- Gutterfunk is the latest endeavour from DJ Die in Bristol, combining the city's rich tapestry of dub, drum & bass, dubstep and house into a suitably dense and multi-faceted package. The first release was a smooth electro job by Mensah, but the second is decidedly faster, betraying Die's drum & bass roots.
The first side comes from Bristol producers Interface and Minus, and it's a high-octane blend of footwork and jungle that comes as close as I've heard anyone come to the casual majesty of Machinedrum's Room(s)—only "Hardwork" has a sharper edge to its blade. A caustically gurgling bassline tears through the track, clearing the way for a monstrous drop that's like four drum sets getting caught in a cyclone. Bolstered with chipmunk vocals and a shimmering guitar motif it's a potential summer anthem that most anyone could appreciate, nicely ticking that vaunted "multi-genre" box that Gutterfunk has created for itself.
The flipside couldn't help but be less distinctive, though Die & Mensah's "Firing Line" admirably holds its own. Favouring the same sort of avalanche dynamics, it leans a lot closer to dubstep but carries a Latin flair with its sampled handclap percussion, chanted vocals and offbeat snares. It's playful where "Hardwork" is devastating.
Tracklist A Interface & Minus - Hardwork
B Die & Mensah - Firing Line