- What snobbier electronic music fans might call big-room sounds are starting to pervade all kinds of dance music. And let's face it: sometimes they're just plain fun. Portuguese duo Sabre (not the drum & bass artist of the same name) show just how much on their first 12-inch for Tasteful Nudes. Bali demonstrates not only a preoccupation with hardware, but also a fresh-faced flamboyance so earnest it's near-impossible to reject.
"Bali" is a battle cry if ever there was one. Held up by bells and snappy snares, it's a colourful bouquet of signifiers. The revving basslines warn that something big is around the corner, the bendy synth work hints at vintage prog house, and Detroit-style chords bloom into full-on Ibiza mode. A little more reserved, "Ging" is the hangover after the A-side's all-nighter. Instead of bursting into climax, this one peters out with gurgly acid lines and trickling synths, showing the duo can do reflective just fine when they're not making fist-pumping bangers.