- As Mumdance, Jack Adams has quietly become one of my favourite producers. Racking up a string of excellent releases in the last year-and-a-half, he's taken to weaving jungle, early drum & bass and grime into an idiosyncratic thread of soundsystem-influenced bass music.
The regal chiptune melodies of "Springtime" sway back and forth, hinting at a period of early grime often ignored in favour of barebones eski rehashing. Adams' execution isn't perfect—the oscillating synths occasionally clash, and the drums feel neutered—but it's a welcome new angle in a scene becoming obsessed with the urban sounds of yore.
An update of an older track, "It's Peak (Club Mix)" hectically sprays wonky chords. It's energetic enough to sound like it could knock the needle from the groove at any moment, and drowning in big-room reverb, the chaos recalls his brasher electro days. But Adams keeps even this one inventive, fitting nicely with his work alongside producers like Logos, and it musters something a lot of dance music doesn't get close to: unpredictability.
TracklistA1 Springtime
A2 Its Peak