electronic setups….’ Watch yer bass bins!
Digital Bonus Track: Upping the tempo again to end on a lighter note, Program is an electro tribute to one of our favourite Eighties films, Tron. N.B. Program is not included on the vinyl release and available as a free download exclusively to people who buy the full EP (vinyl or digital – nb purchasing the vinyl includes free download of all digital files) from Bandcamp.
More FeedbackLeonidas & Hobbes, Machines, Tapes & Electronic Setups is released by Hobbes Music on Monday 3rd June 2013 and available as a limited edition 12” vinyl and via all digital download platforms, with worldwide distribution by Rubadub.
[Previously released by Leonidas: The Sequential EP, his debut, has been winning fans in underground clubs across the globe since its summer ‘12 release via Japanese-owned label Round In Motion.]